Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park was established in 1936 in part to create a "nature" national park in the east, that would be within a day's drive of millions of people, and to provide a natural refuge with cool, dry air for city dwellers in the humid summer months along the Atlantic Coast.  President Hoover also found refuge in a cabin he had built on the Rapidan.  The controversial thing about Shenandoah is that thousands of people had to be removed from their homes on the Blue Ridge for the park to be created.

Sunset view from the summit of  Little Stony Man Mountain.

At a glance, Shenandoah is basically two things: big hills and trees.  The Skyline Drive, the main attraction in the park, winds through the mountains and woods, revealing frequent overlooks of the surrounding countryside on the Piedmont. 

We took a couple short hikes to the tops of the two tallest mountains in the park, Little Stony Man and Hawksbill.  Along the trails, it was not difficult to notice the overgrazing caused by too many deer.  A ranger had advised us that taking the long route around Hawksbill using the Appalachian Trail provided better views and birdwatching opportunities.  I wouldn't say the views were that great (but better than the direct route, for sure), but the birds were easier to see, including Carolina chickadees, woodpeckers, and a warbler I couldn't identify for sure but that I think was a female black-throated green warbler.

Hawksbill Mountain, the tallest in Shenandoah National Park.

We stayed at the Skyland Lodge, and got a room with a phenomenal view.  But I can't say I liked staying there much.  The room came supplied with Starbucks coffee, but no coffee mug!  And it smelled like cigarettes!  And the dining room staff seated us for dinner and forgot about actually serving us for about 10 minutes!  I hate park concessions! 

We drove from north to south through the park, winding down the Skyline Drive through colorful woods.  I don't know my eastern hardwoods well enough to tell you what we saw, but there were plenty of fall colors and blowing leaves with a high pressure system blowing in the second day of our visit.  As we exited, we drove down the Blue Ridge Parkway for quite a distance.  At the entrance at Humpback Rocks, we toured a historic farmstead, complete with several chickens and a bear-proof hog house.

Shenandoah is a neat place to explore, especially with fall colors lighting the woods.  It's all pretty, but a little monotonous after too long because the habitats and scenery don't really change significantly.  The displays in the visitor centers are some of the best I have seen in an NPS site.