Start with Luray Caverns, the largest caverns in the Eastern U.S. Finish up connecting to the Blue Ridge Parkway in the south. And stuff the middle with the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and Skyline Drive, a National Historic Landmark. It’s no wonder Shenandoah National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the U.S.
The park’s more than 500 miles of hiking trails include 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Visitors not inclined to hike can enjoy 75 scenic overlooks on Skyline Drive. The 200,000-acre park contains more than a dozen waterfalls, fields upon fields of wildflowers, and more than 60 mountain peaks with altitudes between 2,000 and 4,000 feet. Shenandoah is home to abundant wildlife, including songbirds, deer and black bears.
Flowing streams throughout the park offer ideal conditions for fly-fishing; they’re so perfect that President Herbert Hoover, an avid fan of the sport, built his summer retreat in Shenandoah National Park.
In addition to the National Park Service, the Shenandoah National Park Trust helps maintain the trails and parklands. For more information on how you can help care for the park, visit snptrust.org.
