Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food
  • Holidays & Entertaining
  • Home & Garden
  • Style & Culture
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • The Most Popular Hairstyles of 2021

      The Most Popular Hairstyles of 2021

      The trendy haircuts you’ll be seeing everywhere this year. Read More Next
    • How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Read More Next
    • The Right Way to Heat a Pre-Cooked Ham

      The Right Way to Heat a Pre-Cooked Ham

      It's so easy, trust us. Read More Next
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food
    How Long Do Deviled Eggs Last in the Fridge?

    How Long Do Deviled Eggs Last in the Fridge?

    Best practices for dealing with deviled eggs
    • All Food
    • All Recipes
    • Holidays & Occasions
    • Quick Fix Suppers
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Casseroles
    • Healthy Recipes
  • Holidays & Entertaining

    Holidays & Entertaining

    See All Holidays & Entertaining
    70 Wedding Vow Examples That Will Melt Your Heart

    70 Wedding Vow Examples That Will Melt Your Heart

    Fight writer's block and find ways to express your love with these romantic, funny, and short wedding vow examples.
    • Christmas
    • Entertaining
    • Thanksgiving
    • Southern Weddings
    • Easter
    • Kentucky Derby
    • Valentine's Day
    • 4th of July
    • Mother's Day
  • Home & Garden

    Home & Garden

    See All Home & Garden
    30 Containers for Covered Porches That Will Thrive in the Shade

    30 Containers for Covered Porches That Will Thrive in the Shade

    Some containers have all the sun. These shady planters, though, are having plenty of fun sans sun. We’ve gathered all of our favorite shade-loving containers to inspire your planting this season. If you have a shady yard or want to perk up a shaded spot in your home, at your front door, on your porch, or around your patio, put together a pretty shade-loving container that’s also easy to care for. Plants like caladiums and creeping Jenny will thrive in the shade, and they’ll also add great color and movement to your planters. If you’re looking for the best plants for the shade and great flowers that thrive in shade, also reach for impatiens, coleus, sweet potato vines, mazus, vincas, torenias, violas, petunias, pansies, hellebores (Lenten roses), hostas, astilbes, and trilliums. They look great and will thrive in full to partial shade. Shade-loving flowers aren’t too hard to find. Ask around at your local garden store, and you’ll be able to locate the ingredients and put together any one of these shade-tolerant container ideas. Also, in regards to your container, don’t forget to think vertical. We love pots and planters, but a hanging basket is another great option, as is an elevated planter, which will make a statement and take advantage of any vertical space.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Before & After
    • Inspired Communities
    • Curb Appeal
    • House Plans & Builders
    • The Grumpy Gardener
    • Plant Names A-Z
  • Style & Culture

    Style & Culture

    See All Style & Culture
    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    70 Cute and Funny Nicknames For Your Best Friends

    Let your besties know how much they mean to you with these unique nicknames.
    • Southern Culture
    • Hair
    • Travel
    • Beauty
    • Pets
    • Southern Fashion
    • Healthy Living
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Southern Living Books this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. travel
  3. south-east
  4. These Shenandoah Gems Will Make Your Trip to the Park Unforgettable

These Shenandoah Gems Will Make Your Trip to the Park Unforgettable

By Richard Banks and Kim Cross
Updated March 04, 2020
Skip gallery slides
Save FB Tweet
Take a Hike
Credit: Photo: Scott Suchman

Stretching for more than 100 miles through Virginia, Shenandoah National Park has lured generations of nature lovers with its gorgeous mountain vistas, winding hiking trails, and tumbling waterfalls.

Still, the 196,000-acre natural area remains one of the National Park Service’s most undiscovered gems. While the Blue Ridge Parkway (which becomes Skyline Drive once it enters the park) attracts some 17 million people every year, and 10 million or so visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the south, only about 1 million stop by Shenandoah.

“So many people don’t know we’re right here,” says Karen Beck-Herzog, the park’s management assistant. “But the people who know the park love it.”

Ready to plan a trip? You can hike, camp, and picnic in this beauty of a park that's only an hour’s drive from Washington D.C. Here are the picks from the park's biggest fans that are sure to make your visit memorable. 

Start Slideshow

1 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Family Hike

Shenandoah National Park Hiking and Cabins: Family Hike
Credit: Photo: Scott Suchman

Dark Hollow Falls Trail

Recommended by: Felicia Wilson. “It’s not a very difficult or long hike, but it passes by some really beautiful scenery and a waterfall," she says.

Felicia goes to the park with her husband and their 2-year-old son. “We’ve always gone to the park as a family, so we use the shorter, less strenuous trails,” Felicia says. “But I don’t feel like we’ve missed out on any of Shenandoah’s beauty.”

1 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Moderate Hike

Shenandoah National Park Hiking and Cabins: Moderate Hike
Credit: Photo: Scott Suchman

Whiteoak Canyon Trail

Recommended by: Kelle Singelton. “It’s a nice hike in the fall when the leaves are changing and the smells of autumn come to life,” she says. Whiteoak Falls, the park’s second-highest, measures 86 feet and makes a great photo op.

When she was about 12 years old, Kelle’s parents bought a plot of land bordering the park so they could all go camping. “Consequently my family would head to the park almost every weekend, pretty much dragging along anyone who was visiting us,” Kelle says. “We always felt like the park was partly ours since we lived so close to it.”

2 of 8

3 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Strenuous Hike

Shenandoah National Park Hiking and Cabins: Strenuous Hike
Credit: Photo: Scott Suchman

The Tuscarora-Overall Run Trail Loop

Recommended by: Anne Ricciuti. “It has everything—waterfalls, terrific views, and the remains of farms and buildings," she says.

Anne has hiked all but about 50 of its more than 500 miles of trails, backpacked for days at a time within its borders, and recently began rock climbing.

3 of 8

Advertisement

4 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Swimming Hole

Shenandoah National Park Hiking and Cabins: Swimming Hole
Credit: Photo: Scott Suchman

Cedar Run Falls, a mere 34 feet, gives any water park a run for its money. This skinny waterfall carved a steep chute in the surrounding rock. The plunge into its cool, deep pool will take away whatever breath you have left after the hike.

But take care and look before you leap. “This is one of the best swimming holes on the planet,” says Andy Nichols of Shenandoah Mountain Guides.

4 of 8

5 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Overlooks

Take a Hike
Credit: Photo: Scott Suchman

Kelle’s Favorite: Bearfence Mountain and the Hawksbill Summit Trail. “Back in college we would climb the Bearfence for a great 360-degree view. Today I like a more easily accessible spot like the overlook from the Hawksbill Summit Trail parking area.”

Felecia’s Favorite: Buck Hollow. “It’s only a few minutes’ walk from the Thornton Gap entrance to the park. Standing on Buck Hollow and looking out on the hills and forests below makes you feel small in comparison.”

Anne’s Favorite: Brown Mountain Overlook. “I love the view looking south to the Rockytop.”

5 of 8

6 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Picnic Places

Shenandoah National Park Hiking and Cabins: Picnic Places
Credit: Photo: Cary Jobe

Anne’s Favorite: In the South District. “I hiked there for five days last summer and saw more bears than people.”

Felicia’s Favorite: Big Meadows Campground. “We once sat outside on the grass and ate while being watched by deer.”

Kelle’s Favorite: Near one of the waterfalls along Whiteoak Canyon Trail. “The lower falls are my favorites. They’re not the biggest of the park’s falls, but they’re close to a great swimming hole.”

6 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Lodging

Shenandoah National Park Hiking and Cabins: Lodging
Credit: Photo: Courtesy ARAMARK Parks and Destinations

There are three places to stay in the park: Big Meadows Lodge (pictured), Skyland Resort Hotel, and Lewis Mountain Cabins.

Our favorite rooms are the ones Skyland Resort lists on its website as “Blue Ridge Rooms.” On a clear day you can see into West Virginia from most of their balconies.

For reservations, visit goshenandoah.com or call 877/847-1919.

Camping
The park has four campgrounds. Our favorite is the Loft Mountain Campground (434-823-4675). For great views, check out campsites A2-A10 on the west side of the campground and sites A34b-g on the east. Visit recreation.gov.

7 of 8

8 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Make Plans to Visit

Shenandoah National Park Hiking and Cabins: Make Plans to Visit

Guides
Shenandoah Mountain Guides can help you plan just about any activity within the park, from canoeing and rock climbing to backpacking and hiking trips. Visit teamlinkinc.com/shenandoah or call 301-695-1814.

More Information
For more information on the Shenandoah National Park, visit nps.gov/shen or call 540-999-3500. For more on what to see and do, go to visitskylinedrive.org.

8 of 8

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Richard Banks and Kim Cross

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 8 Family Hike
2 of 8 Moderate Hike
3 of 8 Strenuous Hike
4 of 8 Swimming Hole
5 of 8 Overlooks
6 of 8 Picnic Places
7 of 8 Lodging
8 of 8 Make Plans to Visit

Share options

Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Login

Southern Living

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Books from Southern Living
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Meredith Southern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Southern Living is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab All Rights Reserved. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.southernliving.com

View image

These Shenandoah Gems Will Make Your Trip to the Park Unforgettable
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.