Little Devil's Stairs Trail, Sperryville

Great moderate hike. We parked at the Keyser Run lot and made our way up along the gorge. Keep with the blue blaze to avoid getting lost. Take your time during the hike up - this was the best part of the loop. The way back down is a gradual dirt or gravel road, and it was a bit boring and seemed longer than it actually was. It was a muggy day, but the hike through the forest and several stream crossings provided a nice cooling effect. It can get pretty steep at times. I would suggest wearing some water shoes to make the stream crossings easier. I wore Chacos and it was nice to wade in the gorge a bit. We went during labor day, but the trail wasn't crowded (saw about 9 people total). Keep in mind there's no big view-point/vista as part of this hike, unless you start from the skyline drive entrance.

One of the most fun trails I have ever stumbled upon. The trail took me with two dogs about 4 hours with breaks. It ended up being about 6-7 miles doing the full loop. I highly recommend starting on the side going into the woods and not the trail head going up the dirt road. There are a lot of water crossings and rock scrambles. Not a trail for people or dogs with bad hope, knees, and joints. Be sure to pack plenty of water and snacks.