Shenandoah National Park stretches for 105 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. Skyline Drive follows the ridge the entire length of the park, with more than 70 overlooks offering views east to the rolling Piedmont and west to the Shenandoah Valley and Massanutten Mountain.
The park holds over 500 miles of trails, including 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Some follow ridge crests with panoramic views; others drop into hollows with waterfalls and hemlock groves. Dark Hollow Falls, a short steep hike from Skyline Drive, is one of the most popular. Deer are everywhere, and black bears are common — you will likely see both.
Spring brings wildflowers and migrating warblers. Autumn is peak season, when the oak-hickory forest turns brilliant red and gold and the park fills up on weekends. Winter is quiet and often misty, with sections of Skyline Drive closed after snow.
Stone foundations, old cemeteries, and apple trees scattered through the forest are reminders of the mountain families who lived here before the park was established in 1935.