Shenandoah National Park · Virginia

Dark Hollow Falls Trail

0.8 mi of trail, end to end · 600 ft of descent · 2,811 ft–3,410 ft · earth surface · trail class Developed · hiking

3,410 ft 2,811 ft · 0.8 mi high 3,410 ft

Dark Hollow Falls the Park Service's write-up

1-2 Hours · no dogs

Start Central District (Mile 50.7)

A waterfall cascades under trees with the yellow leaves of fall.

Pets are not allowed on this hike. The steep descent following a stream to this beautiful waterfall is one of the Park’s most traveled trails. This trail is short, but very steep and rocky. The return climb is challenging! Know your limits and take your time, especially when the trail is wet and slippery.

Distance: 1.4-mile circuit hike

Difficulty: Moderate ( hiking difficulty scale )

Hiking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Elevation Gain: 440 feet

Hike Description

From the trailhead at the Dark Hollow Falls Parking Area (mile 50.7), descend 0.75-mile down to the falls.

Return by the same route, up to the parking area.

Pets Pets are not allowed on this hike. If you have a pet, you may choose to hike the Rose River Loop trail instead, where pets are allowed. This hike is accessible from Fishers Gap Overlook (mile 49.4).

Accessibility Although pets are not allowed on Dark Hollow Falls trail, service animals are welcome.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 317 trails in Shenandoah National ParkFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.