Overall Run Falls and Piney Branch Loop

Overall Run Falls and Piney Branch is a demanding three-day backcountry loop of about 22 miles, linking the waterfalls of Overall Run with a long Piney Branch descent and a ridge return over Hull School, Fork Mountain and Piney Ridge. It starts and ends at the Skyline Drive mile 21.1 parking near Hogback. The published total is 21.6–23 miles; its daily ranges do not add neatly to that total, so treat it as a planning range and check a current trail map. This is the complete backpacking route, not the much shorter waterfall hike.

From the parking pullout, the route takes the Appalachian Trail south to Tuscarora/Overall Run, then follows that trail for about 4.6 miles past two waterfalls. At the Tuscarora/Overall split, stay on Overall Run; a short side path reaches cascades, and the main falls are the centerpiece. Overall Run Falls drops 93 feet, the highest waterfall in Shenandoah. After dry weather, it may be only a trickle or have no visible flow. The falls area also has a west-facing overlook of forested slopes and distant ridges, giving you a broader view alongside the drop.

From the Overall/Beecher connector, climb Beecher Ridge, then follow Mathews Arm and Traces to a connector back to Tuscarora/Overall Run and the Appalachian Trail. After crossing Skyline Drive, turn onto Piney Branch and follow the stream downhill. The itinerary's second day ranges from 9 to 11.5 miles depending on the chosen Piney Branch campsite; group sites are described beyond Hull School. The long stream corridor is the route's most consequential section: it has several water crossings, not all of which are safe when the water is up.

The third day leaves Piney Branch on Hull School, turns onto Fork Mountain, then stays straight on Piney Ridge to a short gravel connector and the Appalachian Trail. The final AT stretch returns to the same Skyline Drive access. The itinerary estimates about 0.6 mile to Fork Mountain, 1.2 miles on Fork Mountain, 2 miles on Piney Ridge and 1.7 miles back on the AT; allow extra time for the remote terrain and the day-two crossings. Trail junction markers and blazes matter here: cellphone and GPS service can be unreliable in the backcountry.

A backcountry permit is required. The old trip notes suggest campsites beside Overall Run, but a current camping closure prohibits camping along a half-mile stretch of Tuscarora/Overall Run Trail on both sides of the stream. Do not rely on those old site suggestions; choose a legal campsite outside the closure under current park rules before setting out. Piney Branch crossings can be difficult or dangerous in high water, and the park warns against crossing streams during flooding or icy conditions. Rocks near waterfalls are dangerous to climb. Pets are allowed on this route on a physical leash no longer than six feet.

If the falls are your goal rather than a three-day backpack, a separate 5.1-mile round-trip route starts at the Mathews Arm Campground registration area. It reaches Overall Run Falls but does not include the Piney Branch circuit.