Shenandoah National Park · VA
Dark Hollow Falls Trail
Steep descent from Skyline Drive (mile 50.7) to Dark Hollow Falls, a 70-ft cascade dropping over basalt ledges; one of the park's closest and most popular waterfall hikes.
Live · updated
Today
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Today's best: hiking
Conditions
Score by activity
Hiking
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Trail running
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Score breakdown
- · 83°F air — Within comfort range, outside ideal
- − 17 mph wind — Gusty — bring a windbreaker
- − Thunderstorms — Get off exposed ridges before they arrive
- ✓ Trail: prime — No meaningful rain in the last 48 hours. Trail surface is dry and tacky — prime traction.
- − 84 min of daylight — You need at least 85 min with margin. Bring a headlamp or start tomorrow.
Trail facts
- Distance
- 1.4 mi
- Elevation gain
- 440 ft
- Surface
- dirt
- Difficulty
- moderate
Trailhead
Coordinates
38.5186, -78.4250 — VA.
Park
Part of Shenandoah National Park (official site →).
Park advisories
Effective May 4, Shenandoah National Park will begin infrastructure enhancements at the Old Rag Trailhead main parking lot. We expect to complete work by November 2026. Until then, the main parking lot is closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Visitors can access Old Rag Trailhead via existing overflow parking lots. Day-use tickets are still required from March 1 through November 30 in addition to a park entrance fee.
On July 1, 2025, the park transitioned to a fully cashless system at our fee entrance stations. Only credit cards, debit cards, or mobile payments will be accepted.
Visitors are reminded to park in designated parking areas when accessing the park via boundary trailheads. Parking in unauthorized locations may result in your vehicle being towed at the owner's expense. Park on the right side of the road approaching Thompson Hollow. Parking is authorized up to the "No Parking" sign before a private driveway.
Sign up for Shenandoah Alerts by texting SHENALERTS to 888777. Any time there are closures, re-openings, or other important safety-related alerts, subscribers will receive a notification via text. You may unsubscribe at any time.
March 1 - November 30 those wishing to hike Old Rag are required to obtain a day-use ticket before arriving.
Peak nymphal tick activity — check yourself within 2 hours of leaving the trail.
Frequently Asked
How long is Dark Hollow Falls Trail?
Dark Hollow Falls Trail is a 1.4-mile route with 440 feet of elevation gain — moderate — some sustained climbing or technical sections; expect to work for it but no specialized skills required. The trail facts panel on this page lists distance, surface, and access tags as they appear in OpenStreetMap.
What's the trail surface like at Dark Hollow Falls Trail?
Dark Hollow Falls Trail is natural dirt singletrack — soft underfoot, holds water, slow to dry after rain. Today's mud rating, derived from recent precipitation and the surface type, is shown in the conditions panel above.
Who manages Dark Hollow Falls Trail, and where do closure alerts come from?
Dark Hollow Falls Trail is in Shenandoah National Park, which is managed by the National Park Service. Closure and advisory data on this page comes from the live NPS alerts API for this park unit. Always confirm against the park's own page before driving — emergency closures can post faster than scrapers refresh.