As you approach the third trail post, take a second to look out at the clearing. As the forest opens up, imagine what the whole hollow would have looked like if it were cleared like this. When you think about living in the mountains, do you think of a hollow - low, narrow, enclosed on either side - or do you think of a home with a sweeping view?
The cleared pastures and farmland certainly would have created some views for the Fox family, but the view was a secondary consideration compared to the necessities of life. Unlike the Fox family, who cleared land to farm, Shenandoah National Park clears land for the views. All along Skyline Drive you will find overlooks with clearings in front of them, just like this one. These clearings allow visitors to see down the hollows, into the valley, and out to rural Virginia.
The next time you are at an overlook, look into the hollows, those small narrow spaces between the ridges, and know that there is history hidden under the lush forest canopy.