Overall Falls and Thunderbird

General

When conditions are right, these two waterfalls offer the perfect ice climbing experience and setting. They are within the Shenandoah National Park boundaries and are several hours drive from the DC Metro Area,

At 90 feet tall, Overall Falls is the highest waterfall in Shenandoah National Park, and it offers top-ropeable vertical WI 3+ and 4 lines on either side of the flowing water.

The nearby Thunderbird falls offers more mellow leadable WI 2+ up to 150ft.

Both waterfalls can be accessed via the same trail, and you can often see conditions before the trail splits to decide which flow you wish to climb.

Getting There

Both waterfalls are in the same valley – this is the general area

  1. Take I-66 to Exit 13
  2. VA55 (right) to US340 South to Bentonville.
  3. VA613 on the left.
  4. Travel about a mile and look for Thompson Hollow Road on right (VA630).
  5. Drive about 2-miles until you see a parking area on the right (info Sign)
  6. Notice blue blazes: start hiking up the road/trail about a mile- up a hill, down a hill, to a trail post-BANG a left.
  7. Follow the blue blazes crossing the stream a couple of times, heading up stream. You are heading up a stream canyon that will bend up and to the left ending in Overall Falls, with Thunderbird just down stream of the waterfalls on the far side, visible from the overlook.
  8. As terrain steepens and turns to the left the trail follow the blue blazes up a series of switch backs that lead to an overlook with views of the waterfall up and to the left and Thunderbird directly across on the other side of the canyon.

Thunderbird Falls: continue on the trail which continues up and then bends around the canyon to the right to the top of the falls. From the top of the falls make it carefully across and scramble/bushwhack to the top of Thunderbird and rap down to its base. Alternatvely scramble down and cross directly to the base ofThunderbird

Overall Falls: Continue up the trail past the overlook. The final approach to Overall Falls should be done with crampons.

There is some route information on Mountainproject.

Back to list of Climbing crags & beta