Shenandoah National Park is beautiful in the fall! We went in the middle of October and were blown away with the gorgeous fall colors we saw. The tree assortment is so varied there that you get a good spectrum of the leaf color schemes. The 105 mile long Skyline Drive abounds with scenic overlooks of the Shenandoah Valley and the surrounding mountains.
The park itself is relatively small compared to its neighbor further south, Great Smokey Mountains National Park. However, this does not limit the natural wonders to be seen here. There are plenty of waterfalls, hiking trails, black bears, deer, historic lodges with some great food and some of the oldest granite rock in the east.
We started out driving down the north end of Skyline Drive and didn’t have to wait too long for astounding views of the Shenandoah Valley. At mile marker 21, Hogback Overlook allows you to see the many bends of the Shenandoah River running throughout the Valley. It was overcast as we started our trip early in the morning, but then the clouds started lifting off of the mountains and we caught different spectacular photo-ops.
The Appalachian Trail runs through the park on its north-south pathway. We did some hiking while we were there and even caught a glimpse of probably one of the youngest, happiest hikers we’ve ever seen hitching a ride on Dad’s back! The trees were massive and the air crisp as we wound our way through the woods. It was the perfect fall hiking weather! If you like solitude however, go during the week because weekends are packed.
We stopped at Skyland Resort which happens to be the highest point in the park at 3,680 feet. We lunched at the lodge on great sandwiches and read the history of the place on the walls as we were waiting for our table. The resort was built in the 1890’s by naturalist George Freeman. He was a big instigator of the area becoming a national park. The Stony Man Trail starts here where you can hike up to the top and sit on the “nose”. You can also horseback ride here.
After traversing the park and all its other great sights, we shot almost directly east to Washington, D.C. and caught the sights after visiting Arlington National Cemetery. Because Robert E. Lee is my husband’s eighth uncle removed, we had to see the Lee Mansion situated in the middle of the cemetery. It was pretty awesome for the time it was built. Of course, nothing can take away from getting to see the White House with the water fountain and historic trees! We also got to visit some of the numerous historic towns and villages that abound in Virginia. There was even a re-enactment of one of the largest Civil War re-enactments in the country. It was pretty cool to see all the people that turn up for this dressed in period costume.
All in all, it was definitely a trip worth taking! There is plenty for the whole family to do in the park and the surrounding area. So if you were planning a trip just to see the capital, plan on stopping and seeing Shenandoah National Park. You won’t be disappointed.