Three Magical Days in Shenandoah

Middle School Students explored Dark Hollow Falls, among many other adventures, on a 3-Day outing to Shenandoah National Park.

On July 28th, 2026, 7 middle school students and 3 trip leaders loaded up in the Wilderness Kids van, and the GPS was set towards Shenandoah National Park. With a whole 3 days and 2 nights set aside for this trip, there was no time wasted in getting the fun and adventure started. We arrived later that morning at the White Oak Canyon Area, where we meticulously pieced together our deli sandwiches, packed extra snacks, and lathered on the good ol’ sunscreen and bug spray in preparation for our hike. With swimming and hiking as a main focus of the trip, Cedar Run Trail served as the perfect kickstart to this Wilderness Kids outing. 

Traveling along Cedar Run Trail, the students were simultaneously intrigued and skeptical about the much-anticipated swimming hole that lay ahead. As we marched up and down, over rocks and around vegetation, there were no signs of water to pair with the signage about brook trout fishing in Cedar Run. Over a mile past the trailhead, we finally heard the promising rumble of water ahead. We spent much of our afternoon at the lower falls, sliding down a small natural rockslide, admiring the butterflies, and finally eating our sandwiches. 

Left: Nyla at Cedar Run lower falls. Right:Andrew found the perfect lunch spot at the falls!

As the sun continued to move westward, it came time for us to pack up, hike out, and head to Big Meadows Campground. Upon arrival, the students were quick to laugh at our campsite number “167” – if you know, you know. :-) We set up our tents in a cozy circle upon lush green grass. Up in the mountains, the group was surprised by how much cooler the weather was compared to the hike, and especially compared to back home in Alexandria. Despite the cooler temperatures, in true summertime fashion, a storm made a swift entrance across the campground, completely soaking our campsite and our cooks who were busy cheffing away at a creamy tomato pasta. Big shoutout to Geni, Nyla, and Shea for powering through the rough weather and filling our bellies with yummy pasta!

Life in Camp, Left to Right: Our fabulous cooks before the rainstorm; Ivan and Andrew enjoying free time in the tent circle; In front of our Van, we all “loved” Andrew’s songs on the recorder! 

Andrew, Ivan, and Gibran eager to get the go-ahead to splash into Rose River Falls.

Heading into Day 2, we had another itinerary filled with hiking, swimming, and more sandwiches! Just as Cedar Run Trail had shown the students that challenging adventures can be rewarding, we were ready for the next challenge of Dark Hollow Falls and Rose River Falls trail. This trail system is truly a “choose your own adventure” hike, with several trailheads, out-and-backs, and loops within loops. If this hike ends up on your Shenandoah itinerary, we recommend planning ahead and mapping out your day. The rocks, vegetation, and ups and downs leveled up from the day before, challenging the students both mentally and physically. With plenty of snack breaks, photo ops, and casual chit-chat, we first passed by Dark Hollow Falls, and then 2 miles later we met Rose River Falls. With the latter being a well-known swimming and rock-jumping spot, we slipped into our water shoes and wasted no time before plunging into the chilly water. 

Gabi and Alice lying in Big Meadows watching the sunset.

Eventually, it was time to say good-bye to Rose River Falls, and we headed out of the trail system. Back at the campground, the students had some much-needed free time before helping prepare dinner as a collective group. On the menu was fire-roasted hot dogs, baked beans, and cheesy broccoli. Dinner was a big hit amongst the group, and wrapped up beautifully with nothing better than… s’mores! With this being our second and final night in Big Meadows, we headed out of the campground to Shenandoah’s true Big Meadow, where we watched the sun fall over the horizon and the moon rise opposite it. 

Alas, our final morning in Shenandoah National Park rolled around. We began the day by leisurely crawling from the tents to gather for a pancake breakfast. Soon after, as everyone worked together to breakdown camp and repack the van, the students also explored the “bear box.” They figured out that, yes, the box can (thankfully) be opened from the inside. 

Bear box shenanigans!

To conclude our time at Big Meadows Campground, we stopped at the picnic area to journal, play uno, throw and kick around sports balls, make friendship bracelets, and have our final meal together. The students also had the opportunity to use their senses in a “Meet a Tree” activity. While we wished we could stay just one more day, it was time to head back to Alexandria. See ya later Shenandoah!

Left to Right: This game of uno had first, second, and third place winners! Geni embracing her tree during the “tree huggers” activity. Gibran noted that the big gap in the tree helped him guess which tree he “hugged” first try.