stream – Page 8 – Virginia Trail Guide

South River Falls

November 30, 2009April 29, 202211 Comments

This 4.6 mile hike leads you along the South River to an impressive waterfall that plunges deep into a canyon. When the park has experienced lots of rain, this waterfall hike is one of the nicest Shenandoah has to offer.

Cascades along the South River — The South River is impressive in times of heavy rain.

Adam Says…

We have kept with a tradition the last few years of doing a hike on Thanksgiving morning. It’s a great way to appreciate nature and try to do something active before a big meal. This year, we decided to break the tradition of having a huge Thanksgiving meal with turkey and all the trimmings. We decided to have an easier meal that we would both enjoy – homemade pizza.

We’ve hiked South River Falls before, but we’ve never had as much water in the falls before. We thought it would be impressive, since we could hear rushing water through the South River a lot earlier than normal. Waterfall hikes in Shenandoah National Park tend to be fairly tough ones. Since you park on Skyline Drive at a high elevation, you have to hike down to the valleys where the falls are created. What makes it difficult, at least psychologically, is that you get to the payoff fairly easily and then have to do the hard work on your way back to your vehicle.

The South River right at the crest of the waterfall. — The beauty of the South River is found mostly in its small details. The cascades and little falls leading the large waterfall are prettier than the main waterfall. Pictured below: South River Falls from the overlook at the top of the canyon; the falls from the base. You’ll see neither vantage point of the waterfall is terribly photogenic (especially after the leaves have come down). Both of the small photos below are from another date. This time, the falls were much bigger – but it was too sunny to photograph them.

The hike begins at the South River Picnic Area. Look for the large sign about the hike on the northeastern side of the picnic area. At slightly over .1 mile, you will cross the Appalachian Trail. You will continue your descent and around 1 mile, you will rock-hop across a small creek that drains into the South River. Usually this is not much of a challenge due to the water, but we found the water was higher than normal this time. At 1.3 miles, you will come to a nice overlook for the South River Falls. You really get a great view of the 83 foot waterfall. It plunges to a rocky ledge and splits in two about half of the length of the waterfall. If you continue on the trail for another .2 miles, you will arrive at a cement post and join a spur to the South River Fire Road. If you continue on for another .2 miles, you will descend even further and arrive at another cement post. Following the path from the cement post for another .1 mile, you will arrive at the base of the falls. For any adventurous shutterbugs, there are ample opportunities near the base of the falls for long-exposure photography. Make sure you have your strength up, because you have 2.2 miles to hike at a steady incline back to your vehicle.

To follow the trail as a loop as we did, once you make your return from the base of the falls, go .7 miles until you reach the cement post and the junction with the South River Falls Trail. Stay on the fire road instead and after .4 miles more, you will reach the yellow-blazed South River Fire Road. Take a left on the road. In about a mile, you will reach the junction with the Appalachian Trail. Take a left on the white-blazed AT, heading south for about .4 miles. You will then reach the junction with the South River Falls Trail and only have about .1 mile to reach the picnic ground.

The hike was a tough one, but it was nice to get some exercise. The thought of carving into our pizza helped us muster the energy to make it back.

Christine Says…

This was a great trail to burn off Thanksgiving calories! The terrain is rugged and the return arm of the loop is nothing but steady, tough uphill climbing. Even Wookie, who is normally a bundle of boundless energy, got quite tired on this hike. By the time we got to the Appalachian Trail junction, his corkscrew tail was completely unfurled. Even though there are some hikes in the park with more elevation gain, I think the 1300+ feet on the South River trail provides some of the park’s tougher climbing. Anyone looking for an easier version of this hike should consider doing the short loop (3.2 miles) that returns after the overlook at the top of the falls. By taking that route, you reduce the elevation gain to a very manageable 850 feet.

Despite the hard work required to get there, I really enjoyed seeing the South River and its namesake falls so flush with water. The Shenandoah area has had over five inches of rain in the month of November – more than double the normal amount. All of the park’s streams, rivers and waterfalls are flowing beautifully right now. It’s a great time to get out and enjoy the scenery and the less-crowded conditions in the park.

I had hoped to get some photo opportunities along the river on our Thanksgiving hike. I did take a few shots, but the weather was less than cooperative. It was too sunny to take shots of the moving water. Every now and then, I found a shady spot down in a deep ravine. I did a bit of bushwhacking to get to a few pretty spots, but overall I don’t feel like I came home with any special photos.

Honestly, while South River falls is probably the park’s most impressive waterfall, it is not one that translates nicely on film. The falls plunge into an enormous natural amphitheater. The sheer rock walls are amazing, but they aren’t photogenic. I’ve seen a few nice shots of South River Falls in the spring, when the water is flowing and the falls are surrounded by the lush new green of the trees and plants. In the late fall and winter, the falls are really scrubby and barren looking.

I think some of the prettiest and most dramatic places along the South River come at the bottom of the falls. In the last .1 mile of the trail, leading to the base of the falls, the water tumbles over a hundred feet down over giant boulders. There are many small, beautiful waterfalls to enjoy before you get to work climbing back up to your car.

When we got home from our hike, we found several TICKS! Can you believe it – ticks in late November; ticks after the mountains have had snow and temperatures at night are regularly below freezing? These were tiny ticks – about the size of a pinhead. We pulled one off Adam’s sweatshirt and two off of Wookie. I hate having to watch for ticks year round, but it seems that we must.

Wookie Says…
Hey all of you fellow hiking dogs. It’s been a while since I’ve been hiking, so I’m going to let you know what I thought of the trail. I enjoy getting the chance to get in the outdoors and I usually run laps around the house when my masters ask, “Would you like to go on a car ride?”

The hike on South River Falls was pretty fun for the most part. I enjoyed going downhill until I reached the stream to try and rock-hop. I’ve done this hike before with my masters, but there was a lot of water this time around. I don’t really like to get my feet wet and when I see any water on the hike, I try to take the driest option. After Adam crossed the creek, I really didn’t want to follow him. Only after Christine gave me a little nudge with her trekking poles, did I take the plunge and hop across the rocks.

Wookie Enjoyed the Hike — Wookie enjoyed the hike, but was exhausted the rest of the day.

All the rushing water on the trail, really made me need to go to the bathroom. I tried to make my mark as much as possible to let all my fellow canines know that Wookie was here. The hike back from the falls was pretty brutal for a small dog like me. My tail was down a lot of the trip back, because it was exhausting. At least I got some pizza scraps and a taste of sausage instead of turkey scraps this year. For that, I was truly thankful.

Trail Notes

Distance – 4.6 miles – loop.
(Check out the stats from MapMyHike – added 5/16/15)
Elevation Change –1315 feet.
Difficulty – 3. The return arm of the circuit climbs steeply uphill along a fire road for two straight miles.
Trail Conditions – 4. The trail is in great shape.
Views –0. You are deep in the woods for the entire hike.
Waterfalls/streams –4. In times of heavy rain, the South River is an impressive stream.
Wildlife – 0. We didn’t see *anything*, but over the summer there was a bear with three cubs in the area.
Ease to Navigate – 4. Trails are clearly marked.
Solitude – 2. This trail’s proximity to a park entrance makes it a popular hike.

Directions to trailhead:
From Skyline Drive, follow the drive to the South River Picnic Area (near mile marker 62). The trailhead is located at the back end of the picnic grounds, across from the restroom facilities.

Big Run Loop

November 15, 2009August 26, 20155 Comments

Big Run is a pretty (almost) six mile walk along one of the park’s less-trafficked trails. Although this hike does not offer any grand scenery, it offers plenty of solitude and nice options for backcountry camping.

Cliffs along the Appalachian Trail — These lichen covered cliffs are found along the Appalachian Trail segment of the Big Run Loop.

Christine Says…

We said we were going to take a weekend off of hiking so we could catch up on yardwork and housework, but the weekend was far too beautiful to spend it being productive adults. We decided to have breakfast at Big Meadows before hitting the trail. Most of the park facilities closed for the season on Sunday, and the remainder will close the last weekend in November. It was nice to have one final round of pancakes and sausage in the lodge dining room.

After our big meal, we headed south on Skyline Drive to hike the Big Run Loop. Last time we did this trail, it was in the midst of an August heat wave. It was in the nineties and we had to rest and drink water every ten minutes. This time, the weather was considerably cooler – but still unusually warm for November. I couldn’t believe it, but there were actually swarms of bugs pestering me every time I stood still. I even got a giant mosquito bite on my collarbone. It’s not supposed to be buggy in November!

The trail was covered with dry, brown leaves. Pictured below: The only color left in the woods was from moss and a few hardy ferns.

The trail started off with a couple miles of steady downhill. The trees had completely shed their fall foliage, so the trail was covered with a thick blanket of crispy fallen leaves. As we crunched along the trail, I remarked to Adam that we would certainly not be sneaking up on any wildlife on this hike. The leaves made it hard to see obstacles on the trail, and we both stumbled over rocks and branches hidden under the leaf layer.

At around the two mile mark, we reached Big Run. The water was very low and the stream was mostly obscured by several newly fallen trees. Although the trail is named for this stream, I think Big Run is fairly unremarkable. We didn’t stay long at this spot.

Big Run was prettier last summer. Since this photo was taken, several large trees have fallen across the stream where the trail crosses.

Shortly after the stream, the trail took a distinct uphill turn. For about a mile and half, we climbed steadily uphill. Some parts were rather steep, but overall it’s really not too bad of a climb. I used my trekking poles on this hike and they made the ascent markedly easier. I think the poles help me hike more efficiently and take pressure off my knees. Whenever I use them I feel like I have extra magical energy.

We eventually came to a four-way trail junction at the top of the ridge. The remainder of the hike followed the Big Run Loop trail until it joined the Appalachian Trail. The last segment along the AT took us past some impressive granite cliffs and crossed the Doyles River Overlook on Skyline Drive. After about a mile and a half along the AT, we completed the loop and returned to our car.

Adam Says…

Doyles River Overlook

We were debating a few different options for our hike today, but we decided to do Big Run. One of the reasons that we chose this hike is due to the challenge of trying to find one of Hiking Upward’s hiking sticks. A few hand-carved hiking sticks are placed along the trails that are up for grabs to whoever can find them. They provide GPS coordinates for any geocachers out there. I wasn’t able to find one, I believe due to a typo on the website.

Buck in the rutting season. Pictured Below: Most places in the park allow catch and release fishing. Big Run actually allows fish to be harvested.

Due to all of the leaves falling, the hike was a little more challenging than normal. We started the trail going downhill fairly quickly and the leaves made it for tricky footing. The swoosh of the leaves with every step drowned out our own voices and everything else. We had to stop to hear each other when we wanted to talk along the hike.

The blue-blazed trail descends about 1500 feet in 2.2 miles when you reach the branch of Big Run. The water was still and barely more than a trickle this time. After rock-hopping the stream, you will come to a cement post. Take the left branch of the fork. The trail is now marked by yellow blazes and starts a steep ascent. You will gain about 1000 feet of elevation in a little over a mile. At 3.5 miles, you will come to another cement post. Turn left, heading east, to continue on the Big Run Loop Trail, which is now marked by blue blazes again. While you still are going uphill for most of the rest of the hike, it is definitely more manageable. At 4.2 miles, you will reach the junction with the Appalachian Trail. You will take a left, heading north, to follow this white-blazed trail. At 4.5 miles, you will cross Skyline Drive, to stay on the AT. At 4.7 miles, you will reach the Doyles River Overlook, which provide you the best views on the hike. The AT continues on the north side of the parking lot. You will stay on this trail for another mile. When you reach the cement post at 5.7 miles, you will take a left which will take you back to your car at the Doyles River Parking Lot only about 30 yards away.

While this hike is not spectacular for streams or views (until you reach the Doyles River Overlook), it was still an enjoyable walk through the woods. As I mentioned earlier, the leaves led to some difficulty with seeing the trail. At one point on the AT, I slipped on a rock hidden by the leaves and went tumbling down. Luckily, I was unscathed and more importantly, I was able to protect Christine’s camera gear I was lugging on my back.

Trail Notes

Distance – 5.8 miles
Elevation Change – 1400 feet
Difficulty – 3.5. There is a mile and a half of steady uphill shortly after crossing Big Run stream.
Trail Conditions – 4. The trail is in great shape. It was a little trickier than it should have been with all the downed leaves covering the trail. Footing was tough at times because we couldn’t see rock and branches on the trail.
Views –1.5. You get one nice view when the Appalachian Trail crosses the Doyles River Overlook. If you hike when leaves are down, you get some other glimpses of views along the way.
Waterfalls/streams – 1. Big Run is not as impressive as it sounds. It’s not big and it doesn’t really run much either. 🙂
Wildlife – 2. We saw deer and lots of different kinds of birds.
Ease to Navigate – 4. Although there are turns, this trail is very well marked.
Solitude – 4. Because this trail lacks grand views and waterfalls, it tends to be more lightly trafficked than other Shenandoah trails. The area is popular with backcountry campers.

Directions to trailhead:
Follow Skyline Drive to the Doyles River Trail Parking area near mile marker 81. Cross the drive and begin your hike on the western side of the road. The hike departs from the Big Run Overlook. There may be room for a car or two at the overlook, but we recommend parking in the larger Doyles River parking area.

South Valley Trail

November 6, 2009August 26, 20154 Comments

The South Valley Trail is a part of the 35 miles of hiking trails in Prince William Forest Park. It is a nice stroll that takes you along the Quantico Creek.

Quantico Creek in the fall. — Even though the foliage was past peak on our hike, there were still some pretty spots along Quantico Creek.

Adam Says…

We went up this past weekend to visit Christine’s parents. Her dad’s birthday is on Halloween and he usually likes to do something active to help celebrate. He suggested a possible bike and hike in Prince William Forest Park. We were expecting a lot of rain that weekend, so we decided to just do a hike. While it was raining a little before we got there, we managed to do the hike with only a light drizzle at the end of the hike.

The sign marking the South Valley Trail — The South Valley Trail runs in a large loop around the park. Pictured below: The hike starts off on Mawavi Road; A bridge over Quantico Creek; Adam checks out evidence of beaver activity.

Many people do not realize that Prince William Forest Park is part of the National Park Service. The land was given this protection to find a new use for the land under Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. It was used as a training school for the military during World War II, but was turned back over to the Park Service in 1946.

While the overall South Valley Trail is about nine miles, we decided to do the portion that highlighted the South Fork of Quantico Creek. Her dad dropped a bike off at parking lot “I” and then we proceeded to lot “G” to start our trip. Christine’s father used the bike as a shuttle at the end of the hike. Upon reaching lot “I” at the end of the hike, he biked back to the car and then returned to pick the rest of us up.

We began by walking on Mawavi Road. In about .4 mile, it intersects with the South Valley Trail. We took a left on this trail. The trail runs along Quantico Creek for the majority of the rest of this hike. Shortly after joining the South Valley Trail, you will see a very narrow lake. There are a couple of cabin camps on the opposite side of the lake, which are often used by Boy Scouts. In 1.6 miles from the start, you will reach a junction with the High Meadows Trail. Continue straight on the South Valley Trail until you reach the Scenic Drive. Take a right and head down the road to your other vehicle at parking lot I, just about a tenth of a mile ahead.

Quantico Creek was dammed to create a lake. — Part of Quantico Creek has been dammed to create a lake. There is a group camp on the lakeshore.

We were expecting to see more color in the leaves this year, but it seems that things near the creek were a little past peak. We did see lots of signs of beavers in the area, but we didn’t see any actual beavers. The bridge and lake were interesting to view along the way, but this was more of a nice stroll through the woods than a momentous hike. The grade during this hike was a mix of hills and flats, so most people could attempt this hike without much difficulty. What amazes me most about this area is that it doesn’t seem to be heavily used. You would think with the proximity to D.C. and the hordes of Northern Virginians, that it would be crawling with people. But, we’ve been here several times and there doesn’t seem to be that many visitors.

Christine Says…

I’ve hiked along the South Valley trail many times over the years. When I was a Girl Scout, we camped in the park frequently. We took many day hikes along this trail. As an adult, we’ve hiked it as a family several times. In fact, it was the first trail we hiked after my younger brother returned from his first tour of duty in Iraq. Like Adam said, the South Valley trail is nothing spectacular. There are no grand vistas or thundering waterfalls. Instead, it’s simply a place to enjoy a quiet and peaceful walk through the woods.

There wasn't much foliage left, but this tree was pretty. — There wasn’t much colorful foliage left on the hike. Pictured below: A pretty spot along the creek.

The foliage was about a week or two past peak when we hiked this year. There were a few ginkgo and beech trees still holding onto golden leaves, but most of the trees were bare or brown. The last time I hiked this area was fall of 2007. Even though it was much later in the season, the color lingered until almost December that year. The photos below were taken on November 17, 2007. I guess this is even more evidence that fall came and went early this year.

The foliage along this hike was much prettier in 2007. Pictured below: A couple more shots from fall 2007.

The terrain of this hike is very easy. Since Prince William County doesn’t really have mountains, the park lacks tough grades and long climbs. I would describe the trail as crossing rolling terrains. You’re almost always walking uphill or downhill, but ascents and descents are never steep or long. Quantico Creek is a lovely and lazy waterway along the trail. There are a few places where the water forms small rapids and cascades, but most of the time it’s just a quiet, smooth ribbon of water through the woods.

The morning in Prince William Forest was a nice way to spend some time as a family.

Trail Notes

Distance – 3.1 miles
Elevation Change – Negligible
Difficulty – 1. Not much uphill the way we traveled.
Trail Conditions – 4. The trail is narrow, but in great condition.
Views –0. No views to really see.
Waterfalls/streams – 3. You will constantly get views of the stream nearby, but the water is usually fairly still.
Wildlife – 1. You’re likely to only see deer around here. However, gnawed trees lead to the belief that there are beavers in the area.
Ease to Navigate – 3.5. A few turns, but easy to follow.
Solitude – 3. It’s Northern Virginia, so expect some people, but you should still have decent solitude.

Directions to trailhead:
From I-95, take exit 150 on to 619 heading west. The Prince William Forest Park entrance is on the right. Once you pass the gate, take a left at the first fork. Once you pass parking lot C, take your next left. To do the trail as a shuttle as we did, leave a vehicle or bike at lot I and then proceed to lot G. Walk down the Mawavi Road to start the trip.

Doyles River-Jones Run

November 1, 2009August 26, 20155 Comments

The Doyles River-Jones Run loop is a nice six-mile hike that takes you past three sizable waterfalls and a lot of beautiful stream scenery.

Lower Doyles River Falls didn't have much water, but was surrounded by foliage. — There are three significant waterfalls along the Doyles River – Jones Run trail.

Christine Says…

Although, the wind, rain and (yes!) snow stripped the fall color from Shenandoah rather early this year, Adam and I still wanted to get out and hike on at least one glorious, sunny autumn day. There was still a little bit of colorful foliage hanging on in the south district of Shenandoah National Park, so we decided to hike the Doyles River- Jones Run loop on Sunday morning.

Park at the Brown Gap lot — Parking is available at Brown Gap. Pictured Below: The fire road leading down from the parking lot is one of the prettiest in the park; the Shenandoah area has tons of Civil War history. We passed the grave of confederate solder, William Howard, along the way.

We got to the trailhead at Brown Gap right as the sun was coming up. It was f-f-freezing and windy. I carelessly left my hat and gloves at home, so I flipped up the collar of my fleece and retracted my hands into my sleeves. We set out down the Brown Gap fire road, which is one of Shenandoah’s prettier fire roads. It’s also where I used to ride my horse, “Friday”, whenever we trailed to the park. The morning sun was filtering through the golden leaves, and soon the activity of walking warmed me up enough that I didn’t miss my gloves at all. The fire road was really muddy, so I took that as a good sign that there would be plenty of water flowing in the three waterfalls we’d be passing along the route.

In fact, I was so sure that the waterfalls would be impressive, that I carried all the “big guns” in my photography arsenal – two camera bodies, three lenses, a shutter remote, a collection of neutral density and polarizing filters, extra batteries, memory card and my tripod (the one that feels like it weighs close to 100 pounds when I carry it on long hikes). I also brought my new tripod bag (by Kinesis) that allows me to carry the tripod backpack style – evenly centering the weight on my back. The sling style carrier I’ve been using for the past few years twists my neck and shoulders, so I try not to carry it on long hikes. The new bag was really nice, but it perfectly lined up the camera mount lock lever with my butt. Every step I took, the lever poked me quite rudely. I ended up giving the tripod to Adam. He’s taller, so he escaped the constant prodding. I ended up carrying the bag with the rest of the gear. It was much heavier, but still more comfortable.

When we reached the bridge at the junction of the fire road and the Doyles River trail, I groaned in dismay at the dry stream before us. We walked along the river, or at least where the river should have been for another .3 miles to get to the base of Upper Doyles River Falls. Normally, there are pretty little cascades leading down to the main double-terraced waterfall. This time the waterfall was barely a trickle. We ate our breakfast at the base of “Disappointment Falls” and headed on to the lower falls.

The water is Upper Doyles Falls was low - compare January 2009 to October 2009. — The photo above shows Upper Doyles Falls is October 2009 (left) compared to January 2009 (right).

Surprisingly, the lower falls were running quite a bit more than the upper falls. I think narrower chasm through the rocks allows the second falls to hold onto more water flow. The second falls is thin and almost chute-like. Even though the second waterfall had more water, it still wasn’t anything spectacular. When you’re a photographer hiking with 40+ pounds of gear and realizing the shots you had planned aren’t going to happen, the gear instantly feels twice as heavy. I think this is the point that I started to feel like Atlas with the world resting on my shoulders. 🙂

Adam perches on a rock along lower Doyles River Falls. — Lower Doyles Falls was a bit nicer than the upper falls.

Leaving the lower falls, the trail became incredibly beautiful. It followed a babbling brook through near-peak foliage. The trees were a spectacular mix of gold, orange and red – all set off by the brilliant blue sky above. This was, without a doubt, my favorite section of the trail.

So far, the hike had been relatively easy – just gentle up-and-down grades along the stream. At the junction of the Jones Run Trail, the real work started. In just under 2 miles, we picked up most of the elevation gain on the whole hike. It was steep, hard climbing to reach Jones Run Falls.

The trees above displayed beautiful fall colors — The foliage along the Jones Run Trail was spectacular. Pictured Below: Jones Run and Jones Run Falls.

The waterfall on Jones Run was running low, but it was still really pretty. From the waterfall back up to Skyline Drive, the grade of the trail moderates a bit. It’s still a lot of uphill mixed with periods of flat terrain. Eventually, you reach the junction with the Appalachian trail and follow it north for a little over a mile back to the Brown’s Gap parking lot. This section of the AT follows closely to the road, so you constantly hear cars and smell exhaust. The walk along this section is easy, but rather uneventful.

Overall, I think this was a great hike. I’m so glad we had a chance to be outdoors on a beautiful fall day, but I wish the waterfalls had been nicer. We’ll have to try hiking it again in the spring after heavier, more sustained rains.

Adam Says…

While we’ve hiked Doyles River a number of times, this was the first time that we had made a loop of the hike and added Jones Run. When we have done this before, we parked at the Doyles River parking lot around mile marker 81. We would normally hike down to both of the falls and then head back.

On this hike, we parked around mile marker 83 at the Brown Gap lot. We crossed the road and headed down the Brown Gap fire road. At about .4 miles, you see a short path leading up to the gravesite pictured above. In about 1.7 miles you will reach the junction with the Doyles River Trail. Take a right on this trail. After about two tenths of a mile, you will reach the Upper Doyles River Falls. There is a short spur path to lead down to the base of the falls. Once you rejoin the trail, you will then see the Lower Doyles River Falls after a tenth of the mile. Don’t try to blaze down off the trail to reach the falls. The trail loops around to bring you closer to the falls. When you reach near the base of the falls, there is a short, treacherous climb down to the base of these falls. When you join back to the trail, continue south down the Doyles River Trail. You will reach the Junction with the Jones Run Trail in about .6 miles from leaving the Lower Doyles River Falls. You begin your hike up to the Jones Run Falls and will reach them about .7 miles on this trail. After the falls, you will have a 1.2 mile hike up to the Jones Run Parking lot. Before you enter the parking lot, there will be a junction with the Appalachian Trail. Take a right on the AT, heading north until you reach the Brown Gap parking lot. The AT portion is about 1.3 miles back to your car, leading you to this overall hike of 6 miles.

The woods on the Doyles River - Jones Run trail were gold and red. — The woods were very colorful at the lower elevations. Pictured Below: One downed tree we came across was so large that Adam could climb inside.

The hike is not that long being only six miles, but there is a lot of elevation gain from the base of the Doyles River Trail, leading up to the Jones Run Parking lot. Christine felt that it may be better to do this hike in reverse, but based on contours, I think either hike has a tough trip back at the end.

The waterfalls along the way on normal days are really some of the nicer waterfalls in Shenandoah National Park. The water flow didn’t allow us to see them at their best today, but we enjoyed them nonetheless. The Upper Doyles River Falls stands at 28 feet; the Lower Doyles River Falls plummets 63 feet.; the Jones Run Falls plunges 42 feet. If you’re looking for a hike to see multiple falls, this is the best one to do in Shenandoah.

The morning light made the trees glow golden. — More golden foliage along the trail.

On our way back to the car on the AT, we ran into a woman doing the trail in the opposite way. She had two pugs with her on the hike, named Titan and Zoot. They were eager to greet us, since they must have known we had three pugs of our own. They were very energetic to begin their hike to the falls, but we wondered how they fared on the steep way back. We wish we had taken some pictures of these boys, because they looked like they were ready for a great adventure that day.

Cars waiting to get into Shenandoah National Park — There was a very long line of cars waiting to get into Shenandoah National Park

The foliage was just slightly after peak today. We decided to exit the south entrance of the park to reward ourselves with some frozen treats from Sonic. On our way out, we saw the longest line of cars we’ve ever witnessed trying to enter the park at the south gate. Cars were at a stand-still all the way down to the interstate. Three rangers were walking down the line, handing out information to make the fee stations handle things quickly. I guess everyone felt that it would be a nice day to see color in the park and hopefully they weren’t too disappointed in the color.

Trail Notes

Distance – 6 miles – loop.
Elevation Change –1875 feet
Difficulty – 4. The climb up from the bottom of Jones Run is tough!
Trail Conditions – 3.5 The trail is well-maintained and traveled.
Views –0. You might get a few glimpses of vistas through the woods along the fire road.
Waterfalls/streams –4. The waterfalls and streams along this trail are beautiful, especially when there is plenty of rain.
Wildlife – 1. Just a couple deer.
Ease to Navigate – 4. Trails are well marked and easy to follow.
Solitude – 3. You will likely see several other groups of hikers along the way, but it’s not as heavily trafficked as other waterfall trails in the park.

Directions to trailhead:
From Skyline Drive, follow the drive to Brown Gap (near mile marker 83). The parking lot is on the west side of the drive. To begin the hike, walk across Skyline Drive and follow the Brown Gap fire road downhill.

Short and Scenic West Virginia Walks

October 6, 2009October 12, 201512 Comments

Last Saturday, we made a quick trip over the mountains into West Virginia. The foliage in the Canaan Valley (Tucker County) area is always way ahead of the color change in Virginia. We set out from home at 5:00 a.m. and made stops at Blackwater Falls State Park, Canaan Valley State Park, Douglas Falls and Dolly Sods Wilderness. Our whirlwind trip got us thinking about how many short walks in that area have major scenic payoffs.

Let’s start off with a few beautiful spots in Blackwater Falls State Park. All of the spots listed below are clearly marked on the park’s trail map. Pick up a copy at the lodge.

Lindy Point

The walk out to Lindy Point is no more than a third of a mile along a relatively level path. The trail passes through dense rhododendron and can be quite muddy if there has been rain. At the end of the trail, you’ll come out to a platform built onto the side of the rocky cliff. The point offers a spectacular view of the Blackwater Canyon. If you sit quietly, chances are good that you’ll hear the river rushing through the chasm below. The view is made even more unique due to the enormous free-standing rock “chimneys” that surround the platform. There are several places that you can crawl through the rhododendron to stand directly on the rocks for a better view. Despite the spot’s beauty, Christine has not had great luck photographing this spot, but it’s all been a matter of timing. We’ve just never been lucky enough to hit the point on a day with nice “photo skies.” The photo included really doesn’t do the place justice.

Elakala Falls

There are several "falls of Elakala" along Shays Run. — There are several “falls of Elakala” along Shays Run.

This pretty waterfall is accessed by a short trail starting out from the park’s main lodge. The falls are less than a quarter mile down the trail. You’ll know you have reached the waterfall when you come to a wooden footbridge over Shays Run. The falls cascade directly under your feet at this point. The trail really doesn’t give you a good look at the waterfall, so take the time to follow the “unofficial” foot path down the ravine to the base of the falls. Elakala is prettiest in times of heavy waterflow. The stream leaving the base of the falls takes a beautiful swirling path across the moss-greened rocks. Don’t miss climbing a little farther down the ravine to see a couple other pretty waterfalls on Shays Run. The stream actually cascades all the way down to the bottom of the Blackwater Canyon, but it’s not really safe to go much beyond the second or third cascade. Last winter we were lucky enough to see Elakala falls completely frozen over. The sound of the water running under the ice was magical that day.

Blackwater Falls

This 62 foot cascade is park’s namesake and #1 attraction. You’ll have a couple options for accessing the waterfall. The park road that heads toward the main lodge has a paved, wheelchair-accessible path to a viewing platform far above the waterfall. The road that heads toward the picnic ground has a longer “staircase-path” that leads to several wooden viewing platforms. This path puts you a lot closer to the waterfall and offers a much prettier view. We’ve always liked visiting Blackwater Falls as soon as the sun comes up. At dawn, the path is deserted and the falls are often shrouded in a thin veil of fog. During more normal times, the area is extremely crowded with tourists.

And now a couple favorites outside the park.

Douglas Falls – Thomas, WV

The colors of Douglas Falls are amazing!

Blackwater Falls might be the area’s best-known waterfall, but we think Douglas Falls is the most beautiful. The rocks are brilliant red and the water is vivid green, making for a wonderfully photogenic color contrast. The color of the rocks is sadly unnatural, created by acid drainage from the mines and coke ovens in the area. It’s amazing that pollution could create something so pretty. The ride out to the falls is extremely rugged and potholed. You should plan on walking a mile or two if you don’t have a 4WD vehicle. The footpath down to the falls is very short, but very steep. Once you get down to the base of the falls, there is a path that follows the stream for a couple hundred yards. The whole area is worth exploring, but take extreme caution on the slippery rocks. The rocks around the stream are coated with slick, clear algae. We always move “crab-style” along the rocks to keep from falling.

Bear Rocks – Dolly Sods Wilderness

The landscape of Dolly Sods reminds us of Maine.

Another place to visit in the area is Bear Rocks in the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area. The overlook is surrounded by a vast plain of huckleberry and blueberry bushes that turn blaze red in the autumn. It’s a great place to spot migrating hawks. The rocky cliff is endlessly fun to scramble around on and provides beautiful views of the valley below. The plains framing the cliff are patterned with pathways through the berry bushes and punctuated with monolithic white rocks that have been sculpted by time and the elements. Whenever we visit Dolly Sods, we feel like we’re someplace far north of the Mid-Atlantic region. It feels more like Maine or Canada. There are several routes into Dolly Sods. We recommend the route from WV32 onto Laneville Road as the most passable and scenic. You might even see a black bear along the road if you’re lucky.

White Oak Canyon

July 5, 2009April 29, 202223 Comments

White Oak Canyon is one of Shenandoah’s most popular waterfall hikes. The trail begins directly across Skyline Drive from Skyland Resort.

Upper Falls of White Oak Canyon — The upper falls of White Oak Canyon plunge 86 feet to a pool below.

Christine Says…

Adam and I set out early on Saturday morning to hike the White Oak Canyon trail. Our primary goal was to avoid the holiday crowds, so we were quite pleased to arrive at 7:30 and find just one other car in the parking lot.

The park is always quiet and beautiful in the early morning.

The morning was almost chilly – sunny, no humidity and a crisp breeze blowing. It felt more like mid-May than the Fourth of July. I don’t know about you, but I always associate the 4th with sultry, hazy, buggy weather. Since I’m not a fan of typical Virginia summer weather, I thought the conditions were perfect for our hike. The only thing I wasn’t thrilled about was the bright sun shining up above in the sky. Sunny weather is great for hiking and enjoying the outdoors, but it complicates opportunities for waterfall and forest photography. The strong overhead light makes it nearly impossible to properly expose images. I was kind of bummed about that, but decided I was just going to enjoy the hike and not worry about getting good photos.

This rock formation sits at the junction of the Limberlost and the White Oak Canyon trail. Pictured below: the trail junction.

The trail makes its way down from the parking lot, crossing the Limberlost Trail twice. After leaving the remains of the hemlock forest around Limberlost, the trail quickly descends into White Oak Canyon. Ship-sized boulders start coming into view as you approach the stream. The stream starts off as a trickle, but quickly picks up energy as little rivulets of run-off join the flow. There are many small falls along the stream. In places, the sheer canyon walls soar upward from the water. The canyon is a rugged and wild place.

A pool along the White Oak Canyon stream. Pictured below: the stream passes through a narrow, rocky slot.

As you approach the upper falls, the sound of running water becomes increasingly audible in the woods. There are two footbridges to cross before you come to the viewpoint of the upper falls. This view is beautiful, but with a little extra effort you can reach the base of the waterfall and have an even nicer view. On warm days, the pool at the base of the falls is a popular swimming spot.

Luckily, the weather decided to throw a favor my way. Just as we reached the falls, a large band of clouds passed over the area. It literally went from crystal clear blue skies to thick overcast in the span of five minutes. I was able to photograph several spots along the waterfall before the clouds blew out as quickly as they appeared. I even got knee-deep in the water at one spot to get the composition I wanted. It was so slimy and slippery, so I used my tripod as a crutch. I saw lots of brook trout darting in the pool. They’re so pretty and colorful. They almost look like autumn leaves swimming in the water.

Cubs on the White Oak Canyon Trail. Pictured below: another shot of one cub and a view of momma bear’s back.

On the hike back, I stopped to take a water break. As I was sitting on a trail-side rock, I noticed a glossy, black shape moving quietly through the woods about 50 feet uphill from the trail. I mouthed “BEAR!” to Adam. A moment later, the sow and her two young cubs came into clear view. We sat and watched the family for about ten minutes. The momma bear moved parallel to the trail, turning over rocks looking for food. The cubs bounced along behind her. When they finally noticed us watching them, the cubs darted up a tree and watched us curiously. Momma bear glanced up a few times, but mostly continued feeding along the way. She soon ambled uphill and away from the trail. With just a quick look over her shoulder, she called the cubs to her. The cubs slid down the tree and scampered off into the woods with their mother. Seeing the bears was the highlight of the hike.

As we continued our return trip, we passed dozens of hikers. When we got back up to the Limberlost, there was even a church group hiking with 40+ members, lawn chairs, musical instruments. I’m so glad we hiked the trail early and were able to enjoy the solitude. You really can’t beat having a gorgeous waterfall and a great bear sighting all to yourselves!

Adam Says…

The White Oak Canyon trail is a great hike if you’re into streams and waterfalls. This hike and Dark Hollow Falls are probably the two most popular trails in all of Shenandoah National Park. Since this trail is so close to Skyland, it appeals to a lot of people. There is a reason why the parking lot for this trail is so large. This was the first time that we had hiked this trail from Skyline Drive. Typically, we have visited the lower section of falls and approached the hike from State Road 600 near Syria, VA and Graves Mountain. Going from the lower falls to the upper falls is quite steep, so if you want an easier day hike, I would recommend doing either the hike to the upper falls or the hike to the lower falls (instead of the full 8.2 mile loop).

Taking off from the parking lot on Skyline Drive, the trail is very well-traveled and smooth until you start seeing the water to your side. At .3 miles, you will cross the Limberlost Trail which you could add to your trip if you desire. The trail then presents more rocky conditions and you do have to watch your feet. As you hike along the water, you will see several spots to pause and admire the rushing water. At 2.2 miles, you will reach the top of the Upper Falls. There is a horse trail that cuts the trail perpendicularly and you will notice the hitch posts for horses on the trail. The water looks very peaceful here, but it soon rushes down into a deep chasm.

Scenery near the top of the first falls.

The viewpoint at 2.4 miles has some great views of the falls from above and the canyon cutting through the forest below. You will also see some dead hemlocks standing along the gorge. I can just imagine how magnificent this would have looked with the hemlocks still there. From the viewpoint, continue on the trail for another .3 miles. This is a sharp descent, but it will lead to the view from the base of the falls. You will come to a cement post which lets you know you are .2 miles from the next set of falls. This is also the marker that states you’ve reached the base of the falls. I think the park has abandoned an official trail to the pool at the bottom of the Upper Falls, but if you make your way along the rocks heading north from the cement marker, you will shortly come to a “No Camping” sign. Continue a little further and you will be able to see the impressive falls from the base, which includes the pool where the waterfall plunges. This is definitely worth taking the time to view.

The pool at the base of the falls is a perfect swimming hole.

We headed back from this point, since the other falls are not quite as impressive. This made for about a 5.4 mile hike. I have a feeling that a lot of people continue to do the whole hike without planning ahead. There is even a sign at the base of the Upper Falls warning hikers not to overestimate their hiking skills. Once you pass the upper falls, the continuation of the hike down is quite steep. The phrase in hiking, “What goes down, must come up” definitely applies here. The hike back up would be a steady uphill climb that would likely exhaust people who haven’t planned appropriately.

We both enjoyed seeing the momma bear and two cubs frolicking near the trail. We were able to show/warn two other hikers about the bears presence. I could tell they really enjoyed the viewing, too. The bear wisely moved away from the trail, probably sensing that many more hikers were headed in her direction.

Trail Notes

Distance – Anywhere from 4.6 to 8.2 miles (we hiked about 5.4 miles)
Elevation Change – Around 1200 feet. (2450 if you do the entire 8.2 miles)
Difficulty – 3. The route we hiked was moderate.
Trail Conditions – 4. The trail is well-traveled and well-maintained.
Views –0. No views – the entire hike is down in the woods.
Waterfalls/streams –4. One of the park’s nicest waterfall hikes. If you do the shorter out-and-back, you’ll see one large waterfall and many smaller ones. If you hike the full loop, there are six waterfalls.
Wildlife – 4. We saw a bear with her cubs, lots of chipmunks and a rabbit.
Ease to Navigate – 4. The trail is easy to follow and marked with blue blazes.
Solitude – 0. Unless you hike this trail very early in the morning, expect to see substantial crowds. It’s one of the most popular hikes in the park.

Directions to trailhead:

Follow Skyline Drive to the Skyland Resort area. The parking lot for White Oak Canyon is on the east side of the drive between mile markers 42 and 43. It’s almost directly across the drive from the south entrance to Skyland.

Mill Prong – Rapidan Camp Trail

May 31, 2009May 27, 201213 Comments

The hike to the Rapidan Camp (also known as Camp Hoover) is probably one of our very favorite walks in all of Shenandoah National Park. We had such a great time there today. It was one of those really perfect mornings along the trail.

The Brown House (as opposed to the White House) is where President Hoover stayed. — The Brown House (as opposed to the White House) is where President Hoover stayed when he wanted to escape the heat, stress and formality of Washington, D.C. Below are photos of (left to right): The main entry to Brown House has steps that lead down to the Rapidan River; the house has a large patio overlooking the river – it was a popular place to relax in Hoover’s day; the Mill Prong was running beautifully today.

Adam Says…

This is probably my favorite hike in Shenandoah National Park. The reason I would say this is due to the combination of the history and scenery.

The hike isn’t too difficult, but there are three sets of rock-hopping that you’ll need to do over the Mill Prong. Due to the recent storms, we actually had to wade across the the third stream crossing since the rocks were mostly submerged and we didn’t want to risk dropping Christine’s camera gear into the water.

The Rapidan Camp was built for Herbert Hoover during his term of office to serve as the first Presidential retreat. Hoover was an avid outdoorsman and fisherman. Shenandoah National Park was being built around the same time. In order to hopefully get the park approved, they encouraged Hoover to build his retreat here. Marines were brought in to build the camp, which included the construction of thirteen buildings and electrical/phone lines. Interestingly enough, they heavily stocked the Rapidan River with lots of trout before Hoover arrived, so he would have lots of successful fishing trips. When Hoover left office he donated his camp (which he paid for out of personal funds) to the government. Hoover’s initial plan was to have the Camp serve as the permanent presidential retreat. Due to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s wheelchair-confinement and his strong dislike of Hoover, he decided to establish a new retreat in the Catoctin Mountains of Maryland which he called Shangri-La (it was renamed by Eisenhower as Camp David). It is interesting to think about what it would be like if the presidential retreat stayed at Camp Rapidan and how that could have impacted the park.

There does seem to be some good trout-fishing in the areas nearby, but it is all catch-and-release. Of course, it’s not stocked like it was for Hoover.

If you aren’t able to see inside the Brown Cabin (see Christine’s info below), you can still walk around the grounds and read about the history of the area. I would highly recommend bringing a lunch or snack. The back porch is a great place to eat and reflect on the history of this time.

Big Rock Falls is located along the trail right before you cross the river. Below are photos of (left to right): the trail is lined with lush ferns; Adam wades across the stream; a pretty spot along the Mill Prong.

Christine Says…

We’ve hiked to the Rapidan Camp many times, but today was my favorite trip down the trail ever. It was just one of those magical mornings where everything felt especially beautiful and perfect.

We got an early start, so the only people we came across on the way down were Boy Scouts hiking back out after a weekend of camping. As we passed them, I had to wonder how they fared last night. We had some fierce thunderstorms that rolled through around 3:00 a.m. I was thrilled to see how flush with water the Mill Prong and the Rapidan River were. Even the small waterfall, Big Rock Falls, looked impressive this morning. When a crucial rock hop proved unavailable due to the high water, I enjoyed wading barefoot across the stream. I thought the water would be cold, but it was actually pleasant and refreshing.

Probably the best part of the hike was our tour of the Rapidan Camp. The volunteer ranger was just opening up when we arrived and gave us a private look at the President Hoover’s cabin, also known as “The Brown House”. Although the cabin looks rustic on the outside, the inside is quite refined and cozy. The floor is beautifully smooth wood, there are two bathrooms, two bedrooms, two huge stone fireplaces, hand woven rugs and a lovely study/office that overlooks the headwaters of the Rapidan River. Until 1996, the Brown House was available to high-ranking politicians and V.I.P.s. Al Gore was actually the last person to “rent” the Rapidan Camp for personal use. (Sandra Day O’Connor and Jimmy Carter have also been guests of the Rapidan Camp.)

The cabin is open for tours most days, May through October. Volunteers have Tuesday and Wednesday off, so if you want to see inside, hike it on another day. Each volunteer ranger actually gets to live at the camp for their three-week tour of duty. The volunteer stays in the nearby Creel Cabin, which is one of the only three original buildings left standing. The volunteers maintain the property and give tours to visitors. The camp is also accessible on a ranger-guided program. So, even folks who can’t (or don’t want to) walk can still see the site.

There is a fantastic exhibit set up in the “Prime Minister’s Cabin”. It has many old photos and detailed information about the engineering feats required to build the camp. Be sure to look at the large version of the letter pictured below. It shows a lot of the planning that went into picking the site.

President and Mrs. Hoover enjoy the deck of the Brown House. Below are photos of (left to right): a letter from William Carson explaining preparatory steps to get the camp ready for Hoover; horses crossing the river; another historical photo of the Hoovers.

Trail Notes

Distance – 4 miles
Elevation Change – 750 feet
Difficulty – 2. The elevation change is gradual which makes it a fairly easy hike.
Trail Conditions – 4. The trail is in great condition, with few rocks or roots sticking up. The rock-hopping could be a little challenge to anyone not stable on their feet.
Views – 1. Only views of the streams and the camp area.
Waterfalls/streams – 4. If it’s good enough for a former President, it should be good enough for you. 🙂
Wildlife – 1. Probably not as likely to see bigger animals due to popularity of the trail.
Ease to Navigate – 4. Only a few turns to get to the camp.
Solitude – 2. You will likely see others here, but you should be able to find your own spot to enjoy the scenery and history.

Directions to trailhead: The hike starts at mile marker 53 on Skyline Drive. Park in the Milam Gap lot, then cross the drive. The trail picks up on the other side of the crosswalk. You’ll quickly come up to a park post and take a left to start the trail.

Camp 70 Road – West Virginia

May 27, 2009September 21, 20188 Comments

Update: As of January 2018, camping is no longer allowed along the Camp 70 Road in Little Canaan Wildlife Management Area. More information.

The Camp 70 Road is a fantastic short bike ride along the Blackwater River.

The Camp 70 Road on a day with prettier weather.

Adam Says…

This is a great ride on a multi-purpose road. We had heard about this road being a good biking road from a local bike shop employee. You are likely to see some people hiking or biking on this road. Despite a lot of potholes, the road does run very smoothly if you keep your eyes open. The road goes along the Blackwater River and eventually ends right at the river. If you go to the very end, you will see a small blue-blazed trail. Continue this along the river for about .1 mile and you will come up to a swinging bridge. This bridge does look a little sketchy, but I convinced myself that the water wasn’t that deep if it all fell apart. I thought at one point there was one nail holding the entire thing together. There are a couple of geocaches along this trail While I was reviewing the geocache log for Blackwater Swinging Bridge Cache, I discovered some friends I met through geocaching found it the day before.

Here is a list of the geocaches on the trail:

The Swinging Bridge is a short walk after the road ends

Christine Says…

So, we didn’t have great weather… this is still such a pretty, short bike ride – definitely a must-do when visiting the Canaan Valley area. There are so many gorgeous views of the Blackwater River along the way. The road is lined with popular fishing spots. There is even a deck built at one point to allow wheelchair access to fishing. The road surface has many potholes, but it’s easily handled by any mountain or hybrid bike. The ride out might be ever-so-slightly uphill, because the ride back is super-fast and makes for a fun race. 🙂

The Camp 70 Road follows the Blackwater River

Trail Notes

Distance – About 7 miles
Elevation Change – insignificant
Difficulty – 1.5
Trail Conditions – 3.5 Despite some potholes and larger gravel, this one is in good shape.
Views – 1. No views unless you count the river views
Waterfalls/streams -3.5. Nice views of the Blackwater River
Wildlife – 1.5. Mostly just deer in the area
Ease to Navigate – 4. The road is easy to navigate, but I dropped it down a point in case you were trying to find the swinging bridge. The trail is not the best marked out there, but just follow the river.
Solitude – 1. This road is extremely popular with bikers, campers, and fishers.

Directions to trailhead: The road starts behind the Shop and Save in Davis, WV. There is plenty of parking right along the road.

Rose River Loop

May 16, 2009May 25, 201749 Comments

The Rose River Loop is one of Shenandoah National Park’s most beautiful hikes for streams and waterfalls. Over the course of 3.7 miles, you’ll hike along the Rose River, the Hog Camp Branch, and finally up the Rose River fire road.

A new log is resting on the crest of the falls — Two large fallen trees obscure Rose River falls.

Adam Says…

This hike is one of our most-repeated hikes in Shenandoah National Park. It has some great views of running water throughout the trail. This isn’t the most secluded trail since it connects to Dark Hollow Falls. However, you should normally only come across a few other people on this trail. There are some good places to do some trout-fishing along the river. The man pictured a few photos down had caught a 8.5 inch trout the day before at the same spot.

The hike starts off at the parking area just north of the Fishers Gap Overlook. Cross the road and follow the Skyland-Big Meadows Horse Trail for .5 mile. There is a steady downhill grade, but it’s not too steep. At .5 miles, you’ll reach the junction of the Horse Trail and the Rose River Trail. Go right and follow the Rose River Trail, continuing downhill. Once you reach the bottom of the trail in about a mile, you’ll hear the water. The trail continues alongside the stream for a ways. You will reach Rose River falls at 1.3 miles. They are impressive, but more beauty awaits along the trail. For fans of long-exposure photography, this is a paradise.

The trail will pass an old copper mine at 1.8 miles. Some people like to explore the old mine, but we don’t think there is anything worth seeing there.

For the next mile, the trail closely follows the stream. It is very rocky and can be icy or muddy depending on the weather. There are tons of small waterfalls, slides, and plunge pools to explore.

At 2.7 miles, you will reach the footbridge at the bottom of Dark Hollow Falls. Turn right, cross the bridge, and follow the Rose River Fire Road uphill. At 3.3 miles, you will pass the Cave Cemetery on the right. At 3.7 miles, you will arrive back at Skyline Drive and your vehicle.

You can see from some of Christine’s pictures that there is really a lot of nice water to see on this trail. I highly recommend doing this if you have a day or two in the park.

Some graves date back to the Civil War. — Some graves (not this one) in the Cave Family Cemetery date back to the Civil War.

As I usually like to comment, there is a geocache located here. For those that are unaware, physical geocaches are not allowed in National Parks. However, there is a small cemetery located off of the fire road that is considered private land and not owned by the Park Service. The cemetery was used by the people who used to live in the mountain hollows before the government took their land for the park in the early 1900’s. The Cave family gave permission for a geocache to be placed here called Viking Treasure Cave. ETA: This cache has since been removed from the park (September 2010)

Christine Says…

When we started down the Rose River trail, I couldn’t help but skeptically watch the blue sky peeking between openings in the trees above. The local weatherman had forecast a cloudy morning, but as we hiked along the sun began sending down rays and making a dappled pattern across the forest floor. It was lovely to look at, but was definitely not the kind of light I was hoping to have for the stream and waterfall photos I wanted take. You see, the Rose River Loop is one of the very best hikes in Shenandoah for folks who enjoy photographing running water. It’s also the place where my brother proposed to his now wife. They were engaged on a bitter cold New Year’s Eve camping trip somewhere along the Rose River.

Even though the light made photography a challenge today, I found several spots to shoot along the Rose River. We had to bushwhack off the trail a couple times, and all I could think about were ticks. I don’t think I’ve recovered from our walk down the Dry Run Falls fire road yet.

One bushwhack in particular was especially steep, slick and muddy. As luck would have it, it also offered the prettiest of all the little cascades along the walk. When I looked down the ravine, for some reason my inner girly-girl came out. I announced to Adam that I wasn’t going down there no matter what. He said “Yes, you are!” and took my camera away and starting climbing down without me. I was left with no choice but to follow. I got really muddy and touched a gross centipede-like creature. I’ll never like bugs!

We stopped at Rose River Falls for a few shots. For the past few years, there has been a huge fallen tree lying across the waterfall. It’s still there, but now there is a new downed tree stuck at the crest of the waterfall. Both trees are way too big to move, and will likely be there for years to come.

We paused at a couple other places along the Hog Camp Branch for photos, but there was another photographer who was consistently about ten minutes ahead of us on the hike. Each time we got to a spot I planned on photographing, he was already there. He looked pretty serious getting his shots. At one spot, he even donned chest high waders and water shoes so that he could get to the middle of the stream for an ideal composition. I skipped a lot of my favorite photo spots along the Hog Camp because I always feel a bit rude stepping into somebody’s shooting space.

I had my tripod all set up when the fisherman jumped into my scene — Speaking of stepping into someone’s shooting space… I had my tripod all set up when this fisherman dropped into my scene. Oh well 🙂

We finished the loop hike on the Rose River fire road. The last mile on the road is always my least favorite part of the hike. The fire road is easy walking, but yawn… it’s a bit on the boring side. Despite the dull last leg, the Rose River loop is a must-do hike for anyone visiting Shenandoah.

I'm so lucky that Adam routinely offers to carry all my photography gear. — I’m so lucky that Adam routinely offers to carry all my photography gear.

Trail Notes

Distance – 3.7 miles loop trail
(Check out the stats from Map My Hike)*
Elevation Change – Around 900 feet
Difficulty – 2. Some downhill and uphill, but it’s not too bad.
Trail Conditions – 3.5. There are some areas along the river that are more like a 2, but there are some areas that where it is more like a 5. Footing is tricky around the climb up after the red bridge.
Views – 0. Just waterfall and stream views.
Waterfalls/streams – 4.5. Some of the most continuous views of water that allow for some great water photography.
Wildlife – 1. Some birds and chipmunks, but not much else here.
Ease to Navigate – 5. Trail is well-marked and there aren’t any spurs until you get back to the fire road.
Solitude – 3. Not the best on solitude, but you won’t run into a ton of people.

Download a trail map

Directions to trailhead: The trail is located on Skyline Drive. Park at the Fisher’s Gap Overlook (at mile marker 49.4 miles), cross the road and pick up the trail. The Rose River Loop starts to the left of the fire road. You will see a cement marker.

Dry Run Falls

May 9, 2009August 25, 201515 Comments

Adam found this hike mentioned in a book called Waterfalls of Virginia and West Virginia. Since we’ve had so much rain lately, we decided to take the short three mile hike to see the falls.

Dry Run is pretty after substantial rain

Christine Says…

We parked our car at the South River Overlook and made our way down the Dry Run Falls Fire Road. The road was wet and sloppy, but still beautiful because it was lined with countless wildflowers: trillium, wild geranium, violets, hepatica, ragwort and many more I couldn’t identify.

The road follows a gentle downhill grade and eventually passes Lost Cliffs, an impressive rock face rising straight up from the forest floor. A little over a mile into the hike, you start to hear the sounds of water gurgling downhill, getting louder and stronger as more run-off joins the flow.

Dry Run falls are visible from the trail, and would actually be quite pretty if there weren’t several large fallen trees obscuring the view. To get close to the stream, you have to do a little bit of bushwhacking down the ravine. There are a few places along the stream that are photogenic and worth the effort to climb down.

On the hike, we all found multiple ticks crawling on us. After all was said and done, I think we ended up picking sixteen ticks off our clothing and skin. I skipped using bug spray on this hike because our dog was hiking with us, and DEET is so toxic to them. This was by far the most ticks I’ve ever found on myself after a hike.

All in all, Dry Run was a pleasant walk, but not something I would consider a “must-do” hike. There isn’t really anything noteworthy to see along the way and the falls weren’t anything special.

Adam Says…

I was a little unimpressed by this hike. It was something new for us, since we have done most of the Central and South SNP hikes, but it was good to get out to stretch the legs. The fire road leads to an easy walk through the woods. We saw a few bear droppings through the hike, so be careful and make some noise along the trail. Dry Run can be viewed from the trail, but you need to do some bushwhacking to get to the water for any photo opportunities. The water was rushing hard today, but we’ve had a couple of weeks of heavy rain. I’m not sure how heavy this is during a dry season. The water does have several areas of falls and tumbling water if you continue on the trail. You can also approach this hike without entering through the main gate by way of Elkton, but we wanted to do the normal hike.

A neat side-trip was to climb up Lost Cliffs. At the end of the large formation on your right, you will see signs of a short trail that leads you up to the rocks above. Be careful, since most of the rocks are covered with moss and that first step is a lulu.

Wookie Says…

Wookie really enjoyed walking on the fire road. It was definitely an easy and suitable trail for dogs. There was lots of mud and standing water on the trail, so he was filthy and needed a bath when he got home. He also came home with lots ticks crawling on him — one had already attached to his ear.

Trail Notes

Distance – 3.2 miles round-trip
Elevation Change – insignificant – maybe a couple hundred feet.
Difficulty – 1. The trail follows a fire road and has very gentle climbs and descents.
Trail Conditions – 5. The trail is well maintained.
Views – 0. No views.
Waterfalls/streams – 2. The falls and stream are pretty, but nothing special.
Wildlife – 2. We heard a turkey and saw several kinds of salamanders. There were also signs of bear and deer around.
Ease to Navigate – 5. It would be nearly impossible to get lost.
Solitude – 4. Fire roads are used infrequently in the park. We saw only one other person – a local guy collecting mushrooms.

Directions to trailhead:

Follow Skyline Drive to mile 62.7. Park at the South River Overlook. Cross the drive and pick up the trail on the west side of the road.