Shenandoah

Overview

Shenandoah National Park follows the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains for 105 miles through Virginia, connected end-to-end by Skyline Drive — one of the most scenic mountain roads in the eastern United States. The 105-mile drive runs the entire length of the park with 75 overlooks offering views across the Shenandoah Valley to the west and the Virginia Piedmont to the east. The blue-hazed ridgelines, rolling endlessly to the horizon, inspired the park's name and its atmosphere of timeless Appalachian beauty. The park's 500 miles of trails include 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail, which follows the ridgeline through the heart of Shenandoah. Day hikers gravitate toward waterfall trails — Old Rag Mountain (a strenuous rock scramble with a spectacular 360-degree summit), Whiteoak Canyon (six waterfalls stacked in a single gorge), and Dark Hollow Falls (a 70-foot cascade reached by a 1.4-mile round-trip trail that is the park's shortest waterfall hike). Shenandoah's proximity to Washington, D.C. (75 miles from the front entrance) makes it the most accessible mountain park for millions of East Coast residents. Despite the crowds at popular overlooks, the backcountry is surprisingly wild — black bears, white-tailed deer, and the occasional timber rattlesnake are common on longer trails. Fall color, typically peaking in mid-October, is the park's most popular season.

Things to Do

• Drive all 105 miles of Skyline Drive
• Summit Old Rag Mountain via the rock scramble
• Hike to Dark Hollow Falls
• Backpack a section of the Appalachian Trail
• Hike Whiteoak Canyon to six waterfalls
• Watch the sunset from an overlook along the ridge
• Visit Big Meadows for wildlife and wildflowers
• Stargaze from the dark ridge crest

Wildlife

Keep an eye out for these animals during your visit:

Weather & Best Time to Visit

Mountain weather with summer highs of 70-80°F on the ridge and warmer in the valleys. Fog and rain are frequent. Winter brings ice and occasional snow. Spring and fall are ideal.