Lands Run Falls

Lands Run Falls is a chain of cascades in a wooded gorge in Shenandoah’s North District. From the Lands Run parking area at Skyline Drive mile 9.2, the established waterfall walk is about 1.3 miles round trip, with around 325 feet of climbing and an estimated hour and a half. It’s a good waterfall outing when the stream is running; most of the walk is a gravel fire road, and the return is uphill.

Follow the fire road downhill for about 0.6 mile until a stream passes under it. The road crosses above the falls, which can be easy to miss; walk about 25 feet along the stream on the right to reach the top of the first drop. Return the same way.

A worn path drops into the ravine for a closer view, but that lower route is steep and slippery. The easiest view is from above; only head down if you’re comfortable with rough footing around the falls.

The cascades descend about 80 feet into the gorge. The first drop, roughly 20 feet, is the most accessible; brush can hide much of the waterfall farther below. For the clearest photo, focus on that first drop instead of scrambling down for a view of the full cascade.

The stream can be waterless in dry conditions, and summer can bring very low flow. Don’t count on a particular month for a full waterfall; water levels vary. When it’s dry, the dark rock steps are still there, but the falls lose their main draw.