Hiker Reviews for the Overall Run/Beecher Ridge Hike

Hiker Reviews for the Overall Run/Beecher Ridge Hike - 1 to 80 of 80

Review the Overall Run/Beecher Ridge hike here! Average Review Rating:


By: Pete	Rating:	Date of Hike: Monday, March 18, 2013
I used the fact that I got a suprise day off to hike this hike in the snow. The construction arounder the parking area/culture de sac is finished. I completed the hike as an out and back, because I fondly remember picking the 32 ticks off my dog the last time I went along the ridge. The fall were absolutely full and beutiful. If I had one complaint it would be that my pictures make the scale of the falls seem much smaller than they are. Aside from a few huge deer there were no animals. On the way back I went to the swimming holes/waterfalls on the southern trail. They were also very swollen and beautiful. If you hike this hike, I strongly recommend it as an out and back. Up on the ridge past the falls there are no views and all you will run across are bears and ticks. (a lot of ticks) We have no ticks from doing the out and back.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, February 17, 2013
Me and my buddy hiked this on my Sunday off. We had been planning on going for a while and finally got around to it. We went on a very cold winter day, bundled up. We are big winter hikers and we heard that the falls freeze over and make for a great sight. The weather was brisk, but fair at the bottom and there was no snow on the ground. But eventually we began the vertical climb that can be pretty tough, but it leads right up to the overlooks. The higher elevated areas had snow on the ground and when we got to the views, the wind battered us. We enjoy tough conditions as we take them as a challenge and it adds to the adventure aspect. The views were beautiful and the falls were quite a spectacle. They were frozen over, yet water prevailed and flowed over them. You see everything from one overlook area and get a good view of the rest of the hike. The rest of the hike is lengthy enough for you to get your fix and it's very easy and pleasant. When you finally reach the end of the loop, you come across two beautiful, green swimming holes that will make for a wonderful dip in the summer time after a decently-strenuous hike.

By: Scout Leader	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, October 27, 2012
Plenty of parking and very few people on the trail. The weather was pretty good today with temps in the mid 60's,

By: Adele Medved	Rating:	Date of Hike: Monday, September 24, 2012
Road work being done in the minimal parking area, so no place to park. With all the posted "No trespassing" signs, we were afraid to leave our car. Hopefully, work will be completed soon because this is usually a wonderful hike......but today barely got one star!!!!

By: Elizabeth F.	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, July 14, 2012
I was very disappointed in this trail. The only reason I didn't give this hike only one star is because the steep hills provided a great workout and the one view of Massanutten Mountain was amazing. The trails were otherwise very overgrown and uninteresting. I brought the dog along due to the high 'stream' ratings only to find just about everything dried up. I think I enjoyed the hike the least because of the impressive number of ticks picked off from hikers and the dog (15 on him alone!). I imagine this trail to be far more enjoyable in the Fall when the leaves are turning and the streams may again be flowing. I won't bother going back.

By: Evan	Rating:	Date of Hike: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Great hike on a beautiful day. We wore shorts and tried to keep the bugs off using repeat applications of DEET - but it did not work. The ticks are thick here and I highly recommend long pants for this trail. < The directions were very good, except that the first turn to Matthews Arm - the trail is actually blazed blue there, not yellow. The yellow blazes actually begin at the intersection with the Beecher Ridge trail, so it's easy to doubt yourself. There's been some maintenance done this year, and the blazes are easily seen and intersections are well cleared, but it isn't overly done and it still feels wild in some places. Definitely do the turn off for the swimming hole at the end - well worth it. It was still too cold for a swim when we went, but I'd like to go back and try it out when it gets a bit warmer. Don't cheat and go there at the beginning - it's way better at the end and is a great ending to a hike.

By: D Farmer	Rating:	Date of Hike: Friday, May 18, 2012
Overall Run is an excellent hike! From the moment of parking you know that you are going to have solitude on the hike. There's probably only enough room for a dozen cars at best. The hike starts off fairly bland and very easy. When you get to the fork in the trail take a LEFT. This is where the adventure is ignited. Also - during the time of my hike this part of the trail was relatively thick and not well groomed. The majority of the hike from here on up is just that - straight up. It's fairly challenging to the legs and lungs, but let me tell you something...when you get to the top it is well worth it. The view and waterfall make this summit one of my all time favorites! We also brought our dog and it was perfect. We only saw a hand full of other hikers and it was a Friday. I definitely recommend this hike!

By: David and Cynthia Y.	Rating:	Date of Hike: Friday, May 11, 2012
Lovely hike and amazing spring day. The Mountain Laurel are blooming. Other hikers saw a bear that day. Overall Run is a lovely stream with its lower pools and higher waterfalls. Beecher Ridge is brushy with some poison ivy, but the "overall" hike was grand and made a nifty loop.

By: Feiyu	Rating:	Date of Hike: Wednesday, May 09, 2012
Unlike previous reviews, I am sorry to say that I don't like such a hike at all. For the most part, the trail is so terribly narrow that you may even touch the plants on both sides. Plus, there is lots of mud on the trail that make the road pretty dirty. What makes even worse is that it's basically a huge nest of various bugs in this season, including ticks, mosquitos, and so forth. When it comes to views, there are only two or three that you want to shoot. All in all, I would not recommend this to hikers especially in summer.

By: Devon	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, April 14, 2012
This is a great hike. I didn't realize how steep the ascent section was going to be, but the reviewer wasnt messing around when she called it very steep. The falls themselves were beautiful as always, and the long descent along the ridge went through a great section of young forest with thick undergrowth. The best part of the hike is definitely the little side spur about a half mile before the final turn back to the parking lot that goes down to a pair of large swimming holes with nice waterslides connecting them. It's a perfect picnic and swimming spot for the summer and only a mile and a half from the parking, so easily accessible with children/dogs/food for an afternoon hangout.

By: James	Rating:	Date of Hike: Friday, April 13, 2012
Decided to try this hike (counterclockwise) as an overnight family backpacking trip, but discovered that the the only campsite on the trail was inadequate for our needs. Although the site has space to accommodate two tents, it's on an substantial incline and there's really only enough room to pitch a two-man tent on anything resembling level ground. It's also fairly far from the stream making cooking and cleaning more difficult. We looked for other camping sites along the Overall Run—Tuscarora Trail, but there weren't any other other established sites (and we were unwilling to create a new one). So we decided to hike back on through to the end and call it a day. While our backpacking trip was a bust, the trail itself was worth the time and effort. It's still spring and so the foliage is not complete, and we were still able to see nice views all along the Beecher Ridge Trail. The views of Overall Falls and the Massanutten Range were spectacular in the late afternoon light. Except for a short push up the Beecher Ridge—Overall Run Connector Trail (or along the last part of Overall Run—Tuscarora if you follow HU directions) the trail is completely manageable for someone in moderate shape. Some observations: 1. The water level in the stream was lower than we expected this early in the season. Even if the water level was higher, I would only rate this hike as a '3' for streams. 2. Found a tick on my son (it hadn't settled in for lunch, yet), which seems a bit earlier than usual. Wonder if that's due to an unusually warm winter. 3. My kids are noisy hikers, so we didn't see any wildlife on the trail aside from a squirrel and a chipmunk. We felt the hike deserved a 3.5 rating. I think next time we will trail the Heiskell Hollow variation if there's a more suitable camping site along that portion of the trail.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, April 07, 2012
Great hike and perfect weather this weekend. Overnighted with my son on top of the ridge near the waterfall overlook. A great weekend and met some nice people on the trail. Most of the ones that had dogs had them leashed and under control. However, there was a couple who had set up some kind of lean-to shelter whose two dogs ran out at us. It's simple folks - your dogs must be leashed. People who do leash their dogs shouldn't have them threatened by dogs that aren't. Neither I or anybody else should have to be concerned about being bitten by dogs.

By: David S	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, April 07, 2012
This loop makes for a great Spring hike. Lots of blooming dogwoods and redbuds along the way, and the big trees are just leafing out. There were a fair number of people hiking the Overall Run part of the trail on a gorgeous Saturday, but it wasn't crowded.

By: Greg	Rating:	Date of Hike: Wednesday, March 07, 2012
Beautiful day. This is a hike I will definitely return to. Hopefully in the Summer when I can take advantage of the swimming hole towards the end. Granted, it was a weekday, but we never saw another hiker the whole day. The steep uphill is a challenge, but it's short and the reward is there. The streams are fantastic. The only con I can think of is we found one deer tick at the end.

By: jr	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, February 05, 2012
Could barely see the falls due to low clouds, but an inch or so of snow plus flurries most of the day made it a beautiful day to be in the woods.

By: Two hikers and a dog	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, January 15, 2012
This was a great hike, and I highly recommend it. The "No Trespassing" signs were quite prevalent at the beginning of the hike, but were not intimidating to us. I'm sure the homeowners in the area don't want any random hikers wandering onto their property. I can't say I blame them! We had a good workout, and great views. The falls were flowing, but fairly frozen. It was pretty chilly at the top on the Beecher Ridge trail-layers are key. There was a fair amount of ice along most of the trail loop, so watch your step. We only encountered a few other hikers and a Park Ranger. We were able to complete the hike in about 4 hours stopping for a quick lunch (a little too cold to sit and linger) and take some pictures.

By: Rachel H	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, January 07, 2012
What a wonderful and scenic loop tucked behind Mathews Arm! My family of 5 adults, ranging from very fit to only moderately so, hiked it in 4 hours plus a lunch break. Being an exceptionally warm January day, the falls weren't iced over nearly as much as we'd hoped, but the viewpoints still presented stunning vistas just when they were most needed. And warm as it was, none of us were brave enough to take advantage of the natural pools and slides near the end of the loop, so we'll have to plan a return visit in the summer. Only encountered two other hikers the whole day, which automatically made this a good day out.

By: Trekker	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, December 03, 2011
Two of us did this trail today and we missed the bifurcation after the falls and continued on and on and reached near the skyline drive. It was 2pm and we were worried about getting trapped after the sunset ( we were carrying no flashlight). A good samaritan offered to cut short his hike (he had jsut started from the skyline drive) and dribe us 27 miles or so to the parking lot. A lesson -in winter one can easily get lost as trails are not easily visible (are covered with leaves) - so be prepared. But we had a very good hike and will do it again to see where we missed the trail.

By: Hokie Hiker	Rating:	Date of Hike: Friday, October 07, 2011
Wow. This was a great hike- probably my favorite longer hike I've done in Virginia (yes I think it beats Old Rag). I left the DC area around 615am- and was walking down the road by 815ish- made it back to the car around 115- so 5 hours is about right for hiking time. You definitely do feel a little unwelcome as you walk down the road to the trailhead- I think there must be about 100 No trespassing, no parking or your car will be towed, private property, beware of dog signs etc. But once you turn onto the trail- it's all gone. I wanted to get an early start in hopes of seeing some wildlife- and I got what I wanted. Right after crossing Overall Run for the second time (not the crossings are dry crossings)- a black bear was running through the woods about 20 yards to my left. It stopped and watched me for a few minutes while I fumbled with getting the right camera lens on- and then took off. The hike up the hill (following the directions)- it's a doozy. I made it through about 5 switchbacks without stopping- and then realized how far I had climbed and started taking some frequent stops (walk 45-50 yards, take a 30 second breather)- but you really do ascend FAST. And when you make it to the top (past the campground) to the overlooks- you'll be so glad you went through that bit of a climb (which honestly doesn't seem like it's THAT long). there are 3 good overlooks to get some neat pictures from. I continued on- and just as I got near the intersection of Beecher's Ridge trail- I looked up to see 3 black bears about 30-35 feet up a tree 15-20 feet away from me. They saw me, and the adult dropped down and stared me down- then 2 cubs dropped down and they took off into the woods. (A lesson for all: if you're hiking in the morning and want to see animals- you probably will! So make sure you also have some bear spray or a whistle/bell to not surprise them!) The downhill portion was easy. Note: the overall run trail (before you start the trek up the mountain) is VERY rocky. The trek up is less rocks- but still has some there. The trek down is considerably devoid of rocks.

By: WV Hiker	Rating:	Date of Hike: Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Got rained out at work so I hiked the trail in the rain of tropical storm Lee, got a little wet but it made for fun creek crossings and plenty of water for the falls. No views due to the fog/rain. The trail is well marked, If you take the hike as planned once you get back on the overall run/connector trail at the creek crossing there is a marker post I thought this was the thompson hollow trail but you need to go to the 3rd trail on the left (next marker post) for the return to your car. I headed out the trail lower trail but it looked unfamiliar so I turned around I guess it maybe unmarked early cut across to the Tuscarora trail.

By: William Munny	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, September 04, 2011
Did this hike on labor day weekend with about 12 other random hikers. After hiking in on the Thompson Hollow Trail, I hooked a right (North) on the Tuscarora trail as I wanted to do the Beecher Ridge trail and then finish the loop back to the waterfall. Every single other person on this hike went in the other direction (the recommended direction) and I was all alone in about 5 minutes. The first half a mile is along a stream and is pretty easy going. Once you get to the Beecher Connector Trail, the slope starts to increase and pretty soon you find yourself on a pretty serious incline that never seems to quit. The entire connector trail and Beecher Trail is uphill with no views to speak of. If you can imagine walking uphill, in the woods, for 2.5 hours with no views as a reward, that's what the Beecher Trail delivers. Once you get back on the Tuscarora trail, the waterfall and views are not far away and they are beautiful. The waterfall is a bit weak this time of year but the view is amazing and you can get a lot of great pics here. Once you get past the waterfall its back in the woods again the trail goes straight down. Going down such a steep grade was jamming my toes into the front of my boots and was very difficult as I was already pretty worn out from the 3 hours of climbing earlier in the day. As others have pointed out, I highly recommend you go the recommended way. I would have much preferred to go up a steeper trail at the beginning of the hike and then finish with a gradual decline the rest of the day. Oh yeah: Make sure you park on the paved road and DO NOT drive down the gravel road. Judging from all the private property signs and high metal fences, the property owners don't want hikers anywhere near their property. On my walk back out to the parking lot, a black suburban was on the gravel road picking up a hiker with a sprained ankle. A man in camo fatigues drove up in a truck, blocking the road, and seemed none to pleased that this suburban was in the unauthorized area. After he heard that they were just picking up an injured hiker he took off but for a second there I thought I heard banjo music...

By: Claire	Rating:	Date of Hike: Wednesday, July 13, 2011
I hiked this trail with my dogs last summer and really enjoyed it. It's not super challenging, but there are a couple nice climbs. Not a lot of views, but a great swimming hole toward the end of the hike that we took advantage of since it was a very hot summer day. I took my dogs' packs off and they both dove right in and I wasn't far behind them! It was a great spot to eat lunch/relax. I went on a weekday and didn't see a single other person - my favorite kind of day on the trail!!

By: wazootraveller	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, July 02, 2011
Might be better during other seasons. But in early July, the Run was completely dry and the "waterfall" was reduced to a bare trickle. The hike up the hill to see the fall proved a very modest reward for the effort involved, so we decided to cut our losses and do this as an out-and-back for around 6 miles rather than complete the circuit.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, May 28, 2011
Really great hike, I would recommend it. did it with my parents. Late spring is good time to do this trail, it is very nice and cool most of the time. Starts out easy, stays that way until you hit the switchbacks that take you up the mountainside. A walking stick helps a lot here, you can use it to balance on the loose, pointy rocks. have shoes with thick soles or inserts, they help to keep your feet from hurting to much. When you hit the first stream crossing, is a good time to take a break for snack and a lot of water, maybe soak your feet in the stream. It really does help. Once you reach the point where you can look out over the falls, take a break, but don't eat lunch if you plan to keep climbing. You will wind up regretting it very quickly. There are also some black bears around that area. They don't care about humans, but keep dogs on a short leash. Do eat something before you cross Overall Run for the third time, though. After that, there is nowhere to sit down and take a break for about two miles its all plants and rotten tree stumps, no rocks or wide areas of the path. On the way down from the top, you pas thorugh a mountain laurel patch. it smells nice, looks nice, another great place to take photos. At the bottom, you find a swimming hole. The water is really cold, but its a great place to have something to eat, go swimming, or just relax in the sun on the rocks. Bring something to replenish salt and electrolytes, you need it badly by the end. Walking sticks are another good thing to take with you. I would suggest doing the loop the way the website says. Otherwise, you don't really get anything out of the pool, you have a far longer uphill climb (four hours instead of an hour and a half, probably), and then you still have to tackle the steep part of the mountain when you are tired and sore. All in all, a great day trip, about an hour and a half from DC, which is great for just doing something on the weekend. Email with questions, put "hiking" in subject line so I can tell my overactive spam filter not to delete your email.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Friday, February 18, 2011
LIked this hike, would recommend it to others. Did this w/ brother and mom, all relatively new hikers, average fitness. We did the loop in the recommended direction. It looks like one could go in the reverse direction pretty easily although that seemed like it would have been tougher and less enjoyable to our taste. The elevation profile for this one is dead-on so choose accordingly. We finished in about 5 hours going at a decent pace with 1 stop for lunch and a few short breaks here and there. No bears... :-( Parking directions were good and accurate, be sure to follow them carefully as there is a heightened state of property defense all around the entrance way. Not sure what's going on there but wouldn't want to find out the hard way! Strong points: good views, nice mixture of streams, waterfalls, rocks, some steeper sections, well-marked (that's a plus for many, a minus for some I guess!) Negatives: limited parking, scary-looking trespassing signs plastered along the entrance path, there isn't a definitive "summit" point although there are several very nice vistas, somewhat dull for the last 1/2 of the hike although it's mostly downhill at that point so fast pace is easy to maintain

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, December 26, 2010
Hiked it today with my 10 year old son! What a great hike. There is about 3 inches of snow on top of the mountian and not another soul in site. We did the 9 mile circuit and loved every bit of it. The falls are well frozen over and was awesome to look at. We cannot wait until spring to come back and see it in a different way:) Thank you for bringing us there!

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Tuesday, December 21, 2010
http://www.meetup.com/hiking-162/calendar/15800274/ Stop everything, put on those hiking boots and head to Overall Run. The falls are frozen and they are SPECTACULAR. often on the weekend you can watch brave souls using their ice picks to climb it. A site not to be missed!!

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Friday, December 03, 2010
There are no access restrictions at this time. Please be courteous to surrounding property owners so we can continue to use this trail head. When you reach the end of pavement on Thompson Hollow road DO NOT continue. There is a sign for the trail at that point, a small parking area and the beginning of your hike. Walk down the the gravel driveway passing through a cabled gate, continue straight towards another closed gate and you will find the trail head on the right just before the gate. You will see many keep out, no trespassing, beware of dog signs, but they only apply to the properties along either side of the gravel drive. I did the loop backwards and found hiking up the ridge to be quite a work out. Pretty much just goes steeply up with no switchbacks for a few miles. Make sure you have proper gear this time a year as there was a big temp drop on the way up and you can become very sweaty during the climb then be stuck damp and cold the rest of the way. The falls were great. Plenty of water and just now starting to ice up around them. The Big Falls looked amazing and I'm glad we went backwards to finish with that because once you pass the falls going the direction this site advises there's not much to see along the hike. We also came across a good sized black bear towards the the end of the loop who was down in one of the streams. We scared him first before we even saw him. He then ran a few hundred feet away, stopped and stared at us for a minute then took off up the mountain. For those who have children, aren't in great shape or looking to push there legs today, this can still be a great out and back hike. Hike up a little past Big Falls and back and you'll see most of the interesting features this trail offers

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Thursday, November 18, 2010
background info about the fence and gates erected on Thompson Hollow Rd. (From the Warren Country Report 11/2010) Connor Realty Holdings errected the fence and gates on Thompson Hollow Rd. (Va. 630) in August. Connors Realty Holdings owns parcels C, E and F off Thompson Hollow Rd. They DO NOT own Thompson Hollow Rd. . VDOT maintains Thompson Hollow Rd to the Shenandoah Park Boundary . Several Hundred feet beyond the new fence. Warren County has directed Connors Realty Holdings to remove the barrier or the county will do it with an award of costs. There are currently 2 gates:a large gate across the road which was stil locked the last time I was there and a small pedestrian gate just to the left that is closed but unlocked.. Do not park on the road.

By: Joe	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, October 30, 2010
I went out to hike the Overall Run trail this past weekend and the gate described in earlier post is definately still there. The property owner has constructed a barbed wire topped heavy duty fence with signs threatening he would shoot trespassers. If you plan to hike this trail you probably should have an alternate plan or bring a medic.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The gate at Thompson Hollow is now open !!!! I hiked in from Rte 340 and met someone who told me it was, so I hiked out to the gate myself. It is Open and there are No, No Trespassing signs either. I parked near the corner of Rte 340 and Rte 628 , I followed the blue blazed Tuscarora trail into the park. The trail goes under an old train tresel that has an old cobblestone road running under the RR tracks . I followed the Tuscarora trail until it joined the Overall run trail. I followed that trail to the pools, then followed Overall run stream upward. My intention was to get to the base of the falls a few miles up stream but I ran out of time. I watched a young bear digging for several minutes. The colors are beautiful I would say the leaves are at their peak

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, August 08, 2010
We tried to do this hike today, but it was not accessible. The cable gait has been replaced by a forbidding large metal gate with signs plastered all over it that say "No Trespassing" and "Beware of the Dog". We were afraid to try to go around it in the brush, so we went elsewhere to hike. The rangers at the Dickey Ridge Visitors center were unaware of this change, which looks fairly recent. They also said that the waterfalls was totally dry anyway, so we didn't really miss much. I think this hike should be taken off the list until the access issue is resolved.

By: David R	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, August 08, 2010
BOUNDARY ENTRANCE CLOSED BY PROPERTY OWNER - TRAILHEAD IS ONLY ACCESSIBLE VIA SKYLINE Vicious incline on this circuit. Not much payoff in scenery. Great workout. Sparsely occupied. The boundary entrance has been closed by the private property owner only way in is by Skyline, where the hiker must take the decline first no matter which direction chosen.

By: Sarah	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, May 23, 2010
This is a beautiful hike with a great deal of variety in fauna and views. The hike itself is not very difficult, although parts of the trail do become rather steep.... however, this hike is definitely a "4" in difficulty due to its length and the amount of rocks that are in the trail (be sure to wear very sturdy shoes). In terms of seclusion, we were alone for the majority of the hike, except for around the falls. The only part that surprised me was the amount of trash that was found along some parts of the trails (especially around the falls), but I guess that's to be expected at any heavily-traveled trail. Although it was a busy Saturday, we seemed to be very much alone on some parts, which was really great. Take the hiking upward directions. Also, be certain to check for ticks as parts are heavily grown with mountain laurel

By: Pete	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, April 24, 2010
I hiked this hike with my dog last Saturday. The hike started off very nicely, as it was a cool, lightly rainy morning. The hike up to the falls were fine, and the falls were absolutely beautiful. It was after the falls that I have the issue. First of all the blue blazed trail continues well past the falls. I literally went a mile and a half past where I was supposed to go before I realized the mistake. Then, once I got on the Mathews Arm trail the real problems started beginning. I was looking at my dog and noticed what appeared to be broken leaves on his back except they were moving. It turned out they were ticks, and a lot of them. I got them off but it seemed like every time I stopped to get my bearings more jumped on. Once I got on the Beecher ridge trail, the trail became very run down and in some places unclear, with bushes virtually overrunning it. Several times I thought I was sure I was going the wrong way. Finally, I got to the bottom, and the swimming holes with the adjacent falls were very nice. In the end I picked 17 ticks off of my dog after the hike, another 20 or so once we got home, and after he got a thorough flea bath, andother 5. Don't hike this hike with your dog unless you have adequate tick protection!

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Monday, April 05, 2010
Great but the foliage is missing from last summer when we swam in the little falls there! I almost didn't recognize the area! I will be back in July or August to go swimming again!!

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, March 28, 2010
I had previously done this hike in the late fall when the leaves were off the trees and the stream crossings were virtually non-existent. Yesterday, we got to the trail head about 9am happy to see the cool and overcast weather was our only company. We hiked the 8.5 mile circuit as listed on this page. We had intentionally taken some shoes to pop on for the creek crossings (very cold but very refreshing water). The jaunt up Matthew's Arm is always one of my favorite parts because I know the rewarding view from the top. We stopped at the falls overlook for some snacks and then made our way on Beecher Ridge (along with several white tail deer) back down to the Overall Run Connector. The last "single" stream crossing was trickier as the high water made it into more of a three smaller stream crossing. Hike was very enjoyable and would have been 5 stars but there was much visible trash on the Thompson Hollow Trail. Next time I go, I'll be hiking with a trash bag to try to tidy this up.

By: DonnieV	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, March 20, 2010
We hiked up to the waterfall via the blue blazed trial (not the ridge trail) and then hiked back out the same way we went in. The parking lot was small and full at 1030, however we only saw 4 other groups of two at various points on the trail. Crossing overall run was interesting, as we had to walk upstream to find a good place to cross or we could have gotten wet and walked right threw it. The difficulty rating of the hike was accurate as the ascent to the top of the ridge had short and steep switchbacks. The view from the top was awesome and the waterfall did not disappoint. Now is the best time to see this from the bottom because once the leaves show up on the trees it will hide the waterfall a bit.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, February 20, 2010
http://hiking.meetup.com/162/calendar/12609159/ On Jan 10 16 of us hiked this in 3.5 hours. There was snow, but nothing compared to today. Today 2 had snowshoes & 2 hiking shoes or boots. We have all hiked Overall Run with difficult group b4. Today took us 6.5 hours. It was a challenge to the waterfalls. We were the first since the huge blizzards to continue the loop clockwise which was a challenge multiplied by 4. Snowshoes were definitely advantageous. Those hikers could have finished 45 minutes earlier -- still a long hike mind you. Those of us w/o snowshoes were beyond exhaustion upon our return. BUT WOW did we feel like we conquered the world!!

By: Ann Beale	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, February 14, 2010
Did the hike today. Beautiful sunny blue skies. Lots of snow. Frozen waterfalls. Snowshoes and Microspikes!!! It was great.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, January 10, 2010
http://hiking.meetup.com/162/calendar/12167406/ 16 hikers had a fabulous time checking out the frozen waterfalls & completing their hike in 3.5 hours. A couple even went down to check out the swimming hole, but none were brave enough in the 20 degree January weather. Then off to Soul Mountain Restaurant in Front Royal. Super day!!

By: Al	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, November 15, 2009
My wife and i took advantage of an unusually warm November day and dragged our dogs along to this great hike. We followed the directions given above and do agree with the four star difficulty rating. We're average weekend hikers in decent shape and the switchback climb between mile two and three was definitely strenuous. We stopped a few times during the climb to catch our breath, but made it to the top without too much difficulty. The views were amazing and there was a layer of fog covering the valley that made it even more incredible. The week before we went there was heavy rain in the area and the "run" crossings were troublesome. We got pretty wet. The first two crossings were the hardest and the deepest without any obvious dry paths across. The crossings at the top and on the way down were significantly easier, but waterproof shoes are a must if there's been recent rain. Though we didn't take a true lunch break, we stopped to take a few pictures and have some water along the way and finished in just over 4 hours. Obviously there was very little foliage (none) and no wildlife to speak of, so we're looking forward to coming back next year. The swimming hole looked nice also for a warmer day.

By: Jeff	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, September 26, 2009
The forecast was for a chance of rain, and it didn't look good when we set out in the morning but we went anyway. It was well worth the trip, and despite the rain, it was a wonderful hike. The views coming down towards the end are wonderful, with plenty of bonuses just off the trail. The 4 rating for difficulty may be a bit exaggerated, but it was an excellent hike, well worth it in any weather.

By: Arnie	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, August 15, 2009
This was a very nice circuit hike, one that I will probably do again with friends. One point of correction for the directions given above. Early in the hike, when reaching the intersection of the blue-blazed Overall Run/Tuscarora Trail, the directions say to turn left and uphill. The correction is that the trail does not go uphill. In fact, from the intersection, the Overall Run/Tuscarora Trail goes downward both to the left and the right. When taking the trail to the left, it goes gently downward for a while and then proceeds with slight up and down pitches for a pretty good distance (until after the second crossing of Overall Run). The trail was dry and Overall Run was barely flowing. The climb to the falls was a pretty good workout, but at least it wasn't terribly long. The view of the falls and the mountains in the distance was beautiful, and there were plenty of people sitting at the top of the falls enjoying the view. Matthews Arm trail is pretty flat and is very fast walking. The descent on Beecher Ridge Trail was one of the nicest parts of the hike. The downward slope was consistent and not too steep for the knees, and the quality of the trail was excellent until it reached the Beecher Ridge/Overall Run connector trail. The woods along the Beecher Ridge Trail are fairly open and rays of sunlight were coming through the trees, giving a very nice effect. The Beecher Ridge/Overall Run connector trail needs to have the vegetation cut back so that you can walk without your legs constantly brushing the bushes along the trail. The swimming hole near the end looked inviting, and there were about a dozen people enjoying the water. Overall time for the hike was 3 hr. 50 min. with about a 40 minute lunch break at the falls.

By: Sharon	Rating:	Date of Hike: Thursday, August 13, 2009
On June 23rd the water was much higher and the trail was more enjoyable. The water was VERY low this time in August. Not much waterfall to look at, and no water to maneuver your way across. We also saw a Timber Rattlesnake that we watched very closely as it crossed the trail right in front of us so be careful.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, July 12, 2009
Very decent hike. We started on a gravel road and initally were worried that this hike might not be good due to its close proximity to a neighborhood but 5 minutes on the trail and you feel like you are in a very isolated spot. The first few miles were a little wet but easily avoided by walking on the side of the trail. The main climb was steep and was a bit of a challenge but the views were great once you get to the waterfall. On the second smaller waterfall, we hiked down under the falls and the water was very refreshing. A hiker coming the opposite direction told us about a bear sighting but it was long gone by the time we got there. A nice amount of wild blueberries and raspberries on the trail. The back end was a little monotonous but all together a very enjoyable hike. Would do again and probably would enjoy the swimming hole about a mile and a half from the end.

By: The Lynch's	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, July 11, 2009
My wife and I enjoyed the first half of the hike up to the campsite and waterfall. The view is amazing! The waterfall was just a small stream and the creeks on the way up to the waterfall were bone dry, easy to cross but we would have enjoyed them. I am surprised that they dried up this quickly. I believe the last review in June said it was flowing at full capacity. The second have of the hike around the ridge back to the parking lot tested us. It was beautiful though. We enjoyed the deep forest, meadows, and woods. Toward the end of the trip we started to discuss our disappointment with the lack of wildlife, we had only seen a small frog and we were pretty sure we heard a bear. About ten minutes later wee did see a bear. Being new to hiking this was my biggest fears. Fortunately, it was 50 yards up on a hill and saw us first he looked then took off running. We keep walking making noise.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, June 28, 2009
This hike was a tune-up for the soul. It's true about the mud in the beginning of the run, but you can avoid that easily by walking on the edges of the trail. Anyone who complains about mud and bugs on the trail probably shouldn't be hiking. Ever. Bugs are an inevitable encounter in the forest prepare yourself appropriately! Anyhoo, the views were fantastic! We stopped to see Big Falls, which, coming from Alaska, weren't so big, but a decent size for the Blue Hills. The falls sure beats the concrete mess that is the DC metro area! Also, it was at Big Falls that a friend and I were no more than a stone's throw from a German shephard-sized black bear! Yow! It was plodding along uphill from us, and I am sure that with its excellent sense of smell, knew we were there. We turned and calmly walked away, talking but not shouting and not making eye contact. We let others on the trail know that it was around the area just as a courtesy. Black bears can run 35 mph (they're everywhere in the villages in Alaska but I've never been that close), especially downhill, and are territorial. For what it's worth, startling a bear is what leads to them charging. Bring a bell or just talk to make your presence known to the wildlife. With a black bear, play dead--they run fast and can climb trees better than any of us. As long as you make your presence known and keep your distance, you'll be ok. Do NOT stop to photograph. Bring plenty of water and snacks holy mama was that a trek, and I loved every bit of it!! I can't wait to go back.

By: Mary Clare	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, June 27, 2009
A friend from college and I went on this hike and had a fantastic time. We got to the parking area around 8:30 and were the only 2 cars in the lot. We started up the very muddy trail and we both have a quick pace so we made great time. When the switchbacking started, however, we definitely slowed down a bit and stopped every little bit to take a breather--it's pretty steep (although I probably shouldn't have done a heavy workout yesterday). When we reached the overlook, the view was beyond worth it. It was absolutely stunning, especially because of today's very low humidity and wonderful breeze. We decided to stop and eat lunch at the overlook and saw other hikers for the first time. There were a few couples and a few small groups, but not a large crowd by any means. We loved the view, sounds of the falls, and gentle breeze so much, we stayed up there for about an hour and half! About 15 minutes after starting back on the trail, we definitely heard a bear. We just carried on though and never actually saw it. The trek downhill is rough on the feet. It's rocky and fairly steep in some places having a good, sturdy pair of hiking boots with ankle support is your best bet. We saw about 4-5 other hikers as we made our way down. We then scoped out the swimming hole, but there seemed to be quite a few people down there already so we decided just to head back to the parking area, which had about 12-14 cars in it at this point! Even after stopping at the overlooks for about an hour and a half and taking a few other short breaks, we were back at the car around 2. The views and waterfalls were stunning and added diversity to the trip. The trails were well marked and the directions provided here are right on and wonderfully detailed. Get their early and you'll enjoy solitude, a tricky but not overly challenging climb to the overlooks, and a great time! Here's a link to my album if you'd like to see some pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/mcbktracy/OverallRun#

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, June 14, 2009
wear your boots first half mile very muddy. we walked the first mile and took a left uphill this side has the rougher rockier path also a great overlook. on up and around the smaller falls and then back down is a really smooth path all the way back down. we missed the swimming pools altogether. they are straight ahead where the spur intercects the loop. we saw an adults barefoot tracks from the one mile long trail all the way back out. i just couldnt believe it ,somebody has some really tough feet. its a good trail we give it a three on difficulty cause we have waterproof boots. our favorite is signal knob from little powells fort.

By: Steven and Lorna	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, June 14, 2009
I agree with the previous reviewer, hiking boots are a must. While I had good hiking boots, my girlfriend did not and suffered the consequences. It was very difficult for her to navigate through the mud at the beginning and cross the streams without getting soaked. Overall it was a fairly nice hike, although the overlooks are the only really good scenes. The waterfalls are ok, but don't really compare to some of the ones I'm used to seeing in South Carolina. While we put on bug spray and didn't have too much of an issue with ticks, our dog came home covered in them. We spent the better part of last night picking them off, and I'm still finding some today.

By: Molly	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, June 13, 2009
I didn't have a great time on this hike, but I don't think it was the trail's fault. The first part of the trail was very muddy, after all the rain we've had. Also, it was muggy and BUGGY! Gnats, mosquitos, and ticks! Oh my! The back section of this hike was pretty overgrown, and I was sure I'd breakout in poison ivy before I got home. Fourtunately, nothing ever developped. I'd recommend doing this hike earlier in the spring to make it more enjoyable.

By: Fred Royer	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, April 25, 2009
It's a cute little hike, nothing too strenous. However, there were TICKS everywhere. I must have slapped off 15 ticks from my legs and arms. What the heck is going on out there?

By: Chasey Cache	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, April 05, 2009
This hike has been on our to-do list for a couple of years. We decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather (70, sunny) and try it. There was plenty of water in the stream and flowing at a good rate. That added a touch of adventure because there were five or six places where the stream went through the trail and we had to figure out how to get across without getting wet. As we approached our first water challenge, we noticed a couple in front of us had chosen take off their boots to ford the stream. That did not really appeal to us so we looked around and found a log which had fallen over the stream. We looked at each other and wondered if our 50-something bodies had the balance to walk across the log. As we pondered, the more adventurous one in our group started across the log and made it! The more technical one in our group found a sturdy stick and used it to balance on while walking across the log. Then it was my turn. Placing the stick in the water for extra balance made it a lot easier to side step across the log. We found that the technique worked on all our water crossings. After hiking for an hour, we stopped by the stream and ate our sandwiches. When we continued on, the trail got quite steep and a couple of us thought we should had waited until we reached the top to have lunch. Well, even though it was close, no one lost their lunch on the hike up the mountain. Whew, it was great to reach the top to see the falls. Beautiful!! After pausing for some picture taking, we continued on. We were relieved that the trail headed down instead of up! We never saw any bear as we treked along the ridge. With a mile to go, we were all looking forward to getting to the car . We reached the car at 4:00pm. Not bad because we stopped for lunch (15 minutes) and had to wait a few times for a straggler. All in all, this was an awesome hike. I can see why it's rated 4 for difficulty. Hiking up the mountain and negotiating the rocks and stream crossings makes it a great challenge. We all loved it!

By: Chasey Cache	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, April 05, 2009
Just an addendum to my previous review: We started out on the hike at 11:30 am. and with returning to the car at 4 pm, it took us 4 1/2 hours. I guess we didn't linger at the falls like some people do. Also, my GPS put the hike at 8.51 miles exactly!

By: WyEast	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, January 10, 2009
I had done this hike in the late summer so we tried it again today. It was a great winter hike! The day called for wintry mix so we had the trail all to ourselves (no other cars when we got there or when we left and not a soul on the trail). Luckily, we made it the first 5 miles or so before it started sleeting, which later turned to a fairly heavy rain. The hike was a great winter hike - the falls is spectacular because of all of the icicles and there were some cool frozen features along the trail. The cold made the stream crossings more difficult because some good rocks were iced over, but we had gore-tex boots and managed pretty well, with only a few minor slips.

By: L & J	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, November 02, 2008
We chose to hike this after seeing it in the Washingtonian and we were extremely impressed with the views on the way up, while up there and definitely on the way back down. The water flow was almost to a trickle in the falls and much of the creek beds were dry, but one was somewhat filled and made for some good pix. We started on Thompson Hollow Trail, parking in the gravel lot and walking in. We walked to the falls and then doubled back. We took an 8 year old with us and we made it with up there and back with no whining from him... rather he was just as impressed as us with the views of the mountains, valley and falls. A definite must see! We can't wait until spring to go back when there's more water to see!

By: Whitey	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, October 11, 2008
3 stars only because it was bone-dry and there was only a trickle this time of year at the waterfall. I would reccomend the hike with the steep ascent first as outlined on HikingUpward. We got started at 8:30am and were the first car. I bet this would be a completely different hike in the Spring with the water coming down. Ankle support needed because the creekbed is the trail part of the way (or something alongside). Fun hike, good view. http://picasaweb.google.com/matt.c.white/2008_10_11OverallRunHike#

By: ricenpeas	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, October 11, 2008
A very nice hike, just so many people! The weather was perfect and this is the northern section of the Shenandoah, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, eh? Still, the mobs at the overlook/waterfall were a bit maddening so we didn't linger long, but it was still a great day to be in the woods. The climb up Matthew's Arm is quiet steep and sustained, exactly the butt kicker we were looking for. The overlook is grand, and as someone else said, another couple weeks and the autumn colors will be peaking! And we had perfect hiking weather, sunny, low 70s with a light breeze. Loved it. All directions found here were accurate, as we didn't have any trouble navigating the creek sections with few trail blazes (just stop and put your head up BEFORE it looks like you're about to veer off what you definitely consider the trail!) I would give this 4 stars, but the crowds keep it at 3 stars. During the week or in less ideal weather conditions when the trail is quieter, this could easily be a 4 star hike.

By: Zach	Rating:	Date of Hike: Friday, August 22, 2008
A nice day hike or easy overnighter - we had a very relaxed two-day adventure and camped at the campsite (lovely, slight incline though). Wonderful views from the overlook, although the waterfall and the stream were almost completely dry. Saw two bears ambling through the brush, but as far as I can tell, no nocturnal visitors. One thing to keep in mind - the middle section of the trail, around the peak elevations, is not very well explained on this trail guide, and there are a few unlisted markers and confusing junctions.

By: Ryan	Rating:	Date of Hike: Friday, August 01, 2008
This was a nice hike over several different types of terrain. Real rocky in spots and a long descent toward the end that's tough on the shins are the only real negatives. It was in the 90s today and humid, but plenty of shade for most the hike cooled things off considerably. Also, a couple of great swimming holes at the end made for a great reward. While up on the ridge I had two instances where I ran across a bear cub - first time I'd seen one out on a trail. I think I heard several more bears later in the hike, but by then I was a little nervous and making quite a bit of noise, so no more sightings. The wildlife, variety of terrain, and some nice views at the top of the ridge made for a real nice hike.

By: Jim	Rating:	Date of Hike: Friday, July 25, 2008
Overall, this is an enjoyable hike. It was a hot day, and we started out from the Thompson Hollow Rd. parking area around 11:15 a.m. Despite the abundant shade, it was still pretty hot throughout the hike. Very little water flowing this time of year. An earlier start might have helped, but the timing worked well for lunch an hour and a half or two into the hike at the falls overlook. The climb to the falls is VERY steep, but the view is worth the effort. The trail continues to be fairly steep heading up from the falls, but as you near Matthews Arm Trail, things flatten out. The descent is much more gradual and enjoyable. We completed the hike in four hours, with about 30 minutes for lunch. Periodic bear scat sightings, but saw no bears. Spotted several scarlet tanagers--beautiful birds. Only 5 other people on the trail, and 4 of them had hiked down from the Matthews Arm Campground. We ran into two of our fellow hikers (who identified the tanagers for us) again at the nearby Chester Gap Cellars winery, which, along with the nearby Rappahannock Cellars, we highly recommend. Both off of 522 on the other side of Front Royal from the hike.

By: sarah	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, July 19, 2008
Overall, a nice hike! This was a good choice for a hot day as there were significant shady portions. We started at Thompson Hollow, hiked up the short but challenging switchbacks to the "falls" (more like strong trickles in late July, but quite pretty), a great view of the massanuttens, and then crossed Matthews arm to return to a long descent back to car, with a lovely stop at a couple water holes just off the trail. Although most of the trail was very dry (no water in overall run) there was enough in the swimming holes for a nice dip. The trail itself was fairly well maintained, but be on the lookout for poison ivy and ticks. We saw lots and lots of bear scat but no bears, although a few other hikers did and we enjoyed wild blueberries and raspberries. We did the hike in 5 hours, with a couple water /snack breaks, a lunch break, and some swimming time.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, June 15, 2008
Perfect day for a hike with 14 +1 hikers from 2 meetup.com groups $3 Charity Hikes http://hiking.meetup.com/446/ and No Va Hikers http://hiking.meetup.com/162/ . We had maps and were so careful to check the directions and your wonderful pictures of the trail often. It wasn't until the end we realized we had done the loup the opposite way. We laughed and then jumped (read that as slipped) in the swimming hole at the end. Wonderful adventure. The Apple House just before I-66 on the way back is an option for eating. Food is only "OK"; but we didn't want to spend time hunting down a place.

By: Brandon F.	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, April 06, 2008
Well after the rain stopped, out I emerged from my car into a water wonderland! It's a shame it wasn't a warm day, or else I would've jumped into the water countless times. Really not much else to say, it was great.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, March 29, 2008
Two good discoveries in one day -- this Web site and its wealth of free content, and the Overall Run hike that I decided to trek after reading about it here early this morning. Pros: 1) That it's a loop hike of moderate length and elevation change -- I strongly prefer the variety of loops to up-and-back trails, and this hike was long enough and challenging enough to provide decent exercise. 2) Proximity to Arlington -- 1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending on how heavy traffic is on 66. Far enough outside the beltway without taking half a day to reach. 3) After a relatively flat beginning, which is nice to have to warm up, the ascent was an invigorating reminder that I was at the foot of the Shenandoah's. 4) After a half dozen or so switchbacks, you come to the falls overlook -- a pleasant reward. Unlike some views, this won't be obstructed by summer vegetation. 5) I encountered 5 or 6 couples, none loud. Considering that it was a near perfect 50 degrees and mostly sunny, I was pleased. Oddly, they were all going in the opposite direction, clockwise as opposed to the counterclockwise direction described in the site description. I recommend the counterclockwise route because I prefer my ascents to be shorter (and steeper) than my descents. 6) The trail was well maintained. It looked as if PATC volunteers or boy scouts or somebody had recently bolstered runoff channels. Except for the beginning of the yellow trail (mentioned in the description), the blazes are frequent and easy to follow. 7) Last, but certainly not least, my lab and I both enjoyed the company of the stream for the first quarter and last quarter of the hike. I definitely intend to comeback when it's warmer to partake of the swimming hole near the end. Con: The only one that comes to mind is because of all the positive qualities this trail has going for it, I imagine that its very popular during the warmer months.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, February 10, 2008
Hiked this on a glorious (read: mildly depressing global warming day) in Feb. High of 60 and clear. This is one of my new favorite places on earth, and so close to DC. Trail is not always crystal clear, but leafy winter was likely the issue. Ascent is great until last mile. No one here mentions this, and maybe we're just out of shape (don't think so), but this was one tough mile or so. Keep something in the tank. We saw some folks eating lunch before this vertical jaunt, and I was feeling bad for them. View of main falls nice, but IMO pales in comparison to the creek and many swimming holes along the way toward the end (about :30 before trail ends). Look for them. Save lunch and camera battery. I would DEFINITELY not wait for summer to do this hike. Do it after a big rain fall. The water is a terrific peaceful respite from the city and a great price at the near-end of a nice walk.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Two of us did this hike on December 19th. There had been an ice storm early in the week and many trees were down across the Thompson Hollow and Overall Run trails at lower elevations. Higher up, most trees were still ice covered which made for a beautiful hike. Strangely enough, the footing was good on ice covered deeply packed leaves. Aside from the fallen trees, the trails were all in excellent shape. I would rate this hike only a 3 in terms of difficulty. The steep parts come early (up to 25% grade), but after reaching the falls overlook, the hike is almost entirely flat or downhill. The steep section is only a little over a mile long. Views near the top were great and the icy falls were beautiful. My GPS edited tracklog recorded 8.6 miles including the short trip to the swimming hole. I measured the total ascent to be about 2100 feet. Photos and profile at: http://arthurhass.fotopic.net/p47333842.html

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, November 03, 2007
Great day hike. I have hiked at least 60% of the trails in the SNP, and this one is right up there with the best of them for a day hike. Perfect day, highs in the mid-60s, not a cloud in the sky, and unlimited visibility from the top - we could see all the way to the Alleganies. Didn't see any bears, but probably because my friend and I were talking the entire time. There were quite a few more people than I would have imagined, particularly up at the overlook, but it was all good. I'd recommend wearing some good boots for this one - fairly rocky coming down the hill. I wore sneakers, which is unusual for me, and didn't have a problem, but it was not the safest thing for my ankles and my toes were a little sore. This loop now has a permanent place in my list of places to go for a good day hike on the Blue Ridge.

By: Aaron Bagby	Rating:	Date of Hike: Monday, October 22, 2007
I just got back from backpacking on the Overall Run / Beecher Mountain Trails and had a great time. Most of the Overall Run was dried up due to the recent weather but that didn't dampen the natural beauty of this area. The trails are fairly diverse, starting in peaceful meadows followed by steep ascents up ridgelines. Certain areas can be challenging with a backpack and loose rocks can be treacherous so good physical condition and proper shoes with ankle support are definitely an asset. The overlooks at the top of Overall Run are breathtaking and worth the effort. I'd also suggest visiting the swimming holes by the main trailhead, as they are perfect after a long hike. As for camping here - be warned. I didn't see any bears during the daytime but had a few "visitors" at night and they are by no means skiddish when the sun is down. One actually came right up to the tent sniffing around for food. If you do camp, it is absolutely crucial that you cook and store your food away from your campsite - I cannot stress this enough. I also recommend carrying a small air horn, as that usually does the trick. Black bears are generally not known to be aggressive but are curious by nature and not shy about finding a food source. Please keep this in mind if you are planning an overnight stay.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Thursday, September 06, 2007
After reviewing the different hikes on hikingupward.com I choose this as my next hike. It was a good choice. I printed the directions for the trail and also downloaded the GARMIN GPS into my "Garmin Etrex Vista Cx". I must say that they both where excellent. I use the paper version from time to time, but I mainly relied on the GPS device. It worked great but I did lose reception sometime. I loved the hike. It was alot of work. Alot of rocks. Lucky I had the right shoes. On a thursday in the middle of the day there was no one on the trail. I think the bears knew that because they where every. This is the first time that I actually saw a live bear on a trail. He saw me and ran to the top of the ridge. I slowly walk by heart pounding. About another mile I saw a bear and a cub down by what probably should be a stream, but today it was all rock. They didn't run they just went about there business. I saw at least seven more bears on the trail. Pros: scenery, the hike it self. solitude and the bears. Cons: Mosquitoes. Never got bitten, but they followed me through the entire hike (in my ear) and the streams where all dried out. Overall highly recommended.

By:	Rating:	Date of Hike: Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Nice day, we climbed up a steap ascent about 45 minutes from the beginning of the hike which was challenging. Probably one of the harder ones I've done as of yet. The streams were mostly dried up all over the hike, but we did notice the nice waterholes at the end of the hike which are great for jumping in when you done with the hike. I did see a very large black bear about 10 minutes into the yellow blaze. He was huge. We just kept walking and he went in his own direction. Probably about 100 yards away from us. Totally amazing to see the bear. Good hike. Its long and bring lots of water. -Liam

By: hiker mom	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, August 05, 2007
My girlfriends and I picked this hike on a hot & muggy day hoping for some relief in the cool Shenandoah woods - no such luck this time! I'm sure this is a lovely trail when the weather is somewhere near normal but the stream crossings along the Overall Run Trail were completely dry and the falls were merely a trickle. After lunch at "overlook" with a hazy view of Massanutten Mt, we headed down back down in a light rain via the Beecher Ridge Trail hoping to salvage the day with a bear sighting. We were grateful to find some water in the swimming holes on the lower part of Overall Run where we soaked our feet while little fish nibbled our toes. Our reward for the day was seeing a large bear high up in a tree along the Thompson Hollow Trail. I'll do it again when the water returns. The trail directions were great - thanks for posting a great loop hike for Overall Run!

By: Boo Boo Bear	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, July 08, 2007
Great hike! Despite the high temperatures in DC (97F) this hike was pleasant with shade most of the hike and cool mountain breezes at higher elevations. Fantastic views. Saw one black bear, another hiker claimed to have seen two black bears in a different area. Fairly fresh bear scat was seen on the trail in several places. One hiker on the trail warned of thick poison ivy growth. We didn't have any problems, but hikers may wish to think about wearing protection.

By: Kris	Rating:	Date of Hike: Monday, July 02, 2007
Absolutely fabulous hike!! This was the perfect 10!! I decided to do the hike counter clockwise to avoid some rowdy people playing upstream along Overall Run. I wanted to savor the solitude as long as possible. Well worth it! The ascent up Beecher Ridge is long and steady, but a nice workout and not overly taxing. I met one other hiker heading down the trail about 3/4 of the way up. The ascent took a good solid hour and a half. The hiker warned me of a large bear in the area and I soon came upon fresh bear scat. No bear. I stopped for lunch at the intersection with the Matthews Arm/ Tuscorora Trail. Saw a youth trail maintainence group heading up the mountain. Nice guys. The first falls were pretty, and I got some nice pics at the bottom and freshened up in the water. I continued on to the main falls overlook and hung out there, not wanting to leave. Just beautiful!! The day was perfect; low to mid eighties, dry, and not a cloud in the sky. There were some nice vista descending Matthews Arm, and I am glad I did the route the way I did. I finally got my bear sighting along the trail near the Overall Run. I was able to stay still and watch while he fed for about 15 minutes. The end of the hike, I headed back on the trail to the swimming hole I had passed early in the hike. This swimming hole is awesome!! I had brought spare pants and a towel, so in I went. The first hole is about 6+ feet deep! the other holes were pretty deep as well. Just gorgeous!! This will be a repeat in the future for sure!

By: Scott	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, May 26, 2007
This is my first hike to overall run. I took a friend along for the motivation. it was a warm saturday. we were at trailhead at 10:45am... nice road to start then the trail begins.. after some up and downs we came across the first fall.. very nice with a swimming hole.. looked refreshing... then we continued on.. Beechers ridge was a bear. no pun intended. with its continious climb and really no spots to stop I was tired as we got to the top to make the turn toward the big falls... the 93 footer was nice... water was flowing good despite the dry conditions.. trail was not crowded.. everyone was at the falls hanging out.. as we descended we came across 3 young local teen boys.. they were looking for a fishing hole. they followed us down and we talked with them.. I had a feeling they wanted something.. when we got to the parking lot, one boy asked shly, mr., could we have a ride to our house.. I laughed and said sure.. mile down road in red house was there destination.. so close to so much beauty. I don't thnk they realized what they have.. good trip.. a little warm though...

By: Heather	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, May 06, 2007
Really beautiful, challenging hike. The wildflowers are spectacular, and views are wonderful. The long downhill gets rather tedious, and because much of it is rocks covered in dried leaves, it's easy to twist an ankle. (I did...) The directions are crystal clear, and all paths are well marked/blazed. I have a feeling the hike is more than 9.1 miles. Some of the sections seemed quite a bit longer than the directions stated.

By: Michelle	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, May 05, 2007
This was a beautiful trail with lots of wildflowers just beginning to bloom this time of year. It was strenuous but absolutely worth the effort. There were portions that felt longer than the stated distances between landmarks, but I wasn't using GPS to know for sure. There are many creek crossings, so be prepared to get your feet wet if you don't have waterproof boots. The watering hole looks like a nice, cool place to take a break. Watch for ticks out there. Views are fantastic.

By: Dean Simmons	Rating:	Date of Hike: Sunday, February 20, 2005
Hiked this with 4 fellow NVHC hikers on a cold, mostly cloudy day. We went in from Thompson Hollow then took Overall, the Connector, Heiskell Hollow, Weddlewood, and Mathews Arm to get to Tuscarora. The two upper falls were spectacularly iced up, and spread over an area much larger than the normal stream flow. Several ice climbers were working on the Big Fall (93'). (These were the only people we saw all day.) The views down Overall Gorge and across to Massanutten were awesome. This is a great hike with many options thanks to the dense trail network near Mathews Arm and Elkwallow.

By: MRHyker	Rating:	Date of Hike: Saturday, June 19, 2004
Actually hiked this one 2X and both were a little different than described here. We opted to come in from the bottom on Thompson Hollow Trail. This makes the 9.5 mile hike here-in described a 7.2 mile hike with less out and back to it. That's the way we did it in February. We had 5 inches of snow on the ground and swollen streams so we did this shorter option. When we came back in June we came in the same way but substituted the Beecher Ridge Trail with a combination of Matthew's Arm Tr, Weedlewood Tr and the Heiskell Hollow Tr to extend the hike to 8.6 miles. In both cases the hardest part was getting up to the falls from the valley below them. Of course, slushy snow really slows one down. I highly recommend this hike but think it's best done after ice out when the highest falls in the park (90 feet) is at its best. This might leave the swimming holes down below a tad too nippy to enjoy and the multiple stream crossings a challenge but I think the outing will be much more memorable.

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