The Ultimate Guide To Virginia's Shenandoah National Park
By Megan Shute|Published October 07, 2022
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Megan Shute
Author
With more than 10 years of experience as a professional writer, Megan holds a degree in Mass Media from her home state of Minnesota. After college, she chose to trade in her winter boots for slippahs and moved to the beautiful island of Oahu, where she has been living for more than five years. She lives on the west side but is constantly taking mini-road trips across the island and visits the neighboring islands whenever she can getaway. She loves hiking, snorkeling, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu.
Protecting more than 200,000 acres of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains just 75 miles south of Washington D.C., Shenandoah National Park is home to panoramic views seen from countless overlooks, cascading waterfalls, fields of wildflowers, and serene wooded hollows. In the nearly nine decades since Shenandoah National Park was established, it has been a beacon of paradise for nature lovers across the east coast. Perhaps surprisingly, Shenandoah is one of America’s lesser-visited national parks, with just 1.4 million visitors in 2019, compared to 14 million visitors to the most-visited national park in the USA, the Great Smoky Mountains. Take a chance on Shenandoah, though, for this underrated wonder has so much to offer outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds, including some of the best hiking trails in the U.S.
If you’re planning a visit to this incredible national park, there’s no better time to visit than during National Park Week. Learn all about this celebration of America’s great outdoors — including fee-free days throughout the year!
A century ago, the National Park Service’s first director, Stephen Mather, recognized that the agency was focusing too heavily on protecting the USA's western natural wonders. These established national parks, albeit beautiful, were simply inaccessible for many people living in the East.
Mather knew it was the responsibility of the NPS to bring America’s wonders to the national spotlight regardless of location, and so, Shenandoah National Park was established in 1935, shining a bright light on the remarkable Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia and protecting its land for decades to come.
Shenandoah National Park is always open, though portions of Skyline Drive are periodically closed during inclement weather. Most facilities, including the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center and Park Store and the Byrd Visitor Center and Park Store, within Shenandoah National Park, begin opening in March and close by late November.
Tucked along the mountains in central Virginia, Shenandoah National Park is easy to access from all directions. Visitors from Washington D.C. and Maryland can easily access Shenandoah from the north at the Front Royal Entrance.
Visitors from the south can access the park via the Rockfish Gap Entrance near Waynesboro, Virginia. Two other entrances can be found in the middle of the park, Swift Run Gap Entrance east of Elkton and Thornton Gap Entrance near Luray and its famous caverns. Though this park will make you feel worlds away from civilization, it is quite accessible – no matter where you live in Virginia or the surrounding states.
Flying in to experience Shenandoah National Park? No problem! The closest airport to Shenandoah National Park is Charlottesville Airport (CHO), which is 24.5 miles away. Washington Dulles (IAD) is 64 miles away, Reagan Washington (DCA) is 81 miles away, Richmond (RIC) is 92 miles away, and Baltimore (BWI) is 108 miles away.
A $30 entrance fee is charged to visit Shenandoah National Park for each private, non-commercial vehicle. Single motorcycle passes are $25 and walking or cycling guests will pay $15 each. Passes are valid for seven consecutive days, beginning on the day of purchase. Passes can be purchased online or at any of the park’s entrance stations.
The entire park is accessible with just one entrance fee, though starting in March 2022, a day-use reservation is required for those interested in visiting Old Rag Mountain. This pilot program is intended to address public safety concerns, improve the visitor experience, and protect the rare ecological communities found here.
Shenandoah National Park is truly spectacular year-round, though is perhaps most popular in the fall months, when the mountains are blanketed in a sea of red, orange, and yellow leaves. The fall foliage in Shenandoah National Park is truly second to none, and we would be lying if we said we didn’t prefer hiking in the cool, crisp air of autumn in Virginia.
Shenandoah National Park is open year-round, though many services do close during the colder months. During the winter months, bare trees and lower temperatures improve visibility, ensuring views of the valley below and the mountains beyond are more stunning than ever.
You will also have a better chance of finding solitude and spotting wildlife, though we recommend you enter the park with a full tank of gas, wear warm clothing, bring extra blankets just in case, and drive slowly. Inclement weather can necessitate the closure of Skyline Drive at any time, so be prepared and make sure to check in ahead of your trip.
Shenandoah National Park Camping enthusiasts visiting this national treasure are in luck: there are five campgrounds and more than 600 tent camping sites within park borders: Matthews Arm Campground, located at mile marker 22.2, Big Meadows Campground, the park’s largest campground is located at mile marker 51.2, Lewis Mountain Campground, a first-come, first-serve campground at mile marker 57.5, Loft Mountain Campground, home to a camp store showers and laundry at mile marker 79.5, and Dundo Group Campground, a campsite for groups of 7-15 located at mile marker 83.7.
The nightly campground fee is $30 for all single campsites and $75 for group sites, and reservations can be made up to six months in advance of your trip. Most campsites also have picnic tables, and fire rings on-site. Backcountry camping is also available within the park, and if you’re missing any camping supplies, you can pick them up at one of the camp stores. If you bring your RV to Shenandoah National Park, Matthews Arm and Big Meadows have RV sites, though there are no electric hookups within the park.
If you don’t believe in roughing it, Shenandoah National Park lodging options are plenty: including two of the best national park hotels in the US: Skyland Lodge and Big Meadows Lodge for everything from traditional rooms to small, detached cabins, as well as the Lewis Mountain Cabins and six primitive cabins maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club.
There are also plenty of places to stay near Shenandoah National Park, including chain hotels, a variety of vacation rentals, and more – from cabins and yurts to luxurious farm lodges and cozy bed and breakfasts.
While many consider Shenandoah a drive-through park, it is so much more than just a scenic drive or road trip destination, and we’d love to share with you all of the incredible recreation opportunities to be had here – especially for hikers. With lush forests, rushing waterfalls, magnificent mountains, and gorgeous gorges, there are more than 500 miles of hiking trails in Shenandoah National Park.
We must first mention, of course, that the world-famous Appalachian Trail roughly parallels Skyline Drive throughout the park. More than 100 miles of trails wind through Shenandoah National Park and you will find several trailheads off the road for anyone hoping to experience this bucket-list-worthy hike for themselves.
Fort Windham Gap is a short hike along the Appalachian Trail that leads to a unique geologic feature, while some of the best views in Shenandoah National Park can be found along the Blackroot Summit, Bearfence Mountain Viewpoint, and Frazier Discovery trails. If you’re after stunning vistas, Hawksbill Mountain is a must-experience — as Shenandoah’s highest peak, there’s nothing better, except maybe Stony Man, which has less elevation gain and is more manageable for beginner hikers.
Waterfalls are abundant here, with more than a dozen stunning waterfall hikes scattered throughout the national park, including the popular Dark Hollow Falls and Doyles River Falls (pictured) trails, which measure in at 1.4 and 3.4 miles round trip, respectively.
Please note that all Shenandoah National Park waterfalls are accessible via downhill-first trails – make sure you conserve enough energy for the uphill climb back! Waterfall hikes range in length from one hour to eight hours!
Shenandoah National Park is defined by a single public road – Skyline Drive – extending 105 miles through the entire park from north to south. This scenic byway is just part of the experience of the national park and is always a stunning road trip destination.
Offering picture-perfect panoramas around every corner, Skyline Drive is a quintessential mountain byway – and is quite popular amongst motorcyclists as well as car travelers. With a strictly enforced speed limit of 35, Skyline Drive is home to countless incredible turnouts and parking lots where visitors can stop to admire the jaw-dropping vistas and overlooks. It’s all about the journey, not the destination, here within Shenandoah National Park – so slow down and enjoy the scenery.
While you can drive the entirety of Skyline Drive in approximately three hours, you will want at least an entire day to explore the national park and could actually spend a week enjoying the natural splendor of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley.
At the 32-mile marker of Skyline Drive, you will stumble across Mary’s Rock Tunnel. Constructed in 1932, this 600-foot-long tunnel goes straight through the mountain and is often considered the greatest engineering feat of the byway.
With more than 90 mountain streams and minor tributaries, 70 of which contain fish, Shenandoah National Park fishing is truly outstanding. A valid Virginia State fishing license is required for all fishing activity, though there is no separate park-issued permit required to fish within Shenandoah.
In addition to rock scrambles on many hikes, opportunities for rock climbing are available for all levels of climbers, and visitors can even enjoy horseback riding in Shenandoah National Park at Skyland Stables. Horseback rides are offered throughout the day, weather permitting, and lead visitors across Skyline Drive, past the Limberlost area, and through an old apple orchard. Pony rides are also available.
Perhaps one of the most surprising sights within Shenandoah National Park, Big Meadows is a high-elevation meadow perched on top of a mountain that stands in contrast to the miles and miles of lush, green forests that make up most of Shenandoah. Big Meadows provides an essential habitat for various plant and animal species and opportunities for wildlife viewing and stargazing in the night sky.
Skyland is also home to a dining room, taphouse, and gift shop. This is the premier restaurant in Shenandoah National Park, though you will also find food at Elkwallow, Big Meadows, and Loft Mountain waysides.
The adventure isn’t limited to the park’s boundaries, though. The nearby area is rich in culture, history, and recreation opportunities of all kinds. The most popular cave to visit in the Shenandoah area is Luray Caverns, the largest and most impressive cave system in the eastern United States, with 64 acres of caverns to explore.
While exploring or driving, you might be lucky enough to spot some of the park’s incredible wildlife. Wild turkeys, foxes, deer, and bobcats are common sightings, especially at dusk or in the morning. Park officials also estimate that there are several hundred black bears in the national park, but they are the only species of bear found here and are most commonly seen near the campsites.
While seeing a bear in nature can be memorable, it does need to be treated with an appropriate amount of caution – if you see a bear within Shenandoah Park, make noise and don’t run away, but maintain your distance (regulations require 150+ feet to view a bear safely).
No matter what sort of outdoor adventures you prefer, Shenandoah National Park is a truly magnificent destination for a getaway. So, tell us, are you ready to pack your bags for a Virginia national park adventure like no other? For more information about Shenandoah National Park, including everything you need to know about planning your trip, please visit the National Park Service’s website. We suggest saving this map of the park before you visit.
Need To Know Information About Shenandoah National Park
Accessibility: With its variety of accessible hiking trails, picnic sites, campgrounds, and visitor centers, Shenandoah National Park is an incredibly accessible park. The park also offers assistive listening devices, braille brochures, and audio descriptions (available via the free Shenandoah National Park App) of its overlooks and notable features.
Pet Friendly: Shenandoah National Park is one of the few dog-friendly national parks, with the majority of trails open to pets on leashes.
Parking: Spanning more than 100 miles, there are four entrances to Shenandoah National Park — Front Royal to the north, Rockfish Gap to the south, Thornton Gap, and Swift Run Gap — and countless places to park. Parking is permitted at trailheads where spaces are provided and at entrance stations if space permits. Visitor Centers, picnic areas, waysides, and overlooks also have parking spaces. Just be sure you are not blocking Skyline Drive, administrative/fire roads, or overlooks.
Seasonal Access: Shenandoah National Park is open year-round; however, portions of Skyline Drive, the only public road through the Park, are periodically closed during inclement weather. There are benefits to visiting any time of year, with autumn boasting some of the most incredible fall colors in the country. One thing to note: within the park, the mountains can be up to 10 degrees cooler than the valleys, so it’s important to dress accordingly!
Cost: Single-vehicle entrance passes to Shenandoah National Park are $30 per vehicle and are good for seven days from the date of purchase.
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