Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park Review

Though Shenandoah National Park is only a narrow ribbon on the map, stretching 80 mi along the Blue Ridge but rarely more than 5 mi wide, it is easy to imagine being much deeper in the wilderness as you travel through it or spend a night camping here. Steep, wooded ridges with rocky slopes stand out in the foreground of vistas taking in the Shenandoah Valley to the west and the Piedmont to the east. Skyline Drive traverses the park end to end, from Waynesboro to Front Royal, and is the most common way to see the park. But hikers can find beautiful terrain just yards from the drive on some of the park's 500 mi of trails, trout fishers may wade into more than 25 streams, and riders can rent horses for wilderness trail rides. Those who want to know more about the area's flora and fauna may want to take a guided hike, which naturalists lead daily throughout the summer. The seasonal activities of the park are outlined in the Shenandoah Overlook, a free newspaper you can pick up on entering the park.