South River Falls plummets 83 feet
in two stages into the South River Gorge. This is what I call a true
waterfall! It is easy to reach via the 1¼ mile trail from the South River
Picnic Area just north of US-33 at milepost 62.8 of Skyline Drive. (Note:
there is a $10/car toll to enter the Skyline Drive but no other fees after
you have entered.) The trailhead is just off a small parking area about
halfway around the picnic area loop. Just look for the sign.
The
trail is very easy to follow and negotiate going downhill to the waterfalls.
Climbing back is a long climb that seems to last forever. But it is well
worth it. The trail takes you down to the overlook which is fine for most of
us. For the more hardy, there is an extension to the trail that takes you
down to the bottom of the gorge so you can look up at the waterfall. It is
rugged and steep.
Other web sites
about South River Falls:
More
information about this and the other more frequented trails in Shenandoah
National Park is available in a $2 guide, Hikes to Waterfalls in Shenandoah National
Park, which can be purchased at any of the Park visitor's Centers, or
on-line at www.snpbooks.org.
This guide is third in a series published by the Shenandoah National Park
Association, a not-for-profit organization established in 1950 to
support the Park's interpretive and educational programs. We have found
their guides very useful.
