Lost Cliffs & Dry Run Falls — Shenandoah Hikes

Length - about 3.0 miles
Type - Round trip
Difficulty - Hard
Elevation Gain - Moderate

Of course I realize the irony in discovering the Lost Cliffs on a topo map. I mean, how lost are they on a topo map? The words "Lost Cliffs” have been printed right here since I bought the map back in the mid-90s. But I have never been there. Perhaps so few people hike to the Lost Cliffs that the irony is in the name itself. While not geographically lost, maybe places like this are lost to memory, or to our own lack of imagination. So after 20 years of “forgetting" the Lost Cliffs I set out to remember them for the first time.

The Lost Cliffs

Dry Run Fire Road is your ticket to the Lost Cliffs, as well as the neighboring Dry Run Falls. The fire road runs about 2.5 miles from Skyline Drive to Route 625 on the west side of Shenandoah National Park. The simplest way to access the fire road is to park at South River Overlook, head north a few steps, and pick up Dry Run Fire Road on the west side of Skyline Drive. From there it is about 0.5 miles to the Lost Cliffs area, rising out of the forest floor to your right. The cliffs are very near the road and you should have no problem finding them. Hike to the top by bushwhacking from either end of the line of the cliffs. There are unobstructed views to the west, across the town of Elkton and over to Massanutten Mountain.

Dry Run Falls

If you’re an experienced off-trail hiker, consider layering more irony into your trip by visiting the unbefittingly named Dry Run Falls. It’s around another mile to the falls, continuing down Dry Run Fire Road. As you walk the road take note of crossing Dry Run. After a few more minutes of hiking you come to a sweeping right hand turn in the road (more than 90 degrees). From the far end of the turn you should be able to hear water flowing (in Spring and early Summer), roughly downhill from where you stand. It’s only about 0.1 miles from here to the falls area, though the terrain is steep and the undergrowth is tough even in Winter. Dry Run Falls is made up of at least three distinct falls, with the last one falling sublimely at least 50 to 60 feet. Retrace your steps to the fire road.

Hiking from the Bottom

Very few hikes in Shenandoah National Park afford you the opportunity to start at the bottom, hiking uphill first, then downhill back to the trailhead. Living in the Shenandoah Valley already places me on the west side of SNP, so this was my chance. On my PATC topo map Dry Run Fire Road intersects Route 625 around 6 miles east of Elkton. If you are going slow and keep an eye out for Shenandoah National Park boundary markers on trees, you will find that Dry Run Fire Road comes in from the right, just as you enter SNP, with Piney Mountain on your left. There is no official parking here, so be sure to park on SNP land, not blocking any private entrances. Dry Run Fire Road runs along the border of the Park, sometimes within, mostly without. Respecting your neighbors can go a long way on trails like this. After around 0.5 miles the fire road reaches a gate, at which point it is fully enveloped by Shenandoah National Park. Hike up the road until you reach the Lost Cliffs after another 1.5 miles or so. Then return downhill along the fire road, watching for the Dry Run Falls indicators mentioned above.