Parking
Use Corbin Cabin Cutoff parking on the west side of Skyline Drive at mile 37.9. Cross the road to the concrete post marking the trail start. A park entrance pass is required.
Overview
About Corbin Cabin and Nicholson Hollow Loop
Why go
- Historic Corbin Cabin and Nicholson homestead remains give the walk a strong sense of place.
- The 4.2-mile loop links a steep mountain descent, a rocky river corridor and a wooded climb.
Heads up
- A steep descent and climb pack a lot of exertion into a short route.
- Several stream crossings can become unsafe when the Hughes River is high; there are no broad overlooks.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation2,139–3,166 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Shenandoah alerts
- ClosureOld Rag Trailhead main lot closedThe Old Rag Trailhead main parking lot is closed to vehicles and pedestrians for infrastructure improvements; use the existing overflow lots. - Work is expected to be completed by November 2026.Official details
- ClosureBackcountry camping and zone closuresBackcountry camping is prohibited on the Appalachian Trail from Lewis Mountain to Big Meadows, and the Naked Creek backcountry zone is closed.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Shenandoah Tour Guide
Your drive to Corbin Cabin and Nicholson Hollow Loop, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Shenandoah National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Shenandoah audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Corbin Cabin Cutoff: A Steep Walk to a Log Home0:00 / 0:28
“The Corbin Cabin Cutoff trailhead is ahead, where a steep wooded hike leads to George Corbin's chestnut-log home beside the Hughes River.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Pinnacles Picnic Grounds: Lunch and a Four-Sided Fireplace
- Stony Man Mountain Overlook: The Roadside View
- Jewell Hollow Overlook: Ridges and Morning Star Lake
- Little Stony Man: A Short Climb Above Skyline Drive
- 146 audio storiesacross Shenandoah’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Bald Eagle, White-tailed Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 163 trails, 142 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Corbin Cabin and Nicholson Hollow Loop
A steep, history-first loopCorbin Cabin and Nicholson Hollow is a 4.
Corbin Cabin and Nicholson Hollow is a 4.2-mile loop from Skyline Drive to the Hughes River and Corbin Cabin, then back up Nicholson Hollow and along a short connector and the Appalachian Trail. Allow about 3½ hours; give yourself longer for the steep grade and time at the cabin. This is a worthwhile choice for a wooded stream walk and mountain history, not a big-view hike.
The loop drops about 1,000 feet over the first 1.4 miles, then climbs most of that back on the return. It’s short, but that steep downhill and uphill make it a demanding half-day walk.
Follow the loopPark at Corbin Cabin Cutoff on Skyline Drive and cross the road to the concrete post.
Park at Corbin Cabin Cutoff on Skyline Drive and cross the road to the concrete post. The cutoff drops quickly through mountain laurel; around half a mile in, a stream joins the route. Near 0.9 mile, watch for old stone walls and the remains of a Nicholson homestead. The Hughes River and Corbin Cabin come at about 1.4 miles.
Visit the cabin, then take Nicholson Hollow uphill. The way out is steep, including a particularly sharp section through mountain laurel. Once you reach Skyline Drive, follow the short road segment to the connector, then head north on the AT to return to the parking area.
Two families in the hollowThis was once a settled mountain hollow.
This was once a settled mountain hollow. Nicholson families farmed here from the late 1700s; the stone walls and cabin remains are reminders of that working landscape. George T. Corbin built his log cabin around 1921. He was forced from his home in 1938 as Shenandoah National Park was being created. The cabin is now a reservable overnight cabin, not a day-use stop with visitor facilities.
Take the river seriouslyExpect rocky crossings of the Hughes River and Indian Run.
Expect rocky crossings of the Hughes River and Indian Run. The Hughes can rise to knee or waist depth in spring or after heavy rain, so the route may not be safely crossable then. Don’t force a crossing when water is high. Wet rocks and steep, leaf-covered ground make careful footing important.
Access and dogsThe trailhead is the roadside Corbin Cabin Cutoff parking area at Skyline Drive mile 37.
The trailhead is the roadside Corbin Cabin Cutoff parking area at Skyline Drive mile 37.9; cross Skyline Drive to reach the marked start. A park entrance pass is required. Leashed dogs are allowed on this route, with a physical leash no longer than six feet.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Shenandoah
325 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
21 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
1,036 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
167 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
93 sightingsTimber RattlesnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
24 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Shenandoah. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
