Hiking Fox Hollow Trail in Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park has more than 500 miles of hiking trails. Narrowing down which one to hike can be nearly as challenging as the trail!
The Fox Hollow Trail is located in the park’s northern portion at Mile 4.6 along Skyline Drive, right across the street from the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center. If it’s your first time visiting Shenandoah or you spend many weekends there, this hike is worth your time.
We hiked during the third week of October, which happened to be peak fall foliage time in the park. We arrived at the trailhead in the late afternoon to a mostly empty parking lot. Grabbing some water and the camera, we crossed Skyline Drive and hopped on the trail. The ground was still moist from a morning storm, and the air smelled fresh and clean.
Hiking Through Shenandoah’s History
The trail is only a 1.2-mile loop. It’s pretty easy and features a self-guided brochure designed for kids. Heading down the trail, we saw a few white-tailed deer, squirrels, and plenty of songbirds. But what was remarkable was the history.
Before Shenandoah became a national park in the 1930s, about 500 families called the land home that would become the park. One of those was the Fox family. As we hiked the loop, enjoying the colorful fall hardwood forest, we came across several old rock walls and foundations that once belonged to the Fox homestead. A little bit down the trail, we came to the Fox Family Cemetery. A gravestone off the trail reads, “Lemuel F. Fox Died May 24, 1916. Aged 78 Years. Gone but not forgotten by his daughter.”
I found a little bit of information about the family. Thomas and Martha Fox settled in the hollow in 1856 and started farming. Lemuel Fox, whose gravestone we had passed, was the son of Thomas. Lemuel Fox would raise a family with his wife Lucy after he returned from the Civil War. When we were there, Lemuel’s grave had the “Stars and Bars” Confederate Flag planted next to his tombstone. Lemuel’s grandson, Lemuel Fox Jr., wed his future wife, Maude Vaught, on the property.
When Shenandoah National Park was established in 1935, the Fox family lived in several houses in the hollow. The family would eventually leave their home of nearly 100 years. It’s unclear if they left voluntarily or were forced to do so.
After leaving the remnants of the homestead slowly being reclaimed by nature, we hiked back to the car with a better appreciation for what it was like living in the mountains of Shenandoah.
Other Hiking Trails in Shenandoah
Exploring Hawksbill: Shenadoah’s Highest Peak
Where is Shenandoah National Park Located?
Shenandoah National Park is about 70 miles and an hour and a half away from Washington, D.C. You can reach it in an hour and 45 minutes from Richmond or about two and a half hours from Baltimore.
Where to stay at Shenandoah National Park?
There are two lodges in Shenandoah. Big Meadows is located at mile marker 51 along Skyline Drive, and Skyland is located at mile marker 41.7. I recommend Skyland most because I worked a summer there years ago.
