Shenandoah National Park
A long ribbon of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, strung along the scenic Skyline Drive - waterfalls, forests and famous autumn colour near Washington.
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Illustrative image - a scene in the spirit of the place, not a photograph of it. Real photos are below.
Shenandoah stretches as a long, narrow park along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, strung on the hundred-mile Skyline Drive with its endless overlooks. Within easy reach of Washington, it offers waterfalls, forest trails, black bears and deer, and some of the most celebrated autumn colour in the eastern United States.
What you actually see
- Skyline Drive - the ridge-top scenic road with dozens of overlooks.
- Old Rag and waterfall trails - the popular rock scramble and the cascades.
- Autumn colour - the Blue Ridge ablaze in October.
- Wildlife - black bears, white-tailed deer and abundant birdlife.
When to go
Late spring for wildflowers and green, October for the famous autumn colour, when it is gloriously busy. Summer is hazy and humid; winter closes parts of the drive in snow.
Honest expectations
It is a narrow park centred on one scenic road, so it is more about the drive and overlooks than deep wilderness. The autumn foliage weekends bring heavy traffic on Skyline Drive. Old Rag is a strenuous, popular scramble now needing a day-use ticket.
Nearby
Washington DC is about seventy miles east; the Blue Ridge Parkway continues south toward the Smokies.
What to pack for Shenandoah National Park
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
