Three Days in Scenic Shenandoah National Park
The National Parks of the United States are wonderful resources for adventure but Shenandoah National Park is something truly exceptional. Shenandoah National Park is a pristine mountain park that encompasses over 200,000 acres of protected land along the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. The park provides an extensive network of trails to hike, cascading waterfalls, campgrounds, visitors services and scenic overlooks that offer the most spectacular panoramic views. We could spend weeks exploring this park and we found that three days in scenic Shenandoah National Park was not enough to hike and explore everything. We hope to explore much more next time.
Skyline Drive is the backbone of Shenandoah National Park. It is a picturesque 105 mile road along the ridge of the Blue Ridge Mountains that connects visitors to most of the activities and services within the park. Most hiking trails, wayside stops, campgrounds and scenic overlooks are listed in mile markers from North to South. This mile marker system makes it easy to know where you are in the park and where you would like to stop along the way. There is an entrance fee to visit the park and it is valid for seven days so you have plenty of time to enjoy all that the park has to offer. Make sure you keep your payment receipt in a safe place as you will need it to come and go from the park. Shenandoah National Park draws over 1.4 million people per year but there are places to retreat from the crowds. Skyline Drive ascends up to 3,680 feet above sea level and has only one gas station so we recommend that you fill up before entering the park. There are only four entrances onto Skyline Drive and the route offers 69 unique scenic overlooks with astonishing vistas. We recommend packing food and drink to enjoy a picnic with a beautiful backdrop.
Where to Stay inside the Shenandoah National Park:
There are a few options if you would like to stay inside the park overnight. Shenandoah offers four campgrounds and three lodges/cabins. The lodges/cabins offer rustic accommodations with superb views of the surrounding Mountains. The lodges are situated in prime locations in the park and the first lodge was established in 1888. The five campgrounds are distributed almost evenly throughout the park. Please note, Dundo Group Campground offers group campsites only. Each campground provides guests with roomy tent, trailer and RV sites, fire rings, picnic table and food storage lockers. Some campgrounds offer more amenity than others but each site provides fresh air and a night under the stars.
- Skyland Resort is located along mile 41.7 & 42.5 and is perched at Skyline Drive’s highest elevation of 3,680 feet.
- Big Meadows Lodge is located at mile 51 at an elevation of 3,535 feet.
- Lewis Mountain Cabins are located at mile 57.5 at an elevation of 3,441 feet.
- Mathews Arm Campground is located at mile 22.2 at an elevation of 2,750 feet.
- Big Meadows Campground is located at mile 51 at an elevation of 3,535 feet.
- Lewis Mountain Campground is located at mile 57.2 at an elevation of 3,441 feet.
- Loft Mountain Campground is located at mile 79.5 at an elevation of 3,366 feet.
- Dundo Group Campground is located at mile 83.7at an elevation of 2,790 feet.
Shenandoah National Park is an incredible park to visit during any season. We visited in October and the weather was perfect for hiking and camping. We were very lucky that we had dry days to make the most of the breathtaking views, and enjoy the hiking opportunities. In October we found less visitors than during the peak summer months and we didn’t feel rushed or crowded. The leaves were starting to turn and gave us the first hint of the beautiful autumn colors that would be on display in the following weeks. The weather can be challenging in the fall at Shenandoah National Park because of the dense fog that can set in and stay all day so please check the weather forecast and be prepared for all weather conditions.
We arrived in the Northern Shenandoah region late in the evening so we booked a last minute hotel in Winchester, Virginia using our favorite Priceline App. We use the Priceline Express Deals that do not reveal the name of the hotel before booking. Priceline Express Deals do inform guests of the star rating and amenities for a steeply discounted rate. We have always had good luck using the Express Deals as we are not particular about the room type or specific location of the hotel. We arrived at our wonderful hotel and enjoyed a meal delivered since we were planning to be up early for our first day exploring Shenandoah National Park.
Day One:
Our first day in Shenandoah National Park started early with a grab and go breakfast so we could enter the park as early as possible. We drove in at the Front Royal Entrance Station to pay our entrance fee and get a map. The paper map the park ranger gave us became the essential navigation tool on our adventures, as well as a fantastic addition to Leslie’s scrapbook. As we started our climb up into the park we saw a deer foraging along the road and heard birds singing in the forest. It was extremely tranquil. We stopped at the first overlook on our trip to see the view and eat our breakfast. Our breakfast stop was the Shenandoah Valley Overlook at 1,390 feet above sea level. Our breakfast was incredibly delicious, made all the better by the view of gorgeous rolling hills, dappled in sunshine and a gentle breeze blowing.
Now that our appetites were satisfied we continued south on Skyline Drive. The first visitor center along the way is Dickey Ridge Visitor Center at mile 4.6. We stopped to use the facilities and of course, take in the scenery. The ranger station at the visitors center provides facilities, a bookstore, maps, gifts as well as providing park information. While we were there one of the park rangers had just begun their wonderful ranger programs. The ranger was telling stories about Shenandoah’s history so we listened in for a while before continuing our drive.
Shenandoah’s overlooks are spectacular and we were alone for some stops along Skyline Drive. Leslie decided she wanted to hike down to Dark Hollow Falls today at mile 50.7 so we meandered our way along stopping at every overlook as well as Mathews Arm campground, the famous Stony Man summit and Skyland lodge. Big Meadows Wayside and Visitors Center is just across the road from the parking area for Dark Hollow Falls. We stopped into the visitors center because Leslie was on the hunt for a penny press machine. Leslie has a great collection of stamped pennies from most of our adventures. Stamped pennies are usually the only souvenir she brings home other than photos. We found the only penny press machine in Shenandoah National Park at the Big Meadows Wayside!
Dark Hollow Falls is considered a moderate 1.4 mile hike. It is one of the park’s most popular trails. Please keep in mind that the hike back up is challenging! The terrain is steep and rocky as it descends following a small stream. Hiking down the 440 feet in elevation is mild but we found it very helpful to have our trekking poles with us. While descending into the valley we were pleased that the tree cover provided more shade. As we got close enough to hear the waterfall the temperature started to cool down as well. After the last bend in the trail we arrived at the beautiful Dark Hollow Falls. The falls is a multi-step cascade that has a shallow pool at its base. The tranquility of the waterfall and being surrounded by nature is breathtaking. The feeling of peace and relaxation was just what we were looking for. The hike back to the top was strenuous so we took our time and were very glad we had plenty of water with us. Our trekking poles made navigating the mountainous landscape much easier but it still took us a fair amount of time to make it back up to the parking area. As we were almost to the parking area, we were astonished to see a doe and her fawn grazing along the trail no more than 10 feet away from us! As we noticed the deer, another couple coming along stopped to admire the animals with us. The deer didn’t seem bothered or afraid of humans in the slightest. After making our way back to the car we enjoyed a snack before setting off farther south.
As the afternoon wore on we still had about 15 miles of Skyline Drive left until we could exit the park at the Swift Run Gap, mile 65.7. We like to travel with spontaneity most of the time so we had not made a hotel reservation for the night yet. We decided to have a look for a last minute hotel in Harrisonburg, Virginia. We booked another affordable three star hotel using the Express Deal on the Priceline App in Harrisonburg. The hotel was perfect! We enjoyed the hotel’s amenities and had a wonderful, relaxing evening before making it an early night.
Day Two:
The second day of our Shenandoah adventure began with the idea to drive south on the larger highway to enter the National Park from the southernmost point and work our way north this time. Leslie had read about an intriguing walking path near the southern entrance in Afton, Virginia called the Blue Ridge Tunnel Trail. The trail is an easy out and back trail featuring mostly gravel terrain. The Blue Ridge Tunnel was built in 1850’s as a railroad tunnel and was considered the longest in the United States when it was completed. The tunnel is 4,237 feet long. There is no lighting in the tunnel so please make sure each visitor has a good, working flashlight if you want to walk the full length.
We parked at the east trailhead of the Blue Ridge Tunnel Trail where we read there were more parking spots than the west trailhead. The trail begins as a gravel path with wonderful informational placards imparting the history of the railway and the tunnel. In a short distance we arrived at the rocky and somewhat ominous looking east entrance of the tunnel. As we ventured into the darkness we could hear water running somewhere ahead of us and as we continued on with our flashlights we came upon the source. There is a miniature waterfall cascading into a drain about halfway into the tunnel. The tunnel was cool, a little damp but had plenty of airflow so we were happy to adventure on. The trail was mostly level except for the drainage ditches at the outer edges of the tunnel. As we came out into the sunshine on the far end we turned around to admire the beautiful stone arch that was expertly crafted by Irish stonemasons who worked on this tunnel. After taking a short rest we returned the way we came so we could head back into Shenandoah.
We entered the park from the southernmost entrance called Rockfish Gap. The park ranger asked to see our payment receipt as our entrance fee was valid for seven days. We continued north stopping at every overlook along the way. Geoff chose to hike to Black Rock Summit today at mile 84.4 so we arrived at the parking area in the early afternoon.
Black Rock Summit hike is an easy 1 mile loop that is perfect for a mellow walk to a spectacular viewpoint. This trail is part of the Appalachian Trail for a short section before bearing off to the summit of Black Rock Mountain on the right. As we continue along after the bend in trail we come upon a field of boulders with a commanding view of the Shenandoah valley and the mountains beyond. There is very little shade at this viewpoint so we are incredibly thankful to have our favorite summer hats from Sunday Afternoons with us. We take a few moments to marvel at the majestic mountains dappled with sunshine as a light breeze blows across the valley. The hike back to the parking area is forested and narrow but still very easy.
We continued to drive north on Skyline drive and enjoy the overlooks. We relished having most of the overlooks to ourselves once again so we spent more time at each stop. As our second day in Shenandoah National Park was coming to an end we needed to find a place to stay once more, so we opened our Priceline App and picked a nice hotel back in Winchester, Virginia. We decided to take the highway up to Winchester to get there faster so we left the park at the Swift Run Gap and headed north on route 340. Yet again, our hotel was a winner and we had a very pleasant evening.
Day Three:
Our third and last day exploring Shenandoah National Park was an ambitious one. We were up early and planned to enter the park at the north entrance and drive the whole 105 miles of Skyline Drive with a stop for a hike along the way. We entered the park at the Front Royal Entrance and started making our way south. We kept stopping at the overlooks along the way as the weather had changed overnight. The mountains had mist along the peaks and the fog was rolling in and out all day. It was a little eerie driving into the fog but the views were unique and much different than the last two days. The fog in the valleys gave the impression that we were driving above the clouds. It was quite a unique experience. Our original plan was to hike the Stony Man Trail, mile 41.7 but when we arrived the fog was so thick at the summit that we would not have been able to see anything. We stopped for a picnic lunch at the Skyland visitor center before venturing on to our new hiking destination, Frazer Discovery Trail at mile 79.5.
Frazer Discovery Trail is considered an easy 1.2 mile loop that connects with the Appalachian Trail and has an elevation gain of 429 feet. We found this trail to be a more moderate trail than easy. This trail was another trail that we were very thankful to have our trekking poles with us as the ascent and descent is steep and rocky. The trail loops around and begins across the road from the Loft Mountain wayside. You can hike the loop in both directions and we chose to go right at the fork. The trail winds its way through woodlands and rocky terrain with a moderately steep elevation gain. At the crest of the mountain the Frazer Discovery Trail connects with the Appalachian Trail at a beautiful viewpoint to the east. As we stay on the Frazer Discovery Trail we come across another splendid view to the west with a rocky clearing perfect for taking a break and taking in the scenery. We finish the hike by continuing on the loop as it descends back to the Loft Mountain wayside. This section of the trail is more challenging with huge boulders and rocky outcroppings to maneuver around. The trekking poles came in quite handy for the descent. We made our way back to the parking area right as the Loft Mountain wayside was about to close.
As our adventure was coming to an end we continued to stop at the overlooks in the southern section of the park. As the sun was setting we were awarded a whole new perspective but the fog was setting in again for the evening. As we exited the park at the Rockfish Gap exit and made our way home we reflected on our time in Shenandoah. It is a magical mountain wonderland that we will be eternally grateful to experience. We could have easily spent more time in the park hiking and exploring but this visit was a perfect first time tour and we will be coming back.
