Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park offers a classic eastern landscape and bountiful outdoor activity. Characterized by large open meadows, dense forests, unique rock outcroppings and spectacular waterfalls, all visiting parties should come prepared for everything "outdoors." Fishing and extended camping trips are favorites in the park. Skyline drive is a wonderful way to circumnavigate the parks expansive ridges with numerous trails and attractions stemming from its sides at all points.
At A Glance
In The Park
Superintendent: Chas CartwrightPhone Number: 540-999-3400
Entrance Fees: Individual Pass (valid for 7 days): $5-$8 (seasonal); Vehicle Pass (valid for 7 days): $10-$15 (seasonal); Motorcycle Pass (valid for 7 days): $10; Commercial Tour Fees: $25-$200 (varies depending on seating capacity)
Sights: Skyline Drive; Big Meadows; Rapidan Camp; Mill Prong Trail; Fox Hollow; Dark Hollow Falls Trail; Stony Man Trail; Old Rag! Trail; Sugarloaf Loop; Hogback Overlook; Signal Knob Overlook; Range View Overlook; South Rim Overlook
Endangered Species: Prerigrine Falcon; Great Spangled Frittallary Butterfly
Important Dates
Established as Park: May 22, 1926By The Numbers
Acres: 197,439.00Highest Point: Hawksbill Mountain (4050 feet)
Annual Visitation: 1,076,150 (2006)
Location
Latitude / Longitude :38.727280 / -78.289760 (map it)
State: VA
Nearby Big City: Culpeper, VA
Gateway Communities: Front Royal, VA; Afton, VA; Chester Gap, VA; Waynesboro, VA; Sperryville, VA; Elkton, VA; Lyndhurst, VA; Luray, VA; Fishersville, VA; Staunton, VA; Newport, VA; Salem, VA
Nearby Airports: Washington Dulles International (IAD); Reagan National (DCA); Shenandoah Valley Regional (SHD); Charlottesville-Albemarie (CHO)
Green Features
Has Recycling? : YesHas Shuttle System? : No
Has Volunteer Program? : Yes
Park Photos
Autumn Leaves
Graham S. Klotz
Doe Field
Cheryl Lowman Hunt
Harebell Meadow
Tatiana Grozetskaya
View More Shenandoah Photos
In Detail
Appalachian Trail In 1921, conservationist Benton MacKaye proposed an "experiment in regional planning"—the Appalachian Trail. Work began the following year, and by 1937, the 2,160-mile-long trail was complete. T ... read more.
At Your Fingertips Current Park Information (540) 999-3500 (Including requests for mailed information) www.nps.gov/shen Emergency (800) 732-0911 Relay Center/TDD (from VA) (800) 828-1120 Voice (800) 828-1140 Lodging R ... read more.
Camping in Shenandoah Shenandoah's campgrounds offer sites that are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and through reservations. Reservations may be made up to six months in advance by calling toll free (877) ... read more.
CCC Statue The highlight of the September 2006 Civilian Conservation Corps Alumni Reunion in Shenandoah was the dedication of a bronze CCC Worker statue at Byrd Visitor Center plaza, Big Meadows (milepost 51). ... read more.
Favorite Trail I am often asked by visitors, "What is the best trail in the Park?" That is an impossible question for anyone to answer. There are over 520 miles of trail in Shenandoah, leading to many different des ... read more.
Flora & Fauna Shenandoah boasts more species of plants than all of Europe! Over the past six decades, Shenandoah has seen the return of many trees, flowers, and animals that were all native at one time. As the ear ... read more.
Further Reading, part I TRAIL GUIDES Easy Hikes on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in Shenandoah National Park Hikes to Peaks & Vistas in Shenandoah National Park Hikes to Waterfalls in Shenandoah National Park Sh ... read more.
Further Reading, part II Everything Was Wonderful: A Pictorial History of the Civilian Conservation Corps in Shenandoah National Park In the Light of the Mountain Moon: An Illustrated History of Skyland The Greatest Single F ... read more.
History of Shenandoah Formation of the Shenandoah Region The geologic story of Shenandoah National Park began 1 billion years ago. Molten magma, miles beneath the earth's surface, slowly solidified to become the "basement ... read more.
In A Nutshell Getting to Shenandoah Air Service: The park's south entrances at Rockfish Gap and Swift Run Gap are serviced by commercial flights to Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport, which is eight miles north of ... read more.
Just For Kids Discover Hidden Wonders The Explorer Backpack contains almost everything you need to unearth the park's treasures, including binoculars, field guides, magnifying glass, paper and pencils. Backpacks c ... read more.
Leave No Trace Our love of and desire to experience wild places ultimately changes them. As park visitation increases every year, how can we lessen our impact on the land we care about? One way is to "Leave No Trac ... read more.
Lodging & Dining LODGING To make reservations at the following lodging facilities, contact ARAMARK Harrison Lodging, P.O. Box 727NP, Luray, VA 22835; call (800) 999-4714 or (540) 843-2100; or visit online at www.vis ... read more.
New in 2007 at Shenandoah Shenandoah National Park is proud to announce the opening of a new exhibit in the recently renovated Byrd Visitor Center, milepost 51, Skyline Drive. Come see all the exciting changes including a new ... read more.
Oh, Ranger! When I was young, school field trips to Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Washington, DC, and Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, all National Park Service sites, were standard fare. Later, a summer road ... read more.
Preserve Shenanhoah Park Wilderness Renewal In 1976, 40 percent of Shenandoah was designated as wilderness by Congress. Wilderness is defined in The Wilderness Act as: "...an area where the earth and its community of life ar ... read more.
Safe This Winter • Find out current weather and road conditions. Call the park at (540) 999-3500. • Enter the park with a full tank of gas. • Drive a winterized car with snow tires. • Obey t ... read more.
Seasonal Calendar Spring is the time for blooming wildflowers and migrating birds. Look for hepatica, bloodroot, blue-eyed grass, golden star and trillium in the woodlands during April and May. Pink azaleas usually bl ... read more.
Shenandoah Regulations Park Regulations The following park regulations are intended to enhance your enjoyment of the park. They are designed to protect the park, its wildlife and you, the visitor. During all activities, pl ... read more.
Sights To See Scholars might contest the definitive meaning of the name Shenandoah, but what is interesting is that many meanings have to do with the land. "Silver Water," "Great Meadows" and "River of High Mounta ... read more.
Recent News
- Moth damage severe at Shenandoah Park August 12, 2008, 10:53 am
- Climb led to hankering for hiking July 29, 2008, 11:51 am
- 469-mile bike ride latest adventure for cancer survivor July 28, 2008, 11:38 am
- Shenandoah National Park Launches Multimedia Tour Inviting Visitors to Experience the Blue Ridge Mountains Like Never Before July 18, 2008, 10:30 am
- Why national parks, coal-fired power plants may be neighbors April 23, 2008, 2:23 pm
Shenandoah In Depth
News from the Parks
Park Service Employee Earns a Lifetime of Stories
August 18, 2008 - 4:49pm
Regina Jones-Brake remembers the day she met Lady Bird Johnson. Jones-Brake was 22 and setting type at the Benjamin Franklin print shop in Philadelphia's historic district. "I was called a printer's devil," said Jones-Brake. "I wore a mop cap and 18th century attire. I set type, I inked the ink balls, I wet the paper and I ran it through. I was so excited about the job that I worked on Sundays; nobody else wanted to work on Sundays."
August 18, 2008 - 4:49pm
Regina Jones-Brake remembers the day she met Lady Bird Johnson. Jones-Brake was 22 and setting type at the Benjamin Franklin print shop in Philadelphia's historic district. "I was called a printer's devil," said Jones-Brake. "I wore a mop cap and 18th century attire. I set type, I inked the ink balls, I wet the paper and I ran it through. I was so excited about the job that I worked on Sundays; nobody else wanted to work on Sundays."
Maplewood Boy Scouts Are Evacuated near Grand Canyon
August 18, 2008 - 4:29pm
A group of Boy Scouts from Maplewood on a backpacking and rafting trip near the Grand Canyon were evacuated by helicopter Sunday after an earthen dam failed and flood waters threatened their campsite. The six boys and three adult leaders were among scores of people rescued from campgrounds and tribal lands after days of heavy rains caused flooding along two creeks that flow into the Colorado River. "Some boys had enough time to grab their backpacks and some did not," said Bridget Lai, whose husband Michael and son Kyle, 13, are on the trip. "There's not a whole lot you can do about a dam breaking. There's not a lot you can prepare for."
August 18, 2008 - 4:29pm
A group of Boy Scouts from Maplewood on a backpacking and rafting trip near the Grand Canyon were evacuated by helicopter Sunday after an earthen dam failed and flood waters threatened their campsite. The six boys and three adult leaders were among scores of people rescued from campgrounds and tribal lands after days of heavy rains caused flooding along two creeks that flow into the Colorado River. "Some boys had enough time to grab their backpacks and some did not," said Bridget Lai, whose husband Michael and son Kyle, 13, are on the trip. "There's not a whole lot you can do about a dam breaking. There's not a lot you can prepare for."
National Parks Are Offering Podcasts
August 18, 2008 - 4:26pm
Why go to a national park if you can experience one via an Internet podcast? Park officials across the country are hopeful the podcasts themselves will make people want to visit their parks. But if a trip just isn't possible, podcasts are seen as the next best thing.
August 18, 2008 - 4:26pm
Why go to a national park if you can experience one via an Internet podcast? Park officials across the country are hopeful the podcasts themselves will make people want to visit their parks. But if a trip just isn't possible, podcasts are seen as the next best thing.
Pot Farm Found in Park
August 18, 2008 - 4:21pm
A park service pilot on a routine flight over the North Cascades National Park service area helped discover a large marijuana farm worth nearly $48 million -- the first such grow operation found in a national park site in the state. Officials said the farm, which law enforcement officials raided this week, contained more than 16,700 plants. It was well established and resembled the elaborate grow sites run by Mexican drug traffickers plaguing national parks in California, authorities said.
August 18, 2008 - 4:21pm
A park service pilot on a routine flight over the North Cascades National Park service area helped discover a large marijuana farm worth nearly $48 million -- the first such grow operation found in a national park site in the state. Officials said the farm, which law enforcement officials raided this week, contained more than 16,700 plants. It was well established and resembled the elaborate grow sites run by Mexican drug traffickers plaguing national parks in California, authorities said.
Celebrate Zion Wonders
August 18, 2008 - 4:16pm
Next year will be a big celebration for Zion National Park and all who value the majestic views that can be seen within this natural landmark. Zion didn't receive national park status until 1919, but it was recognized for its beauty in 1909, when it was designated as Mukuntuweap National Monument. According to "A History of Washington County: From Isolation to Destination," by Doug Alder and Karl Brooks, The monument designation came after a survey report by St. George resident Leo A. Snow shared the secret of what has become a place of sanctuary befitting its name.
August 18, 2008 - 4:16pm
Next year will be a big celebration for Zion National Park and all who value the majestic views that can be seen within this natural landmark. Zion didn't receive national park status until 1919, but it was recognized for its beauty in 1909, when it was designated as Mukuntuweap National Monument. According to "A History of Washington County: From Isolation to Destination," by Doug Alder and Karl Brooks, The monument designation came after a survey report by St. George resident Leo A. Snow shared the secret of what has become a place of sanctuary befitting its name.
