An amazing National Park, especially if you love hiking, camping, and/or amazing views of mountains and valleys. The main vein through the park is the Skyline Drive, accessible from any of the 4 (paid) park entrances. It's much longer than we anticipated. According to the National Park Service's website, on clear days, it takes about 3 hours to drive the whole thing! All along the Skyline Drive are spots to pull over and take in the stunning vistas. It really is beautiful on both sides of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A few of the spots are extra large and have bathrooms. I recommend looking up some maps of the different trails to plan your trip. We went with the Hawksbill Trail because it reaches the highest point and the views are not to be missed! My oldest friend goes every year with her family and they still are seeing new stuff, so don't be too hard on yourself if you don't see everything, but enjoy what you do; it's gorgeous. read more

Shenandoah National Park - Taking in the views from one of the many spots to pull off on the Skyline Drive - Parks Near Me - Luray, Virginia

This is a beautiful national park in Virgina. This past Sunday, June 14, 2026; had the opportunity to check out on Flag Day free of charge , and enjoy the Skyline Drive. Beautiful breathtaking, serene, inner peace, and viewpoints to stop and take pictures that are gorgeous, and truly connected you with nature The trails and drive itself is beyond remarkable, and overall everyone needs to experience once in there life. read more

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Amazing gem of a national park. Skyline drive is well maintained and all of the overlooks were clean and well kept. The residence were courteous and did not invite themselves over (the bears) and I can't wait to come back here!!! read more

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GORGEOUS! Gorgeous! Absolutely stunningly GORGEOUS! Run don't walk to Shenandoah during the fall time because the foliage is *chefs kiss* ‍. I went mid October on a Wednesday morning. The drive in from DC was not bad at all. When we arrived we were told we didn't need to pay since the government was shutdown. On your way up the mountain you'll notice that there are a ton of trails. We went straight to the Visitor Center and was happy there was someone inside to guide us to the trail we wanted to hike. The views outside of the visitor center are perfect for a photo opp. Right across the street was the Fox Hollow trail where you can do a little over a mile or a 4 mile hike. I was definitely shocked how much uphill there was on the 4 mile hike. The only thing keeping me going was the beautiful views. About midway we stumbled upon a great outlook where we were able to chill a little bit before heading down hill. Riding through the rest of the park was really nice. It wasn't too busy and the national park is huge so you can explore all day long. There's places where you can camp and picnic all throughout the park. And then afterwards you can check out a local winery or brewery in the area. Have funnn!!! read more

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Bearfence mountain is one of the hikes in the park that I'd missed so many times so finally found an opportunity to do it on this trip. Weather wasn't great - there's been heavy rain on and off - so we were dubious as to whether it would be ok with the rocks all wet and slippery. However luckily they were only wet at the start so quite manageable towards the top. The rock scramble part is about 0.4 miles (altogether around one mile loop). Rocks all have sharp edges - they are not the roundish boulder type - so plenty of footholds and easy to grab onto. While you don't need to be an experienced climber it helps to be nimble and have a bit of upper body strength. Only thing to watch out for is not to be stuck behind people who are having trouble getting over every rock - it causes long backups not to mention dangerous. This is a popular hike but the parking is limited - probably for good reason as you really don't want to have too many people on the rocks at the same time. There are only about a dozen parking spaces with a few more overflow on the sides. Best to go early or late to avoid the crowds. read more

Shenandoah National Park - Parks Near Me - Luray, Virginia

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Absolutely beautiful park. We came here the week of 10/13 & saw lots of beautiful trees changing colors. Drove the north & central sections in a day, got out & hiked with our dog on a fire road (dogs aren't allowed on every trail & the fire roads are wider). However, LOTS of ticks; even with spray on her we pulled about 8 off of her, so be careful of that. Your cell phone WILL lose power, so be warned. Maybe bring a park map just in case? I recommend paying the $20 for the national park tour app, it's filled with historical facts about the park and good pointers on where to pull off for the best views and the best trails to take. Really beautiful, I highly recommend even if ur not a hiker just to take the drive, even some of it. The park stretches a little over 100 miles. There are some stops & shops along the way but they're spread out. Go! Enjoy the Beauty and being in nature :) read more

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It's been a long time since I've been back to the park. I was super excited to revisit here after many years. I was able to upgrade my annual pass to a lifetime pass easily at the ranger station. My goal is to visit several other national parks and I've been to quite a few in my lifetime. We were able to hike a few short easy hikes and visit a few overlooks. The park was t too busy as the season is winding down. I'm glad the parks are back open. read more

Shenandoah National Park - Parks Near Me - Luray, Virginia

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Shenandoah is an absolutely beautiful Park. I was lucky enough to visit at the end of the Fall foliage, and even with so many trees, stripped bare, the colors were still amazing. I have heard songs about Shenandoah growing up and I have seen it in movies and video games, but being there in person definitely tops all of that. This park is worthy of the praise it receives. I'm sad that we are still in a government shutdown and that none of the visitor centers have been open. At this particular Park, I did notice park rangers sitting in their trucks near the Thornton Gap entrance. Something to keep in mind is how large this park actually is. I don't think I was aware of just how much space we would be covering. I'm proud to be able to boast that I hiked miles up Hawksbille to shenandoah's highest peak. There were 360° views that were absolutely breathtaking. Our 13-year-old dog made it to the top as well and Shenandoah does seem to be one of the more dog friendly national parks . If you can't make the hike or don't want to, don't be discouraged as there are lots of pullouts with gorgeous views as well. read more

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While visiting from California, my friend took me to Shenandoah National Park, and it was absolutely breathtaking! We hiked the Overall Run Trailhead and were rewarded with a stunning waterfall the views along the 7.2-mile hike were worth every step. We also drove up to Skyland and stopped at several overlooks that offered the most incredible panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. One of the coolest surprises was passing by a cave with fascinating history from there, you could see the blue mountains stretching endlessly into the distance. This park is a gem full of natural beauty and peaceful vibes. I truly hope to come back soon and explore even more. Highly recommended for anyone who loves hiking, scenic drives, and unforgettable views read more

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Beautiful park, so glad we were able to experience it during peak foliage season!! It does rain here occasionally so make sure you look at the weather app beforehand. Some of my favorite hikes were Dark Hollow Falls, Mary's summit, Stony man and Upper hawksbill trail. Was not a fan of Doyle falls. read more

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Shenandoah National Park is one of those places that truly reminds you how beautiful nature can be. The views along Skyline Drive are absolutely breathtaking and every turn opens up to another postcard-perfect scene. I went during the fall season and the colors were beyond amazing, every shade of orange yellow and red blending perfectly with the mountain backdrop. The air feels incredibly fresh and peaceful and it's the kind of place where you instantly slow down and just enjoy the moment. Whether you're hiking one of the trails or simply driving through, you'll find so many photo-worthy stops. The park is very well maintained and even though it's a large area the signs make it easy to navigate. I would definitely recommend coming early to make the most of the daylight because there's just so much to see. It's the perfect spot for hiking photography or even just clearing your mind. I left feeling recharged and grateful, it's one of those places that stays in your memory long after you leave. read more

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Shenandoah is such a beautiful park to visit all year long! Skyline drive has many lookouts to pull over and enjoy the views. If you are looking for a more physical challenge, there are so many trails to explore. Everything is well marked and each trailhead has a good amount of parking. I hiked the South River Falls Trail and enjoyed the sound of water the whole way leading to several waterfalls! Great park for everyone! read more

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so many trails, always have parking. beautiful scenery both while hiking up, on the drive, and at the top of mountains. so many swimming holes and waterfalls :) the meadows are also cute and romantic to stroll the facilities for dining and visitors are also very clean read more

Shenandoah National Park - Parks Near Me - Luray, Virginia

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Now I can say I have been to 2 national parks! Easy beautiful drive, in plenty of places to do a hard ,easy and or intermediate hike. The parking situation is that of most other national parks drive-in find somewhere to park. Start the walk to begin the hike. There was so much beautiful greenery to see I would recommend getting out to this national park as soon as you can read more

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Shenandoah NP is so incredible! Even at the end of the season so many hikes are still open and the overlooks are accessible too. The park ranger was super friendly and helpful getting my mom her America the Beautiful lifetime pass. If you're coming in the on season, be prepared for long lines and lots of hikers. read more

Absolutely gorgeous park with a lot to see and do! We loved Skyline Drive and even saw an elusive salamander!

Fall Leaves in 2024 Drive Washingtonian Wild Every Fall the citizens of the Greater DC Area, hop in their cars and go on a journey. A journey to see the lovely golden leaves, in shades of reds, orange and gold in the lovely Shenandoah National Park located Skyline Drive, in Southern Virginia.. My clever friend, Ms I has devised a beautiful alternative route in order to view the leaves and not get stuck in the mother of all traffic jams. We had a wonderful time, breathing in the fresh air and feeling the sunshine on our skin, while taking in all the beautiful leaves. It was a truly wonderful experience, with friends, human and canine. I'm ready for the next adventure into the woods, and I'll wait until Fall 2025. read more

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Love the area, so many trails and things to see. The camp sites look to be well laid out.

Must visit once in your lifetime. With the amount of history, and beauty this visit of ours was worth every minute and penny. The skyline drive is the highlight of the tour and everything else is even better! We enjoyed staying in Luroy and driving down to Shenandoah everyday. Every stop has a story to tell and everything else was just picturesque and beautiful! We visited in April and faced absolutely no crowds. read more

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Pro: panic area, gas station, friendly staff, beautiful scenery. Con: price. We decide to visit the national park on a day where the weather was nice with no humidity. The park has four gate entrance and pricing is a bit expensive in my opinion. It cost 30 dollar for a private sedan type vehicle but atleast the pass is good for 7 days. Driving up the mountain you have area to stop and look at the scenic view. You also have panic area scatter throughout the area. Once you reach the top there is a gas station, restaurants, walking trails , and a welcome center. The air was crisp and light wind blowing. All in all, I would recommend anyone in the area to come and explore this magical national park. read more

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Mountain of Youth Shenandoah has been one of my bucket list parks to reconnoiter for many years now, and with our summer road trip concluding in PA, the opportunity to check it out finally realized itself--and Shenandoah did not disappoint. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to do any hiking here, but a tour via Skyline Dr was still plenty enough to fill my cup. The Good: *One of the easiest parks to see most of what it has to offer with barely leaving your car, as Skyline Dr runs for 105 miles throughout the entirety of the park. *Three visitors centers that have restrooms and Wi-Fi available at the Byrd VC only. *The views are simply spectacular and everything John Denver promised. For the record, if you don't play "Country Road, Take Me Home" at least **ONCE** when driving the Skyline Dr, then you can't legally say you've actually been here. Don't kill the messenger, I don't write the rules, just enforce them. *Leashed pets are welcome on certain trails and campgrounds (check the website) The Meh: *$30/per car entrance fee (seven day pass) or free w/ Annual Park Pass ($80/year) *Cell signal is spotty at best, which is pretty SoP for most large National Parks. The Ugly: *Restrooms are limited to mostly the VCs from what I can gather, so take advantage when you happen across one. But, then again, you are in nature, so yeah... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ TLDR: Spectacular views and not to be missed if you're in the area. read more

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The famous Old Rag Circuit is a hike that I definitely want to conquer someday. I came to hike with my friend who has never hiked before, so we took the much easier and shorter Saddle Trail to reach the top of Old Rag Mountain. The trail took us about 4 hours total, including a lunch break at the top. The views were nice at the top, and I'm sure they would be spectacular in the fall. There were an abundance of pesky bees at the top though. I could not eat my lunch in peace. I felt like I didn't really get a classic national park experience because I didn't visit a visitor center or read any signage that taught me about the history or ecology of the park. We routed our map to Berry Hollow Parking Area, which took us to a parking lot that said Whiteout Canyon Area. One thing they could really improve is the signage. When we were driving to the park, there were absolutely zero road signs pointing to it, and there was no official park entrance for this area. I am really glad I bought the park day pass online in advance because there was nowhere nearby to buy a park pass and also no cell service. I asked the employee in the parking lot where we could find Berry Hollow, and he instructed us to drive farther up the road. Again, there were no signs pointing us there. I was disappointed by the lack of toilets at the trailhead. Luckily, there were very clean porta-potties at the fork in the trail about 0.8 miles in. A ranger was stationed here, and he had a printed list of all the Old Rag reservations. They were very strict about having advance reservations to hike Old Rag. They open one month in advance online, so I am glad I snagged them early. They were $2 per person. He also checked our day pass. I find it very inconvenient that they don't even have a park entrance in this area to buy a day pass, but you have to get one as they are very strict with enforcement. I felt that it was quite expensive at a total of $34 for two of us as there were no facilities nearby, and the hike was pretty short. read more

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Beautiful park to drive through to see the fall foliage and hikes! Been here over a dozen times in the past 5 years! The Overall Run hike and the White Oak Canyon hikes are strenuous steep long hikes (2-3 hours) with beautiful waterfalls and water holes on the Canyon trail, which connects to a few other trails. There are bears and plenty of deer, so be careful! The best overlooks for the fall foliage are Hogback Overlook (panoramic view of the valley and trees) and the Gooney Manor Overlook (great view of the sunset!) The wide open view by the Visitor Center and 1st overlook are good, too! Ironically, the further down you drive, the overlooks actually don't get much better after Hogback. We drove down to Pinnacle Picnic Ground, the Jewel Overlook was nice but not quite worth the extra hour drive there and back. The other overlooks were very similar and started to blur together. There are 1/2 dozen camp sites with running toilets (main visitor center, Matthew's Arm Campground, etc), while there portapotties at some of the trail heads. There aren't many, so you may want to limit your liquids. Overall, great national park and the $80 national park pass is well worth it ($25 entrance fee is a bit steep!). Love coming back! read more

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One of my favorite national parks I've visited so far. Shenandoah is absolute beautiful. We came here at the end of Spring, and the park was so green and lush with bright blue skies. Exactly as you would picture it. Our sole focus of coming to Shenandoah was to climb Old Rag Mountain, so our visit wasn't as traditional as others would be. The road to Old Rag doesn't go through the typical entrance to Shenandoah - it's more of a back road from a different direction. While more strenuous with the steep hike and rock scramble, Old Rag should be a consideration on your list for the beautiful views at the summit and the whole experience of the hike in general. We did make it to the main park a few days later and did a bit of the scenic drive - also beautiful in a different way from Old Rag. I wish we had more time to spend in this park so we could've discovered more of its beauty. A must stop for anyone interested in exploring nature or the natural parks. read more

Shenandoah National Park - Old Rag Summit - Parks Near Me - Luray, Virginia

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Another stunning National Park that was well worth the visit. We entered at the Front Royal entrance. Our National Parks pass covers 2 motorcyclists, so that was all we needed to enter. We rode the whole Skyline Drive to Waynesboro, stopping a few times along the way - at the visitor center & at a few different pull-offs. As we were pulling into the parking lot for the Harry F. Byrd, Sr. Visitor Center, I actually started crying in my helmet. Riding through Shenandoah National Park on my motorcycle was a bucket list item that I didn't expect to be able to cross off so soon. It lived up to every expectation & more. Lots of cool information about local wildlife & conservation efforts in the visitor center. And off course - great knick knacks. The bathrooms were clean & well stocked, also. The whole experience was breathtaking & surprisingly not too crowded in mid-October (peak leaf season!) We rode back through in the opposite direction a few days later & were blown away again. It never lost its dazzle. Note that the Skyline Drive closes in the winter for safety. read more

Shenandoah National Park - Pull off on Skyline Drive - Parks Near Me - Luray, Virginia

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Beautiful well-kept park with amazing lookouts and friendly rangers. I had an amazing experience reconnecting with nature while traversing the well maintained trails. The visitor centers and stores are well stocked and clean. All bathroom facilities were surprisingly spotless! I am extremely grateful for the work the rangers and volunteers have done through the government shutdown. read more

It's a beautiful National Park just a few hours away from DC - it's a very good day trip. It does get very crowded on federal holidays and Saturdays so I'd recommend arriving early. Old Rag is probably the most famous hike - and it's well worth the hype. I've done the hike several times and it's always fun. The hike involves a bit of scrambling (getting on your hands/knees to get past a few rocks) and has a lot of uphill switchbacks but it's not technical. Anyone in okay-ish shape can do this hike. It's always smart to bring a lot of water but fortunately, a lot of the hike is shaded with trees so it's not too miserable in the summer. I recommend avoiding the fireroad and returning by taking doing the route in reverse. The fireroad is honestly pretty boring and doesn't have great views while the route in reverse is more fun (though the downhill switchbacks are brutal on your knees). There's also plenty of other hiking options if you want something easier to do. I would strongly recommend coming here during the fall to witness the beautiful colors. read more

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I enjoyed Shenandoah! A group and I hiked up to Mary's Rock. The hike started a bit rough but after 15 minutes we were feeling amazing. The views at the top were worth every second. Definitely going to visit again some day and try a different trail! read more

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This is by far my favorite place to hike. I went to Buzzard Rocks Trail last week, and it was stunning. I love looking at different trees, and this trail was full of beauties. When you're completely silent, you can hear the peacefulness and serenity of the park. I went off-trail a little but had no problem finding my way back. People truly follow the 'Leave No Trace' principle, as there was no litter. I highly recommend this trail if you're looking for an easy hike with amazing views! read more

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One of the most beautiful national parks I have been to in my life. When we first moved to the Washington DC area, strangers kept telling me to go to Shenandoah to walk the nature trails and see the beautiful views of the autumn leaves. I took it as a sign to visit the place as soon as possible. I had read about the 150 miles of scenic views on Skyline Drive in Shenandoah and seen the photos online. This compelled me more to see this place. We were immediately stunned by the beautiful park and had mapped our visit. We went early in the morning to catch the sunrise and loved how there was no traffic. Military ID gets you a free pass to all the national parks. Overlook areas are spacious for many cars. Sunrise times are the best - no traffic and more peaceful. There are many overlook views and parking areas on Skyline drive. Bathrooms are available at visitor centers. The nature trails by the visitor center were easy to walk. We didn't cover the whole park in one day but we managed to get beautiful sunrise and sunset photos. Even though we visited in early November, October would be more ideal to see the autumn foliage and falling leaves. Driving at the correct speed limit is crucial. We saw a lot of people pulled over for speeding. Lots of deer crossing the road way especially during the morning. Definitely a place to visit again and again. read more

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This is possibly the most gorgeous national park to visit after touring Gettysburg. Give yourself a day to cruise down the Skyline Drive, then stay near Monticello in beautiful Charlottesville, Virginia. read more

For fall we decided to visit the Shenandoah National Park in West Virginia. Shenandoah is a known national park for its fall colors, hiking and beautiful views. There are different entry points to enter the park and it has different beautiful overlooks through which you can see the mountains. Don't miss the sunset, sunrise and also don't miss the night time at National Park as you can see the stars above. Definitely spend the amazing time at Shenandoah National Park. read more

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THIS MOST INCREDIBLE PLACE IN THE WORLD! I always come here when I need to relax and hike and eat and get lots of exercise and I come here during the fall spring and it is so breathtaking and beautiful views and they have lots of spots to eat have a picnic and restrooms and be careful of wild animals and be aware and cautious and lots of challenges of hikes and trails and unbelievable views and check the weather before you go up and hike and be prepared have lots of things with you and stay hydrated and go on trails and hikes with friends family or anyone you know and have a map it is worth it and and fun adventures lots of fun and the park rangers are wonderful friendly and helpful with people etc. I been coming here for years and seriously come here for a relaxing date or hike or see some gorgeous nature and animals and have fun but be cautious and relax take pictures and enjoy an awesome adventure. Merry Christmas happy holidays From lauren read more

Great place to visit! I guess my fiance's family has been coming here for years. The park was nice, clean, liked the rooms except there was no microwave or mini fridge so that kinda made it difficult. Plus the ice maker was on and off with working so... that was also kinda a bummer. Great place to visit though! We got some rooms right up the way from the restauraunt and the balconies have a gorgeous view! LOTS of hiking around and it's SO nice that there's a shop and convenience stores with gifts, snacks, a little cafe with actual cooked food and ALCOHOL! woooO! They have lots of different kinds of beer and wine here! That was SO convenient!!! Definitely pricey, but ... WORTTTHHHH ITTTTTT hahaha. NICE place to come get away, enjoy the greenery and outdoors and relaxxxxxxxxx. Nice place to get away and unplug and relax. read more

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The national park, which runs through somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 miles of a scenic mountain range, has much to offer. The park is connected by Skyline Drive, which is notably different from the Blue Ridge Parkway (which starts not far south). In this case, you need a park pass to get onto the road at all. I went through multiple entrance stations on what you'd figure would be one of their busier weekends and encountered minimal delays. The road was smooth and in good condition, but certainly quite twisty. Despite the intrinsic limitations, this is the sort of place where some people seem perfectly content to go double the speed limit and tailgate anyone who doesn't concur. It might be a tough sort of behavior to stop, but I wish the park would figure something out. Fortunately, there are numerous areas where you can pull off, and while you're dodging the road demons, you can take in some great views. Numerous trails with water features and other attractions abound. Multiple nature centers offer information and there are plenty of facilities. A few areas were short on parking, but most had enough. It's been multiple decades since I've been camping in this area, but I have fond memories, and there are a lot of places to camp. Unlike a lot of the other more mountainous national parks that are remote from urban centers, this one is not far from DC (or Richmond). It certainly feels like another world though. read more

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Beautiful national park with lots of great spots to stop and hike. We went when it was pouring so we didn't hike as much but it was still beautiful. read more

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Virginia has this natural beauty that many people sleep on, or just don't realize until they've visited. The mountains here are just stunning... And that is the main attraction for Shenandoah National Park, making those long hikes worth it once you get to the cliffside. We drove from DC, so the North entrance was the closest option for us. Once you enter, you will immediately begin on Skyline Drive, which is such an amazing scenic road! I wish we could have driven it all, but it takes about 3 hours to go through. And because of this, the park is stretched out pretty far, with many of the most popular trails being quite a bit away from each other. We stared at the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center, which was a nice facility and had nice restrooms next door. There's also a perfect view of the mountains from behind it! We hiked the Fox Hollow Trail and some of the Dickey Ridge Trail. Perfect for any level of hiker, not a whole lot to see besides the forest but it makes for a relaxing walk. An important thing to know is that it's practically impossible to see everything in one day here since it is so spread out. If you're a crammer like me and only have one day, I would suggest starting early and mapping out how far you are willing to drive for certain trails! We had a nice time here and I really enjoyed the views. read more

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Shenandoah National Park is a get place to hike. There are trails of varying difficulties, so people can pick which hikes to do based off of distance, mobility and how steep the trail may become. There are many outlooks along the way to take a break and enjoy the view. There are also a couple areas for camping, lodging, restrooms and food. Please note that some of these are seasonal, so around mid-November, a few of these areas are closed and the water fountains at some campsites are shut down due to the cold. read more

Absolutely loved this park - some of the trails were very well designed and we were rewarded for our efforts with some stunning vistas. Enjoyed the Point Overlook as well as Stony Mountain. read more

Shenandoah National Park - Eastern side of the mountain range - Parks Near Me - Luray, Virginia

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This is one of those parks that is easily enjoyable for any ability level. If hiking is your thing, there are plenty of hikes from easy to difficult to choose from. If hiking isn't your thing, you can just cruise Skyline Drive or wander around the meadows. The foliage in the fall is amazing but don't miss the wildflowers in the spring. If you're traveling in winter make sure to check when Skyline Drive is closed for the season. Like other national parks, this one is very crowded, even prior to COVID. With one main road through the park and few people using the pull offs, to let faster traffic pass, the traffic can become unbearable at times. This park, like most, is most enjoyable early morning and early evening, when crowds are lower and wildlife is out and about. read more

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