Pignut Mountain is a mountain

Mountain

Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...

 in Rappahannock County, Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

. It is part of the Blue Ridge Mountains

Blue Ridge Mountains

The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...

. Its summit

Summit (topography)

In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation...

 lies within Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the U.S. state of Virginia. This national park is long and narrow, with the broad Shenandoah River and valley on the west side, and the rolling hills of the Virginia Piedmont on the east...

.

Geology

Geologically speaking, the mountain is situated in the northern subprovince of the Blue Ridge Province of the Appalachian Highlands. It is part of the Crystalline Appalachians. Pignut Mountain is separated from the main Blue Ridge by a low gap. The gap is the result of relatively rapid erosion

Erosion

Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...

 along a geological fault.

Visiting Pignut Mountain

Pignut Mountain is entirely undeveloped. There are no trails or roads leading up the mountain. The summit can be reached by bushwhacking from the Hull School Trail, accessible from Skyline Drive

Skyline Drive

Skyline Drive is a 105-mile road that runs the entire length of the National Park Service's Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, generally along the ridge of the mountains. The scenic drive is particularly popular in the fall when the leaves are changing colors...

. The closest scenic viewpoints along Skyline Drive from which to view Pignut Mountain are Thornton Hollow Overlook, situated on nearby Neighbor Mountain

Neighbor Mountain

Neighbor Mountain is a mountain in Page and Rappahannock Counties, Virginia, near the city of Luray. It is part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Its summit lies in Page County, within Shenandoah National Park.-Geology:...

, Little Devils Stairs Overlook on Hogback Mountain and Rattlesnake Point Overlook on Sugarloaf. Thornton Hollow Overlook provides a view from the west; Little Devils Stairs Overlook provides a view from the north; and Rattlesnake Point Overlook provides a view from the northwest.