Date: 06/07/2021 – Distance: 7.4 mi – Elapsed Time: 4.5 hr – Ascent: 1503 ft – Descent: 1450 ft – Difficulty: Very Difficult
This is part 4 of a series (Campground, Blackrock Summit, Hawksbill Summit) I am doing on my trip to Shenandoah National Park. We began this hike at the Big Meadows Campground, crossed over Skyline Drive, and descended over 1400 feet before looping around and climbing all the way back up on a different trail. It was a pretty tough hike, but the scenery was breathtaking. Dark Hollow Falls is beautiful, but this stream has waterfall after waterfall making for a very scenic hike. Rose River Falls is also nice but not as big. Wes and Nick joined me on this one as well.
Our hike began on the east side of the campground. The sign warns of an active bear that lives here.
The woods here are big and open.
There is a weather station here.
It’s not far to get to the trailhead.
Parking is tight here due to the popularity of this trail.
Trailhead kiosk.
We actually went beyond the falls and created a loop out of several trails. You can see the Rose River Fire Road at the top of the map and a trail just beyond that. Its called the Rose River Loop Trail. We took that trail, which goes off this map, all the way back to Skyline Drive and returned to the campground on the Appalachian Trail, which also is not on this map.
Hitting the trail.
Always be aware.
We followed this stream all the way down.
The rocks can be slippery on this trail.
The trail is well maintained.
Watch your footing. As usual, Wes and Nick are ahead.
The first of many cascades.
The stream drops off here.
The trail routes around to the bottom of the falls.
And we arrive at the falls.
Dark Hollow Falls.
It’s a double decker.
It’s actually a series.
Some type of Candle Maple.
We all enjoyed this spot.
We continued down the trail.
This left would have got us back up, but it isn’t the Rose River Trail we were looking for. This is the Fire Road.
We actually had to go right at the Fire Road for a short bit, across the creek on a bridge.
And there is the trail on the left off the Fire Road.
This trail follows another creek.
I liked how the sun was hitting the moss covered rocks.
The creek is called Hogcamp Branch, and will lead us to Rose River.
There are plenty of waterfalls on this trail as well.
Some are little.
That is a Mountain Laurel and I’m hoping to find one in bloom.
It’s like a rainforest here.
The trail is nice.
That is a common Orchid called a Downey Rattlesnake Plantain and I think I just missed the bloom.
This was a weird piece of civilization to see here.
There is a rock jutting out up there.
Its quite a cliff.
We were able to get closer.
We turned left here.
These roots were cool.
There it is. Mountain Laurel.
There was a grove of them here.
We’re climbing back up.
It’s a showey flower.
I’m not sure what this is but the flowers were tiny.
Here’s the whole bush.
Partridgeberry in bloom.
There’s a larger falls down there.
We worked our way down closer.
The right side.
Rose River Falls.
Some kairn’s mark trails where there isn’t any other way to mark the trail, but this one is just someone stacking rocks.
Blurry picture, but I think that’s Goatsbeard across the creek.
Tulip Poplar bloom.
Wood Betony.
Taking the AT back to the parking.
Trail goes left off the Fire Road.
There were a couple good views to the west on the AT.
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