Waterfall Hero Hikes: Shenandoah North District

The North District of Shenandoah National Park contains park land from the Front Royal Entrance at the northern end of the park to the Thornton Gap Entrance Station along US-211. The Dickey Ridge Visitor Center is located in the North District as well as the Matthews Arm Campground. More than 30 miles of Skyline Drive run through the North District.

Map:

Trails:

Fox Hollow Trail:

Length: 1.2 miles (loop)

Blaze: Blue (hiking only)

Difficulty: Easiest

Fox Hollow Nature Trail is an easy 1.2-mile self-guided interpretive trail. Guides for the trail are available at the visitor centers and at the trailhead. The trailhead is right across Skyline Drive from the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center. Going left, to hike the circuit in a clockwise direction, the trail runs though an open wildflower meadow along Skyline Drive and then heads into the woods. Along the way, the trail passes old rock piles, an old homestead, and a cemetery for the Fox family who had lived in the area before it was a park.

Keyser Run Fire Road:

Keyser Run Fire Road is a gated gravel road that is open to hiking. The trail starts at the Keyser Run Trailhead off Skyline Drive at mile post 19.4. In about a mile, the trail crosses Fourway, where Little Devil Stairs Trail splits to the left. Continuing on, the trail goes down, roughly parallel to Keyser Run and Little Devil Stairs. The terminus of the trail is at the Little Devil Stairs Parking at the end of Route 614. Along the way, the trail passes the Bolen Cemetery. This trail can be used to make a circuit hike with Little Devil Stairs Trail.

Little Devil Stairs Trail:

Little Devil Stairs Trail starts at the parking lot at the end of Route 614, right at the park boundary. From here, the trail crosses a creek and goes through Little Devil Stairs. There are countless stairs, stream crossings, and rock scrambles as the trail leads up through the area and then ends at the Fourway at Keyser Run Fire Road.

Traces Trail:

Length: 1.7 mile (loop)

Blaze: Blue (hiking only)

Difficulty: Easiest

Traces Trail makes a loop around the Mathews Arm Campground. The trailhead is the parking lot at the campground registration station. At the far end of the loop, the trail cross Mathews Arm Road.

Skyline Drive:

Milepost 18.5 - Gimlet Ridge Overlook:

Milepost 19.0 - Mount Marshall Overlook:

Milepost 19.4 - Little Hogback Overlook:

Milepost 20.0 - Little Devil Stairs Overlook is right past mile post 20 on the east side of Skyline Drive. The overlook provides views into the Little Devil Stairs canyon and there is a lone dead tree standing sentinel right at the overlook.

Milepost 20.7 - Hogback Overlook:

Milepost 21.0 - Rattlesnake Point Overlook:

Milepost 22.2 - Matthews Arm Road: Leads to Mathews Arm Campground

Milepost 30.0 - Pass Mountain Overlook:

Points of Interest:

Little Devil Stairs Waterfall:

Waterfall on Little Devil Stairs is a small 12-foot waterfall on Keyser Run at the top of Little Devil Stairs. To visit the waterfall, park at the Keyser Run Trailhead at mile post 19.4 on Skyline Drive. Hike about a mile down Keyser Run Fire Road to Fourway and turn left on Little Devil Stairs Trail. The waterfall will be on the left in less than a mile, just before the trail descends into Little Devil Stairs. Alternately, you can park at Little Devil Stairs Trailhead at the end of Route 614. Hike the Little Devil Stairs trail up to the top of Little Devil Stairs and the waterfall will be on the right, just before the trail turns left and levels off.