Description: This can be either a 7.6 or 10.3 mile strenuous circuit depending on which return route you choose. Both loops use the same route to get to the top of the falls. At one point you'll climb over a 1000 feet in about 0.7 miles. You'll have about9 stream crossings via the long route and about 6 if you take the shorter route. These can be a challenge if you are hiking here after ice out. The streams, however, tend to dry up dramatically during the summer months.

Besides touting the title of the highest falls in the park at 90 feet, this venue offers a nice vista and a broad assortment of flora to study.

Directions from the intersection of US 55 and US 340:

Take US 340 south approximately 9.2 miles to Bentonville.
Turn left onto SR 613.
Turn right onto SR 630 - Thompson Hollow Rd. travel until it turns into a private drive. DO NOT ENTER!!!! FOOT TRAFFIC ONLY!!! There is room on the right to park.

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Printable/Downloadable Map

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Zipped National Geographic. TOPO! GPS and Universal GPX Files

GPS Text Files for Non-TOPO! Users

Trail Notes: From the parking area, walk south along the driveway. Trees and telephone poles are blazed blue. Pass two driveways on your right. Step over a cable gate at 0.18 miles and turn right onto blue-blazed Thompson Hollow trail.

Pass blue-blazed Tuscarora Trail on your right in another 0.57 miles. The Tuscarora will share the trail to above the Falls before you leave it. In about 0.16 more miles reach the junction of the blue-blazed Overall Run/Tuscarora Trail.

Turn left and proceed up the Run, crossing it twice. In one mile from the last trail junction begin climbing steeply along switchbacks to the top of Overall Falls. Reach the falls at 1.84 miles from the last trail junction. Besides the falls, sweeping views of Massanutten Mountain to the west are offered.

Continue upward passing the continuation of yellow-blazed Matthews Arm trail on the left. In about 100 yards the Tuscarora Trail will go to the left. Bear to the right here, staying on yellow-blazed Matthew's Arm Trail) for another 0.48 miles when you will come to yellow-blazed Beecher's Ridge Trail. Follow either 7.6 or 10.3 mile option from HERE!

7.6 mile option:

Turn right onto yellow-blazed Beecher Ridge Trail. Descend for 2.2 miles to blue-blazed Beecher Ridge-Overall Run Connector Trail.

Bear right onto the connector trail and follow it to Overall Run. The stream splits apart here so 2 or 3 crossings might be necessary to reach the blue-blazed Overall Run Trail on the other side (0.67 miles from the last trail junction).

Turn right on the Overall Run Trail. Climb gradually, passing some small falls and a great swimming hole on your right in another 0.55 miles, just before coming to Thompson Hollow Trail. Turn left onto Thompson Hollow Trail and follow it out to your vehicles.

10.3 mile option:

Pass Beecher Ridge Trail and stay on Matthew's Arm Trail for another 0.47 miles. Turn right onto yellow-blazed Weedlewood Trail. In 1.32 miles turn right onto yellow-blazed Heiskell Hollow Trail and descend to the western terminus of yellow-blazed Beecher Ridge Trail.

Turn right onto the Beecher Ridge Trail, cross two streams and ascend to the crest of the hill.At the junction with the blue-blazed Beecher Ridge-Overall Run connector trail turn left and follow the remainder of the

directions for the shorter version.

Printable/Downloadable Directions and Trail Notes

Read about our latest trip there.

Critique this outing!

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Name: Rahul Gundala Hike: Overall Run Hike
Date: 05/03/2008 Rating: 5

Critique: We went on this hike on a beautiful spring Saturday and everything was wonderful. We did the shorter version of it(6.4mi) and it was a good workout. We started on the AT at the end of the parking lot next to the Hogback Overlook and took a right onto Overall Run/Tuscarora trail and followed it all the way to the waterfalls. As it rained before there was plenty of water. The whole hike was beautiful. While going it was downwards but coming back was strenuous as it requires a lot of climbing. We started our hike around 1:30 and were back in the parking lot around 6:00. We met several other people on the way and at the waterfalls. No wild life during the hike but on our way back saw some deer. Overall this was a good hike to start the season with.

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Name: Galen Hike: Overall Run loop
Date: 1-13-08 Rating: 2

Critique: This hike deserves its strenuous rating, mostly for its steep sections and rocky paths. Pretty hard on the feet. Did this one clockwise, with the falls first. The hard ascent is worth the view from up top. You can see mountains and the falls from high above, on a rock ledge of your choosing. From there, it's pretty much over as far as scenery goes. Maybe it's because the streams were dry or that all the wildlife was on vacation or that every 30 feet there was a tree laying across the path, but I didn't see much redeeming value in the Heiskell trail. Nothing but trees and knee-pounding, leaf-covered rocky trail. In my opinion it's not a particularly bad hike, but there are other, more appealing hikes nearby.

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Name: Kris Hike: Overall Run
Date: 07/01/2007 Rating: 5

Critique: I can't say enough about this hike! Top on my list of memorable hikes! This was a perfect outing on a cloudless and DRY summer day. I did the shorter circuit due to a lack of time and the fact that I had not been out for about a month. I did the circuit counter clockwise, as I wanted to save the falls for later in the hike, and because there were some rowdy folks going the other way. The ascent up Beecher Ridge is steady and gives a good workout without being too taxing. The trail is somewhat overgrown early on but opens up nicely. The woods are beautiful! I also liked that the views heading down Matthews Arm were straight ahead as you descend Matthews Arm. The vista from the Overall Run Falls overlook is spectacular. I had my fourth bear sighting this year just after re-entering the dense woods at the bottom of Matthews Arm along Overall Run. Beautiful to behold. The end of the hike was capped off by the most fabulous swimming holes I have ever seen! It felt great to swim after this rewarding hike. The holes were 6+ feet deep in places! I can't wait to do this hike again for the longer version and perhaps during Fall foliage season!________________________________________

Name: Joe Hike: Overall Run-7.6 mile option
Date: 3-31-07 Rating: 5

Critique: Excellent hike. I am a local who grew up playing in the Massanutten range and I have never seen anything quite like this. The view of the valley, the canyon, and the falls themselves are just spectacular. One point - do not be discouraged by the "strenuous" level of the hike-if my 5 lb Yorkshire terrier can make it, anyone can.

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Name: Clam.Digger Hike: Overall Run/Beecher Ridge
Date: July 13, 2006 Rating: 5

Critique: I really only wanted to hike down to the falls (Which were nearly dry anyway) and ended up doing the whole nine with nothing more than a liter of water! I did the hike described here backwards with a different starting point. At the very back of Mathews Arm Campground there is an old dirt road (Not sure of the name) that is cabled off that leads straight down and turns in to the Overall Run Trail. This takes you pretty much straight down to the stream where you hook up with the connector trail. At the end of the connector trail is a trail marker with a metal tag that is incorrectly pointing Overall towards Heiskell Hollow. Someone has scratched the correction on it but it is still confusing, and with out a map you will be guessing. All in all a great hike that I would do again, perhaps in the spring when the falls are more active. Doing the hike as this website describes saves you the 3 mile hike straight up at the end.

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Name: Cham Green Hike: Overall Run
Date: 10/8/06 Rating: 5

Critique: For those that like ascents you can squeeze in a few more feet if you take the connector trail up to Hogback overlook. Be prepared for a 3 dicey stream crossings on Overall Run after a long hard rain. You will find lots of people near the top of the mountain but less so near the bottom of this hike. For write-up and pictures go to http://www.chamspage.blogspot.com and go to the entry for October 9, 2006.

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Name: Jamie Hike: Overall Run Circuit
Date: July 1, 2006 Rating: 4

Critique: Great hike with some beautiful views but very hard on the ankles with all of the rocks.

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