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Outdoors Big Meadows, Shenandoah

Dark Hollow Falls Trail

An outdoor spot in Big Meadows, Shenandoah, free to visit and worth about 1.5 hours. Best time to go: Spring.

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Dark Hollow Falls Trail in Big Meadows, Shenandoah
Photo: Ned Hartley · CC BY-SA 4.0 · license

Why go

Short, steep hike to a 70-foot cascade near Big Meadows.

It is one of 10 curated places we feature in Shenandoah, alongside 3 outdoor spots, 2 places to eat and 2 sights. The closest of our other picks is Hawksbill Summit, 3.0 mi away as the crow flies.

Type
Outdoors · Nature
Neighborhood
Big Meadows
Price
Free
Time needed
1.5 hr
Best time
Spring

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Shenandoah, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Hawksbill Summit

    Highest point in the park, with a stone observation platform.

    Outdoors · 3.0 mi straight-line
  2. 2
    Skyline Drive

    105-mile ridgetop road through Shenandoah National Park with 70 overlooks.

    Sight · 3.4 mi straight-line
  3. 3
    Pollock Dining Room at Skyland

    Park lodge dining room with valley views and blackberry ice cream pie.

    Food · 5.7 mi straight-line
  4. 4
    Stony Man Trail

    Easy 1.6-mile loop to cliffs with wide views over the Shenandoah Valley.

    Outdoors · 5.8 mi straight-line
  5. 5
    Old Rag Mountain

    Rock-scramble summit hike, the park's most famous and toughest day hike.

    Activity · 8.0 mi straight-line
  6. 6
    Luray Caverns

    Large show cave with stalactites and the Great Stalacpipe Organ.

    Sight · 10 mi straight-line

On these curated routes

Dark Hollow Falls Trail is a stop on our Blue Ridge Parkway Slow Drive route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More outdoor spots in Shenandoah

Another curated outdoor spot in Shenandoah. See the full Shenandoah guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Shenandoah run from 34°F in January to 82°F in July; May is usually the wettest month. For Dark Hollow Falls Trail itself, we suggest: Spring.

Modelled monthly averages for Shenandoah from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Shenandoah weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Dark Hollow Falls Trail, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
Dark Hollow Falls Trail, Virginia, USA
Coordinates
38.51966, -78.42700
Destination
Shenandoah, Virginia

Dark Hollow Falls Trail: quick answers

How much time do you need at Dark Hollow Falls Trail?

Plan on about 1.5 hours at Dark Hollow Falls Trail. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Dark Hollow Falls Trail?

Our pick: Spring. Insider tip: The climb back up is the hard part; take water.

Is Dark Hollow Falls Trail free?

Yes, we list Dark Hollow Falls Trail as free to visit. Check locally before you go, since special exhibits, parking or tours can carry a fee.

Where is Dark Hollow Falls Trail?

Dark Hollow Falls Trail is at Dark Hollow Falls Trail, Virginia, USA, in Big Meadows. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Dark Hollow Falls Trail?

Dark Hollow Falls Trail appears on Blue Ridge Parkway Slow Drive, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Dark Hollow Falls Trail to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Shenandoah.

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Also in Shenandoah

Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.