This is one of those hikes that feels almost too easy for what you get out of it. A short walk in, and suddenly you’re surrounded by cascading water, smooth rock, and a handful of swimming holes that make it really hard to leave.
Quick Take
Location: Bentonville, VA | 38.79873° N, 78.31495° W
Time needed: ~1 hour to half day
Kid-friendly: Yes
Feature: Waterfall
Best for: Families, date days, hot days, quick payoff hikes
Distance: 2.1m
Trail Type: Out & back
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation feel: Minimal; 413ft
Tips: Trail takes you to Overall Falls. There are 3 trails, this post focuses on the shortest/easiest route. Trail will by MUDDY after rain, be cautious with young kids once arrived. Warm weekend days can be crowded with limited parking.
Why this trail is worth it
If you love being near the water—or have kids (or both)—this is the kind of trail that just works. It’s shaded, easy to navigate, and gives you multiple places to stop, explore, or cool off without needing to commit to a long or difficult hike.
When you start out, it can feel a little unclear where to go. From the parking area, continue straight until you hit a gravel path—this quickly leads you to the trail and gets you on track.
As you approach the waterfall, the trail does continue to the left to travel further up the falls if you’re you’re doing either of the longer trails (there are 3 total to choose from). Instead, continue straight-ish or slightly to the right and you’ll start hearing water or people or both!
The pictures above are after a series of heavy rainstorms and the water was the highest we’ve seen, so definitely be mindful of what experience you might be in for. It was extremely muddy the whole trail. Like – there was absolutely no avoiding it…but it was pretty amusing to the kids, and we promptly cleaned it all off once we arrived…and now we affectionately refer to it as “the muddiest trail ever”.
We’ve also been there after dryer spells, and the water is still deep enough to jump or splash or wade, but it is notably slower.
Things to know before you go!
There are always plenty of families there, and many with younger children, but please use caution! The rocks definitely get slippery when wet. There is a side path where you can easily walk down a path versus scaling down the rocks, so there are definitely safe ways to explore – just if you have a little one that might yeet themselves off a rock, maybe keep them close 😉.
- Be mindful of recent rainfall
- Arrive early to minimize parking issues
- Visit on a weekday for a smaller crowd
- Wear shoes that won’t get ruined (Tevas or Chacos are perfection!)
I usually check AllTrails before heading out—not because you need it, but it’s helpful for current conditions, parking notes, and having a map downloaded just in case.
And if you want to linger a bit longer…
- Shenandoah River State Park
- Shenandoah National Park (via Skyline Drive)
- Skyline Caverns
- Front Royal (for shops, food, or just wandering)
- Kayak or float the Shenandoah River
- Melania’s Gourmet (local favorite)
- Spelunkers (another local favorite)
I hope you go and love it as much as we do!
🤟 Ashley