A photograph of a small waterfall cuddled between rocks and fallen autumn foliage along the Dark Hollow Falls trail in Shenandoah National Park. Its small size, graceful strands of water, and the pool below enclosed in rocks made it feel so inviting, so friendly. Just sit down, gaze into the abstract water texture moving in front of you, and listen to the constant hum, interrupted by occasional chirps of birds flying by.

The Dark Hollow Falls trail is a gem of a hike! While the waterfall the trail got its name from is definitely beautiful and well worth the hike down and back up, it's the creek one gets to walk along that further elevates the whole experience. There are so many beautiful spots where the water is zigzagging among rocks! And there are so many smaller waterfalls and cascades!

Shenandoah National Park was established in December 1935. It's main and unique feature is a 105-miles long Skyline Drive along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia offering views of the Shenandoah Valley to the west and Piedmont Plain to the east. Along the drive, one can enjoy approximately 500 miles of hiking trails. The park also offers many picturesque waterfalls made even more beautiful by heaving to hike to them, many requiring a descend of several hundred feet to see them, followed by the same ascend back to the trail head. Many of these hikes take you along creeks where many small cascades offer great views as a prelude to the grand finale at the trails' end.

Learn more about the park:

- Shenandoah National Park HIstory
- Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive Fact Sheet
- Shenandoah National Park Waterfalls

© Daniel Novak Photo - Landscapes, Architecture, Cityscapes