Dark Hollow Falls

Luray, VA

The shortest hike to a major Shenandoah waterfall leads down a hemlock-shaded hollow to a 70-foot stepped cascade over brown rhyolite - the park's most accessible falls.

Photography Guide

Best Time: any
Crowds: Busy
Shot Types: waterfalllong-exposureportrait
Best Seasons: springfall

Practical Tips

1.4 miles round trip from Skyline Drive. Go on a weekday or early morning to avoid crowds. The stepped cascade is best captured with a 0.5-second shutter speed.

Gallery

Nearby Places

Parks & Nature

Luray, VA

Big Meadows

Shenandoah's largest open meadow at 3,500 feet elevation becomes a wildflower carpet in spring, a blackberry bramble in summer, and a sea of crimson in fall.

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Overlooks

Luray, VA

Hawksbill Summit

Shenandoah's highest peak at 4,051 feet offers a classic cliff-top perspective over the Shenandoah Valley - the stone wall summit platform frames the view perfectly.

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Overlooks

Luray, VA

Stony Man Trail

The shortest trail to a Shenandoah summit climbs 0.8 miles through the park's largest remaining old-growth red spruce forest to exposed cliff-top western views.

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