An Overview of Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park is just a couple of hours from DC, and any time you have the hours it is worth spending them to get there. It's one of the most beautiful places in North America, and it's a personal favorite of mine. It's probably also the single best National  (or State, for that matter) Park I've visited. The biggest strength of the park is the variety it offers. The presence of Skyline Drive means that anyone who can ride in a car can experience nature's majesty there, but bikers and cyclists take advantage, as well. Over 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail wind through the park, and this accounts for a mere twenty percent of the total hiking trail mileage. One can hop out of a car and hike for 100 yards, or one can backpack for over a week. Lodging options range from backcountry camping (with a permit) to living in style at Skyland Resort. Less polarized options include four campgrounds, Big Meadows Lodge, and cabins.

Our favorite spots within the park

Big Meadows (will take a number of photos to really capture)

The Visitor Center photographed from the meadows themselves.

The old man and I resting in a gnarled old tree.

The "back" of the meadow, in a different season. Can you tell that they weren't kidding when they called it "Big"?

We followed some wild turkeys back into the woods which surround Big Meadows; I didn't get any photos though.

Perhaps the best feature of Big Meadows, for us, is that it allows Franklin to really be a Beagle (or a Basset, whichever of his halves you prefer).

Mary's Rock

Laurel enjoys lunch and one of our favorite views within SNP.

Franklin, however, is just tired.

Snead Farm Trail

The old Snead barn...this spot is accessible from a number of hiking circuits. It's a pretty gentle walk up a fire road coming from the Drive. Someone else took a clearer photo here.

Our other favorite spot is the Elkwallow Wayside. I couldn't believe I didn't have my own photos of this...but I'll borrow one. I think we like this place so much because we ran across it after a long, impromptu hike...this was our first trip to the park and we were both very tired and completely unsuspecting that such a place existed. We were in heaven.


Wildlife

The official NPS website provides this nice set of lists. No mushroom list, though, so grrr. I have encounterd black bears, bobcats, eagles and hawks, and a staggering variety of mushrooms. One species I have not seen is the Shenandoah salamander (Plethodon shenandoah). This little guy is interesting because it is found only in Shenandoah National Park, and because it is also the only endangered species within the park. I plan to look for some on my next visit, although it sounds like its range is limited even within the park. The diversity of plants and birds is also incredible, though many of the birds stay so high in the trees that they are rarely seen.

Hello black bear (Ursus americanus). It's fun to greet such an icon of the park (from a distance).

This (wooly) bear was a little smaller. Pyrrharctia isabella larvae are quite well-known, but I'm not sure I'd know the adult on sight.

Yes, there are white-tailed deer as well.

Clavicorona pyxidata is an edible but odd mushroom. It has mild laxative properties, so moderation is in order. I don't recommend eating this (even if you're experienced), because it's not quite tasty enough to make up for the potential negative effects.

I think this is a specimen of Pholiota limonella. I don't know if it has a common name.

I got a three-for one deal here. This white cabbage butterfly, Pieris rapae, decided to feast on some red clover (Trifolium pratense, I believe) amid a field of white clover (Trifolium repens).

A mountain laurel (known superlocally as the "my girlfriend plant"). These are quite common throughout Shenandoah. Binomial name: Kalmia latifolia.

Well, I hope you are intrigued by the wonder of Shenandoah now. I can't wait for my own next trip, and I'm sure I'll have an overexcited blog post to share when I return.