This is one of the most popular waterfall hikes in the southern section of the Shenandoah National Park. There are several falls along Jones Run, plus two large falls on Doyles River. Each has several swimming holes as well. But if you plan to swim, remember that's cold mountain water, even in late summer!
From the Browns Gap parking area cross Skyline Drive and follow the white blazed Appalachian Trail (AT) south along the ridge for 1.4 miles to the intersection of the blue blazed Jones Run Trail, and Jones Run Trail parking area.
Turn left downhill on the blue blazed Jones Run trail as it makes a switchback, then crossing the top of Jones Run before reaching the top of the first set of falls in 1.6 miles. Continue on the trail for another 0.1 miles where the trail makes another steep switchback and arrives at the base of the main falls. Continue following the trail downstream for 0.5 miles crossing Jones Run, then continuing on the left side of the run for 0.1 miles to the post marking the Doyles River Trail.
Turn left uphill on the blue blazed Doyles River Trail passing several small pools and falls before crossing a footbridge over a feeder stream. Shortly after crossing the footbridge reach the lower, and largest set of falls, then in another 0.2 miles the upper set of falls. From here the trail becomes less steep before arriving at the intersection of the Browns Gap Fire Road.
Turn left crossing Doyles River on the yellow blazed fire road for the remaining 1.7 miles back to Browns Gap.
Note: Instead of turning left on the fire road off the Doyles River Trail, you can continue on the Doyles River Trail another 0.9 miles to the AT, then turn left/south on the AT for 1.5 miles to return to Brown's Gap making it a 8.5 mile circuit. This is a good option in the summer months when the ticks can be bad in the fire roads long grasses.
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Topo Hike Map (PDF) Hike route in Drag the map with your mouse using the icon Zoom with the controls on the left Mouse Over the icons in the map below for location shots
Calculate roughly how many calories you could burn on the Jones Run/Doyles River hike:
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Hiker
Reviews For The Jones Run/Doyles River Hike (5 Most Recent)
I went with a few friends and hiked this route starting at the fire road and going the opposite way. Luckily, it started out raining so we didn't have any heat issues despite the fact that it is early August!
Needless to say, the uphill portion towards the end of the hike was tiring, but not too bad, and the waterfalls are definitely worth it. The one great thing about going the opposite way is you end with the Appalachian Trail, and it is mostly flat instead of the uphill Fire Road.
The trail was also very secluded, and always well-marked. Overall it was a great hike!
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Date of Hike: Saturday, July 18, 2009
Did this hike with a friend and our teenage sons. As alluded to in other comments, go the direction indicated in the overview. The reverse route leaves you with a very tough climb out. The solitude and tranquility of the Jones Run waterfalls contrasts sharply with the more crowded and "touristy" falls on the Doyles River trail. We took the fire road back. Only found 1 tick in the after-hike tick check, although we did do a double coat of DEET before starting down the fire road due to the warnings here. I didn't find the fire road particularly steep, athough you will know you are going uphill! Overall a great day hike.
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Date of Hike: Saturday, May 02, 2009
This is one of my favorite hikes in the southern section of SNP. The scenery is beautiful and the multiple falls and cascades through this gorge area are well worth the relatively short hike to see them. There are also some wonderful examples of old growth trees, particularly tulip poplars on the Jones Run trail that have reached a magnificent size. I too would recommend parking at Brown's Gap and taking the AT south to Jones Run trailhead as it allows a nice gentle mile and a half of hiking to warm up before the descent into the gorge area. It is quite true that if you follow the old Brown's Gap turnpike back to the parking area that there is little shade in spots so it can get hot in warm weather. However, if you are a history enthusiast like me, you may like to take it and imagine what it was like back in 1862 when General Jackson marched his weary troops down to Mechums Station through here. On that note, if you follow the Brown's Gap turnpike across to the west side of the Skyline Drive, just past the chain barrier, to the left in the woods you can see what remains of some trenches that were built during that time. They are just deep tree filled depressions now but can be relatively easy to spot. Another thing to remember in hiking this trail is that it is most impressive in the spring when the water is high, and if it is a windy day on the ridge line, a hike on the east side of the ridge through this gorge area is relatively protected from the winds at the top.
If you do this circuit and still feel like hiking, you can follow the AT south just a couple miles or so to Blackrock Summit which gives you a spectacular view of the Shenandoah Valley, Massanutten and the Allegheny mountains to the west. A great place for rock scrambling and a nearly 360 degree view from the very top.
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Date of Hike: Monday, August 11, 2008
A bit of history...the Confederate grave along Brown's Gap fire road.
For many years Browns Gap was one of the principal routes for taking farm produce from the Shenandoah Valley to Richmond.
Browns Gap and the turnpike were used briefly during the Civil War. On May 2, 1862, at the beginning of his Valley Campaign, Stonewall Jackson marched his entire army through Browns Gap. From June 9 to June 12, after the Battle of Port Republic at the end of the Valley Campaign, Jackson's army camped in and near Browns Gap. On September 25, 1864, General Jubal Early and his army, after their defeat at Winchester, fortified themselves here and fought off Sheridan's attacks for two days while awaiting reinforcements. Today Browns Gap Turnpike is a SNP fire road.
A lone grave marker along Browns Gap fire road notes William H. Howard, Company F, 44th VA. INF, C.S.A. While looking at the gravestone, one wonders why this soldier would be buried alone beside the road. What was the cause of his death, war wounds or possibly infection?
One of the two Fluvanna infantry companies which enlisted in the spring of 1861, the "Fluvanna Hornets", had formed at Kent's Store on May 20 under Captain Thomas K. Wiesinger.
The Fluvanna Hornets would be the name of Company F. Of the 88 men who enlisted in Company F, 28 would die before the war ended.
The roster shows that there were three Howard brothers in company F: Private * Howard, Napoleon B. Private Howard, William W. Private *
Howard, John T.
*= died during war.
According to the White House of the Confederacy and the Library of Virginia records, both William and John suffered from Typhoid fever while in camp. Typhoid is a bacterial dysentery, Salmonella thyphosa, which from poor sanitary conditions can lead to dehydration and death. It is unclear why William is buried along the Browns Gap fire trail. Records shown that he enlisted June 12, by August he was sick at camp, and died at Camp Allegheny on Oct 1, 1861. Possibly he was being transported home to Fluvanna and was buried along the way. The middle initial "H" is likely an error from poor records, as a sloppy "W" may look like a sloppy "H". The grave headstone does not have a date, but lists only Company F, 44th Infantry, CSA.
His brother John died 1 Aug 1861 at Monterey, but his other brother Napoleon survived and was promoted to Sergeant, only to be later taken as a prisoner of war at Gettysburg.
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Katherine J
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Date of Hike: Saturday, July 12, 2008
I haven't been on this trail this year but would like to share my experience from last year.
We did this hike in reverse, and if you look at the topo map you can see that leaves you with a nice steep climb out, a mistake in itself. The suggested route here is better.
We also opted for the fire road instead of walking the extra mile or so to the AT- another mistake IMO.
There is no tree canopy on that fire road, and we baked in the sun. It was HOT and it was STEEP, two things that I could have lived without at hour 4- too much like work. Also adding to the fun was the fact that this is a well trod horse trail, and it was stinking to high heaven in the July sun.
In hindsight I would say, don't take the fire road. Stay on the trail. it's a little longer, but it's a nicer hike.
I would also say the entire circuit might not be appropriate for dogs or small kids. Parts of it are steep, and there is one section with a big rock scree that is hard on little feet and paws.
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