Shenandoah National Park
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 Charlottes- ville on Highway 29, (434) 973-8341; and Shenandoah Valley Airport, 18 miles northeast of Staunton or 14 miles south of Harrisonburg on Highway 256, (540) 234-8304. Dulles International Airport is one hour east of the junction of U.S. 211 and the Skyline Drive, and east of the junction of I-66 and U.S. 340 at Front Royal.
Bus Service: Greyhound offers regular bus service to Waynesboro, located just outside the south entrance to the park at Rockfish Gap.
Train Service: Amtrak serves nearby Charlottesville, Virginia. For more information, call (800) 872-7245.
Rental Car Service: Available at the airports and major surrounding cities. Note: There is no air, bus or rail service into the park.
Park Entrances
There are four entrances to Shenandoah. Front Royal Entrance Station in the north (Mile 0.6) is reachable via U.S. 340 and Highway 55. Thornton Gap Entrance Station (Mile 31.5) is easily reached via U.S. 211. Swift Run Gap Entrance Station (Mile 65.7) is easy to get to via U.S. 33. Rockfish Gap Entrance Station is the fourth entrance. It is located in the south (Mile 105.4) and is available via I-64 and U.S. 250.
Note: To help you find features, facilities and services, concrete mile markers have been placed on the right-hand side of the Skyline Drive as you head south. They are numbered from north to south, beginning with Mile 0 at the junction of U.S. 340. For your convenience, "mile" references are included throughout this guide.
Park Visitor Guide
The park visitor guide, Shenandoah Overlook, provides seasonal information about the park. You can pick up a free copy at any entrance station, visitor center or park campground.
Entrance Fees
The entrance fee to the park is $10 per vehicle during the winter season (December to February) and $15 per vehicle the rest of the year (March to November). The per person entrance fee is $5 during the winter season and $8 the rest of the year (per pedestrian, bicyclist and motorcyclist). Commercial buses are also subject to fees. Your entrance permit is good for seven consecutive days.
An annual Shenandoah Pass still costs $30. However, all other passes changed as of January 1, 2007. A 12-month America the Beautiful—The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass, good at any National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Forest Service sites that charge an entrance or standard amenity recreation fee, costs $80. An Interagency Access Pass is available free of charge to U.S. residents with permanent lifetime disabilities. The Interagency Senior Pass is available to U.S. residents age 62 or older for a one-time fee of $10. All America the Beautiful—The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes may be obtained at any participating federal lands area that charges entrance fees. All fees are subject to change.
Visitor Centers
There are three visitor information centers in Shenandoah. Dates and times of operation may vary, so check the park bulletin boards or park visitor guide, or stop at a visitor information center for current hours. Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (Mile 4.6), located four miles south of the Front Royal Entrance Station, is open from April through late November. It is closed from the end of November to late March. Built in 1938, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the center is a comfortable place where visitors can view exhibits and an introductory video program.
Harry F. Byrd, Sr. Visitor Center (Milepost 51), named for the former Virginia Senator, is open April through late November. Exhibits and videos highlighting Shenandoah stories and resources are available. The large open area across from the visitor center is the largest meadow in the park and definitely worth a visit.
Loft Mountain Information Center (Mile 79.5), operating season not yet determined.
Park information, backcountry permits, Junior Ranger information and passport stamps are available at all visitor centers. You can also find books, backpacks, hiking guides and other interpretive materials that delve more deeply into various aspects of the park for sale in the centers managed by the Shenandoah National Park Association.
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.
