Friday, October 30, is the last weekday you can ride, hike, or walk a dog on Massanutten's Western Slope until 2027. The next day the trails go to Sundays only, and they stay that way through January 2, 2027, "due to hunting season," in the resort's words. The resort's hiking page spells it out. From October 31 through January 2, the trails are closed from sunrise to sunset Monday through Saturday and open Sundays for biking and hiking.
For McGaheysville, the mountain's fall calendar turns on that switch. October packs in most of what's left of the outdoor season. After that, Sunday is the main day the public side of the mountain is open to locals, on the trails and at the WaterPark, until the snow guns start.
Sunday Is the Resort's Rule, Not Virginia's
Most people assume a state rule explains why Sunday is the open day. Virginia doesn't have a general ban on Sunday hunting. The state code bars hunting with a weapon within 200 yards of a place of worship, and it bars hunting deer or bear with dogs on Sundays. Beyond that, Sunday is an ordinary hunting day under state law.
The rule that matters here is Massanutten's own. A Western Slope rules document on the resort's owner portal says Great Eastern Resort Management does not permit hunting on Sundays. It also says hunting on the Western Slope requires state permits plus a resort-issued permit, and that trail access closes during hunting season except on Sundays. The land is private, so the resort decides which day goes to trail users. It gave them Sunday.
The state calendar explains the length of the closure. Virginia's Department of Wildlife Resources splits Rockingham County at Routes 613 and 731 for private-land firearms deer season. West of that line, the season runs November 14 through December 12. East of it, the season runs November 14 through January 2. The resort's Sundays-only window also ends on January 2. The Western Slope starts the restriction two weeks before firearms season opens on November 14.
Getting On the Western Slope Without an Owner's Card
Current resort guests, owners, employees, MPOA members, and the guests they bring along can use the Western Slope without a separate pass. So can Massanutten Unlimited Season Passholders, though without guest privileges. Everyone else needs a Trail Use Pass from the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition. SVBC says the trails sit on private Massanutten Resort land, and every user age 12 and older needs a pass and a signed waiver.
SVBC lists two ways in. Its pass pages haven't been visibly updated since 2023, so confirm prices before you go.
- Day pass: listed at $10 per day, sold online or at the trailhead kiosk with cash or card. It's good from open to close on the day you buy it and covers riders, hikers, runners, and dog walkers. The digital waiver is a once-a-year step.
- Annual pass: requires an active SVBC membership plus either six hours of trail work or a donation of at least $50. Membership starts at $40 a year. The pass gives unlimited access January through November, subject to the resort's open-day schedule.
During hunting season, the math changes. A day pass costs the same on a Sunday in November as on a Tuesday in June, but November has only five Sundays to use it. The annual pass also runs only through November, so December's Sundays fall outside it. The money goes to SVBC for trail construction and reroutes, machine hours, hand tools, chainsaw training, and volunteer support.
The trail rules stay the same all year. Dogs must be leashed, owners pack out their dogs' waste, horses aren't allowed, and gates must be closed behind you.
What October Still Holds Before the Switch
The weekday trails close on October 30, and the lift-served Bike Park follows on November 1. That puts most of the outdoor season's remaining events into five October weekends:
- Saturday, October 3: Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day, with $20 full-day trail use tickets.
- Saturday, October 10: Fall Festival at 4616 Massanutten Drive, 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Spilling Dew plays from noon to 1:30, The Judy Chops from 2:15 to 3:45, and The Six Piece Suits from 4:30 to 6. Advance tickets are $11.79 through October 9 and $20 at the gate. Children 6 and under get in free, and chairlift rides are $22.
- Monday, October 12: A bonus day at the Bike Park, which otherwise runs weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturday, October 17: No Western Slope shuttle that day.
- October 23 to 25: The Bike Park closes for the Spartan Race.
- Sunday, October 25: A bonus shuttle day on the Western Slope. It's also the last Enduro race of the Locals Cup, $10 for season-pass holders and $35 for everyone else, with that day's trail-use ticket or shuttle pass included.
- Friday, October 30: Closing day for the Western Slope shuttle and the last daily-access day on the trails.
- Sunday, November 1: Closing day at the Bike Park.
The shuttle normally runs Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at $50 for an all-day pass or $15 per ride. Neither price covers SVBC's trail-use fee. Bike Park day tickets are $55 for full access or $40 for the low side only.
One addition this year runs on a different schedule from the trails. Mountain Mayhem, which Massanutten calls Virginia's first alpine coaster, launched July 9, 2026. The 3,380-foot track has two 360-degree spirals, and riders control their own speed up to 25 mph over a ride of about six minutes. Tickets are $18 for an adult 13 or older and $24 for an adult riding with a child.
The WaterPark Also Prices Sundays for Locals
The WaterPark's local deal falls on the same day as trail access. Through December 13, guests who live within 50 miles can get Sunday admission for $35. The one exception is October 11. From October 31 until the deal ends in mid-December, a McGaheysville household can spend a Sunday on the Western Slope trails and at the WaterPark at the local rate, and Sunday is the only day both are available.
Other weekdays have their own deals. On Mondays and Thursdays through November 23, a Family Bundle covers up to five tickets for $175, plus a $5 Arcade Card per ticket. A local Fall WaterPark Season Pass costs $100 and is valid through December 18, with blackout dates of November 26 to 28. Passholders can bring a friend for $25 on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays.
What Won't Open This Fall
The Sundays-only stretch will last longer than some people expected, because the resort's next big addition won't be ready this fall. In May, WHSV reported that ShenandoaH2O, Massanutten's new hotel and waterpark expansion, was set to open in October 2026. The resort's page now says early 2027. The project includes a 25,000-square-foot waterpark addition with new pools, slides, cabanas, and a family raft ride, plus a 6,500-square-foot atrium and a 2,600-square-foot event space. On September 3, Virginia Hospitality News reported that reservations for the 140-room hotel never opened and that the resort hasn't explained the new timing.
Ski season won't fill the gap in November either. Massanutten says snow sports depend on the weather and don't follow an exact schedule from year to year. Its general guidance is that snowmaking usually starts in early to mid-December, with the season running into early March, weather permitting. The deadline that's certain comes on the pass side. An adult Full Season pass costs $650 through October 31 and $700 from November 1 to December 10. The Special Value pass goes from $520 to $560 on the same date. That price change lands one day after the Western Slope goes to Sundays only.
From November 1 until the lifts start turning, the main options for locals on Massanutten's public side are a Sunday on the Western Slope with an SVBC pass and the $35 local Sunday rate at the WaterPark.
Seasonal schedules like this one affect daily life in McGaheysville more than any listing sheet shows. At Nest Realty Harrisonburg, we keep track of them because they shape what living near the mountain is like for our clients. If you'd like to talk through how the Massanutten calendar fits a move you're considering, we're glad to help. Start Your Search when you're ready.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
