Waterfalls delight visitors to the outdoors, and our national parks feature some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the country.
Shenandoah National Park in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains has perfect conditions for waterfalls: steep slopes and lots of mountain streams. None of those waterfalls are roadside, though, so you have to get out on your feet to see these and others.
They’re listed from north to south, and most have trails to them from Skyline Drive, the scenic road through the park, but some are better accessed from lower trailheads along park boundaries.
Overall Run Falls
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At 93’, Overall Run Falls is the highest waterfall in the park. You can get decent views of it from near the top, but it’s much more impressive from the base, reached via a steep drop in the trail.
Whiteoak Canyon
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Whiteoak Canyon is one of the crown jewels of Shenandoah and is among the best hikes in all the national parks. It sports 6 waterfalls over its 6.5-mile length. There are upper and lower trailheads, but the trail is best hiked from the bottom up. That way, you see all 6 waterfalls in 3 miles, and then you turn around for a return hike that’s almost all downhill.
Cedar Canyon
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Cedar Run more or less parallels Whiteoak Run, merging with it not far from the trailhead. It has three waterfalls of its own, and the trail is shorter and steeper than the one in Whiteoak Canyon. It’s possible to do both canyons in one loop of about 8 miles starting from the bottom.
Tims River Falls
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Formerly named with a racist slur, Tims River joins Whiteoak Run just below the last (or first, from the bottom) waterfall. There isn’t a trail up Tims River, but a little stream-hopping and bushwhacking get you to some waterfalls that few people know even exist.
Climbing Rose Falls
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This is an adventure, though not a terribly long one, involving an often-treacherous stream crossing and steep uphill off-trail travel to reach a series of waterfalls that aren’t even marked on most maps. Start this one from the lower end of Rose River Fire Road on the park’s eastern boundary.
Rose River Falls
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Rose River Fire Road will get you to a trail that passes the two waterfalls of Rose River, but the better way is to start from Fisher Gap on Skyline Drive. That also allows you to make an excellent loop that includes the next waterfall on this list.
Dark Hollow Falls
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Being right across from the super-busy Big Meadows area and having the shortest hike to it of all the major waterfalls in the park, Dark Hollow Falls may be the most popular hike in Shenandoah. If you want to enjoy it without crowds, go really early in the morning or wait for a bitterly cold day. In the latter case, you may get to see beautiful ice formations as well.
Lewis Falls
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Lewis Falls is also accessed from Big Meadows, and while it’s not a secret, it gets far less visitation than Dark Hollow Falls does. A trail leads you to a nice overlook, and if you’re careful, especially given the steep, loose slopes and all the slippery rock, you can clamber down and admire the waterfall from its base.
Dry Run Falls
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Almost no one, relatively speaking, knows these falls exist. Near the southern end of the park’s Central District, the Dry Run Fire Road, without much fanfare, makes its way down hill to the park’s western boundary. The falls are just off the fire road, close to the park’s edge.
Images for illustration purposes only.
Doyles River Falls
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Doyles River has two main drops on it, and you can get close to both. Just off the trail not far from its beginning is Doyles River Cabin, a rustic backcountry overnight option if you’re lucky enough to find availability.
Jones Run Falls
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Jones Run has some pretty cascades, but you’ll know the main waterfall when you see it. The trail crosses mere feet from its base, and the constant mist and spray here contribute to gorgeous wildflower blooms each spring. Doyles River, Jones Run, and a segment of the famous Appalachian Trail form a loop hike that’s one of the best in the park.
Moormans River Falls
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The best way to see this waterfall is to start from a trailhead on the eastern side of the park, somewhat close to Charlottesville. It’s a pretty flat hike along the Moormans River Fire Road until suddenly this pretty waterfall appears.
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