Dark Hollow Falls: The One Waterfall You Can’t Miss In Shenandoah

Dark Hollow Falls is a quick hike to a beautiful waterfall; it’s also the most popular hike in Shenandoah National Park. Here’s why and where you can find parking.

My hiking buddy, Forrest, and I planned a fall camping trip in Shenandoah National Park that was filled with short hikes and quick adventures.

On Day 1 we stopped at all of the overlooks I thought would have great views on our way from Front Royal to Big Meadows Campground.

Check.

We hiked Stony Man Trail along the way and it was awesome.

Check and check.

We even carried an elderly woman that had fallen and injured herself back to the parking lot at an overlook. Forrest earned himself a kiss on the cheek for that.

Okay, definitely not on my itinerary and she was fine once we got her to her vehicle.

The day was going swimmingly. Then we got to Dark Hollow Falls.

Dark Hollow Falls is a popular hike. Very popular. Siren song popular, in fact.

I knew this but we were going to be there mid week. Of course it won’t be busy.

But there was no parking. None. On a cold and windy Tuesday, there was no parking in the huge parking lot!

Parking can’t be crazy on Tuesdays. That’s a rule, isn’t it?

It was going to be dark soon and we still had to set up camp. We weren’t going to be able to hike Dark Hollow Falls on Day 1.

Not check.

What’s so special about Dark Hollow Falls, Anyways?

Dark Hollow Falls Trail is a short and, fairly easy hike.

It’s easy to find. It’s well marked.

And finally, it ends at a stunning 70 foot waterfall – everyone loves a waterfall.

E-V-E-R-Y-O-N-E.

Aside from the waterfall, much of the trail follows the Hogcamp Branch Stream. There are a few natural pools as you near the waterfall and the sound of flowing water is a calming constant.

Once you reach the waterfall there are a few massive boulders that are easy and fun to climb. And the littered rocks creates natural seating.

The area immediately around Dark Hollow Falls is so relaxing when it isn’t crowded. And that’s the key.

Getting There

Like many trails in Shenandoah National Park, Dark Hollow Falls leaves from Skyline Drive.

You can find the parking lot at Milepost 50.7. That doesn’t mean that you can find parking, though.

When to visit Dark Hollow Falls

If you have the flexibility to visit Shenandoah National Park on a weekday, this is your best bet for having an enjoyable hike.

Not everyone has such flexibility and even if you visit mid week there is no guarantee it won’t be crowded.

That said, when we finally were able to hike Dark Hollow Falls on Day 2 of our trip, it was again late in the day. We found the last available spot about an hour before sunset and began our trip down.

I was nervous about crowding as we made our way closer to the waterfall, but we kept passing people headed back to the parking lot.

Once we reached the waterfall there was only a single group mucking up our solitude and once they left, no one. At least for a little while.

That brief period was perfection.

I’d hiked Dark Hollow Falls before, on Memorial Day a few years before.

Don’t do that. It was like standing in line at a lunch counter.

If you are going to visit, go very early or very late. The mile and a half hike takes a little more than an hour to hike without extensive stopping.

Starting near sunrise or about an hour before sunset are the best times if you want to avoid the crowds.

Where to Park

If you can find parking at the Dark Hollow Falls parking lot, it’s easiest to just park there.

If not there are some other options. All these options will have you crossing over Skyline Drive.

Big Meadows Wayside

The Big Meadows Wayside is a little more than half a mile from the Dark Hollow Falls trailhead. You can easily spot it from Skyline Drive. The parking lot is very large and you can walk to Dark Hollow Falls by using the Story of the Forest Trail.

The trail is mostly flat and it takes 15 to 20 minutes to reach the trailhead.

Big Meadows Campground

If you are staying at Big Meadows Campground you can also take the Story of the Forest Trail. You can access the trail from Big Meadows Loop A at the midway point between A62 and A63 across from the restrooms.

This adds a little more than a mile each way. A few years ago my family and I hiked to Dark Hollow Falls from Big Meadows campground and it took about half an hour to reach the trailhead.

Rose River Falls Loop Trail Parking

The last option leaves from the Rose River Falls Loop Trail Parking area at Fisher’s Gap on Skyline Drive Milepost 49.4, using the Rose River Fire Road instead of the Dark Hollow Falls Trail. If you decide to leave from Fisher’s Gap you will have a completely different hiking experience.

This route cuts through the dense forest along a rocky fire road and connects you to the lower end of Dark Hollow Falls Trail.

Unless you are planning to go to Rose River Falls make sure you stay on the fire road until you reach the intersection with Dark Hollow Falls.

Some people like to combine the Rose River Loop Trail with Dark Hollow Falls in a single hike. The Rose River Loop Trail joins the fire road early in the hike. If you are considering doing both, you’ll be looking at something like 4.5 miles round trip for the combo.

The National Park Service has a helpful map that shows all the trails in the area.

Sticking to the fire road shouldn’t be confusing, it’s much wider than any surrounding hiking trail.

The elevation change along the fire road is gradual and the only steep section of your hike will be the final approach to the waterfall on Dark Hollow Falls Trail.

Once the bridge over Hogcamp Branch Stream comes into view, you will see the trail to Dark Hollow Falls.

Your round trip to Dark Hollow Falls and back is around 2.5 miles.

The picture below is from the bridge on Rose River Fire Road facing back toward Dark Hollow Falls Trail.

Hitting Dark Hollow Falls Trail

Once you’ve parked or made your way to the trailhead at the Dark Hollow Falls parking lot everything is well marked. You will be going down, down, down all the way to the waterfall. It’s quite easy. Not so on the way back up.

There are several spots where you may want to stop and take pictures of the stream and surrounding forest. I say – don’t.

Not on the way down. You’re going to be huffing and puffing on your way back up. Take your time then and get your pictures as you catch your breath.

Dark Hollow Falls is a sneaky hike. You probably won’t break a sweat getting to the waterfall, but the stairs and slope getting back are the trail tax for that easy walk down.

As you near the waterfall, you will reach the upper overlook for Dark Hollow Falls. Don’t stop here, continue to the lower overlook. There really isn’t much of a view from this spot.

The lower overlook is wide and puts you right at the base of Dark Hollow Falls.

There are plenty of rocks strewn about for seating and as long as it isn’t too crowded, you can get pictures from a lot of different angles.

The waterfall is a three terraced drop for an overall length of 70 feet. We were there in mid October and the fall colors were definitely nice.

If it isn’t crowded I recommend exploring the area around the waterfall.

Going beyond Dark Hollow Falls

From the lower overlook, you’ll notice the trail keeps going, bending to follow the stream further down the mountain.

The base of the waterfall is the best part of the hike but if you want to explore further, continuing on the trail a short distance will bring you to the intersection with the Rose River Fire Road.

The next section is the steepest part of the trail. It hugs the creek all the way down to the junction with the fire road. Along the way, Hogcamp Branch Creek drops a few times. These micro falls are nothing like the main drop, but still very pretty.

Once you reach the bottom, you’ll find a hitching post and a steel bridge on the Rose River Fire Road.

From the bridge you can see back up toward the waterfall. The view from the bridge isn’t as impressive as it is from the base of the falls but it is relaxing.

If Dark Hollow Falls is crowded, you may want to get away from the riff raff and bridge is a great place to do that.

The walk back up from the fire road is a gasser, but it’s short. If steep hiking puts you out, then skip going down to the fire road.

The trip back to the parking lot is a slog, but the creek is pretty and if you didn’t stop at all the little swirling pools on your way down, you will have something to look forward to on your way back.

After the Hike

This trail is a really great short hike to a beautiful waterfall. If it’s early in the day and you have some energy left, you are in a great spot in the park for some other hikes.

Going south you can reach Stony Man quickly and if you go north you’ll hit Bearfence Rock Scramble, my new favorite place.

If instead you just want to relax or if it’s close to sunset, I think wandering along the trail through the field at Big Meadow is a perfect way to spend some time and it’s just a minute or two away.

You can find parking for the meadow across from the Big Meadow Wayside on a short gravel road. You’ll see the meadow from Skyline Drive, it’s big.

There is a reason so many people come to Dark Hollow Falls. Even if it’s crowded the waterfall is great and you should put it on your list of places to hike on any visit to Shenandoah National Park. If you want a few more ideas, here’s some of our favorite short hikes in the park.