South River Falls Hike (Shenandoah National Park)

OVERVIEW

Join us for a scenic hike to South River Falls, one of Shenandoah’s most beautiful waterfalls! This 3.3-mile loop takes us through shady forests, past a stone overlook, and all the way down to the base of the 83-foot waterfall, where we’ll take time to rest, enjoy the scenery, and soak in the view before climbing back up. We’ll plan to spend 3–4 hours on the trail, giving us plenty of time for breaks and to appreciate the falls.

The hike has about 900 feet of elevation change, with a steep climb back up on the return. It’s a moderate-to-strenuous trail, so be prepared for a good workout balanced with time to relax at the falls.

I’ll be driving to the trailhead, but I don’t have an annual park pass. If you do, you’ll get priority to join even if you’re lower on the waitlist. If we can’t find someone with a pass, we may need to split the $35/car entry fee.

If we have two people with passes or a second driver with at least 4 people willing to split fees, I’ll open up more spots for this adventure.

Plan for the Day

Meet at 9:00 AM

Leave by 9:15 AM

Arrive around 10:15 PM and begin the hike

Finish hiking by 2:30 PM and head back to grounds

Return to Grounds around 4:00 PM

What to Bring: Plenty of water. Good hiking shoes, Snacks for energy

Reminder: Anyone with an annual park pass will have priority to join!

If we have two people with annual passes, or at least five people willing to split the entry fee, I’ll be able to increase the number of attendees.