Parking
Park at South River Picnic Area on Skyline Drive near milepost 63; the trailhead is on the east side of the loop.
Overview
About Pocosin & Dry Run Backcountry Trip
Why go
- An 83-foot waterfall viewpoint comes about a mile into the first day.
- Flexible camps let backpackers adjust the daily mileage.
Heads up
- The first campsite is dry, and campsites are unmarked.
- The route requires an overnight permit and backcountry campsite planning.
Pocosin & Dry Run is a 7.4-mile loop for a two-night backcountry trip, starting and ending at South River Picnic Area. It links South River Falls, a network of fire roads, Pocosin Horse Trail, Dry Run Falls Road, and the Appalachian Trail. Allow about 5 to 6 hours of walking across three days; finding camps and stopping at the falls add time. The hiking is easy to moderate, but finding unmarked campsites takes backcountry experience.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs this the trip for you?Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation2,251–3,051 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
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 Pocosin & Dry Run Backcountry Trip, 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 area
South River: Picnic Grounds and the Waterfall Overlook0:00 / 0:30
“You're coming up on South River Picnic Grounds, the starting point for South River Falls.”
Plays near this trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Baldface Mountain Overlook: A Brief Valley Stop
- Hensley Hollow Overlook: Follow the Valley Toward Elkton
- Five Dollars to Keep
- The Newt's Years on Land
- 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 Pocosin & Dry Run Backcountry Trip
How the days unfoldDay 1 follows South River Falls Trail to the waterfall viewpoint, then turns onto South River…
Day 1 follows South River Falls Trail to the waterfall viewpoint, then turns onto South River roads and continues toward a dry camp on Pocosin Horse Trail. Carry enough water for this first camp. Day 2 retraces the Pocosin leg, crosses Skyline Drive on South River Road, and descends Dry Run Falls Road to a second camp. Day 3 retraces Dry Run, returns along South River Road, and takes the Appalachian Trail back to the picnic area. The route repeats several sections; its distance includes both campsite spurs.
Plan the overnight partA backcountry camping permit is required, and a separate park entrance pass is needed.
A backcountry camping permit is required, and a separate park entrance pass is needed. Sites are dispersed and unmarked; established sites are recommended, and legal camps must be at least a quarter-mile from paved roads and park facilities. Allow time to find one before dark. Campfires are allowed only at park-constructed fireplaces. Pets are allowed on this route but must remain on a leash no longer than six feet.
If you only want the waterfallA separate 3.
A separate 3.3-mile South River Falls circuit starts from the same picnic area and visits the falls without the two-night camping commitment.
Is this the trip for you?The mapped line follows the shortest listed 0.3-mile campsite spurs and measures 7.4 miles.
The mapped line follows the shortest listed 0.3-mile campsite spurs and measures 7.4 miles. Published figures span 6.7 to 15 miles: the daily minimums total 6.6 after rounding, while the upper end includes longer camp placement and the optional three-night Saddleback extension, which is outside this route.
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.
