Dark Hollow Falls

Start at the Dark Hollow Falls Parking Area at mile 50.7 on Skyline Drive. The route drops about 0.75 mile to the falls and returns on the same path, for roughly 1.5 miles round trip and about 440 feet of climbing. The broad path follows the stream, but it is steep and rocky; when it’s wet, the footing can be slippery. The downhill leg is the easy part. Give yourself time for the climb back, which can feel strenuous even though the walk is short. Plan on at least about an hour and 15 minutes, more if you stop for breaks.

Spring runoff is when the cascade carries its strongest flow. The amount of water varies, so the falls can look smaller at other times. For a photo, include the stream’s rocky ledges and a bit of the pool below instead of cropping to white water alone; the stepped drop gives the cascade its scale.

The stream drains much of Big Meadows and cuts across the Catoctin Formation. Near the falls, pillow-shaped basalt formed when ancient lava flowed into water and cooled. The greenstone here is metamorphosed basalt, so the rounded rock forms along this cascade preserve a very different chapter of the Blue Ridge’s history.

The descent is also a good place to watch for forest birds. Ovenbirds and scarlet tanagers are among the species found along the trail, and common ravens may soar overhead or call from the trees. Butterflies, including eastern tiger swallowtails and great spangled fritillaries, visit wildflowers along the route.

The trail is typically busy from spring through fall and on pleasant winter weekends. Pets aren’t allowed on this hike, though service animals are welcome. The trail does not meet ADA accessibility guidelines. A park entrance fee is required to reach the Skyline Drive trailhead; there’s no separate reservation for the hike.