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Accessibility
Most comfort stations and buildings are accessible or accessible with help. Overnight accommodations are available at Lewis Mountain, Skyland and Big Meadows Lodge.
The trail circles through an old-growth forest of magnificent hemlocks and includes a 65 foot bridge and 150 foot boardwalk.
Restrooms and buildings - Most are accessible or accessible with help.
Lodging and dining - Accessible lodging facilities are available at Skyland, Big Meadows, and Lewis Mountain. All dining facilities in the park are accessible.
Picnic grounds and campgrounds - Accessible sites are available at all park picnic grounds and campgrounds. Coin-operated shower and laundry facilities are accessible at Big Meadows, Lewis Mountain, and Loft Mountain Campgrounds. Restrooms at picnic areas are accessible with assistance.
Trail. At milepost 43 the accessible Limberlost Trail features a gently sloping 1.3-mile circuit with a 5-foot wide, hard-packed, crushed-greenstone surface. It is a gently sloping with a less than 8% gradient and benches are at frequent intervals. The trail winds through an oak forest with dense mountain laurel, an old apple orchard, and an old-growth hemlock forest. People with mobility limitations, families with baby strollers, and novice hikers can experience the splendor of the Limberlost.
Visitors with hearing impairments. The narrative for the orientation slide show at Dickey Ridge Visitor Center is displayed beneath the slides. A variety of handouts are available at Dickey Ridge and Byrd Visitor Centers and the Loft Mountain Information Station. Further information or assistance may be obtained by calling the Virginia Relay Center at: 800-828-1120 (TDD) or 800-828-1140 (voice).
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a public footpath across 2,144 miles of Appalachian Mountain ridgelines from Maine to Georgia and was designed, constructed, and marked in the 1920s and 1930s by volunteer hiking clubs joined together by the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC).
See the Park Information Page for more information.
Basic Recommendations
I recommend that you plan your trip and the areas you would like to see and then go and relax and make a day of it. Go and see all that is in the area and enjoy it. You spend more quality time and learn and see more than you could ever imagine.
Shenandoah National Park lies astride a beautiful section of the Blue Ridge, which forms the eastern rampart of the Appalachian Mountains between Pennsylvania and Georgia. In the valley to the west is the Shenandoah River, from which some feel the Park gets its name, and between the north and south forks of the river is Massanutten, a 40-mile-long mountain. To the east is the rolling Piedmont country. Providing vistas of the spectacular landscape is Skyline Drive, a winding road that runs along the crest of this portion of the Blue Ridge Mountains through the length of the Park.
Backcountry Camping Most of Shenandoah National Park, including its wilderness, is open to backcountry camping. Special regulations for backcountry camping are intended to keep campers and the park in the best possible condition. A free permit is required for backcountry camping. Permits are available by mail from Park Headquarters.
See the Camping Page for more information.
Biking
Bicycling is permitted along Skyline Drive and on paved areas in the park, but nowhere else. (The park is preserving the natural world, so no off-road riding of any kind is permitted on trails, fire roads, or grassy open areas.) Because Skyline Drive is a two-lane road with steep hills and many blind curves, park officials do not encourage bicycling, especially for children.
Camping
There are five campgrounds in Shenandoah National Park. See the Camping Page for more information.
| Private Non-commercial Vehicle | $ 10.00 | December through February. Valid for single, private, non-commercial vehicles such as passenger cars, pickup trucks, motorcycles with two or more occupants, RVs, vans, and converted buses. Valid for day of purchase and next six days. |
| Private Non-commercial Vehicle | $ 15.00 | March through November. Valid for single, private, non-commercial vehicles such as passenger cars, pickup trucks, motorcycles with two or more occupants, RVs, vans, and converted buses. Valid for day of purchase and next six days. |
| Motorcycle | $ 10.00 | Valid for day of purchase and next six days. |
| Individual | $ 5.00 | December through February. Per person 16 years of age or older when entering by means other than a private, non-commercial vehicle. |
| Individual | $ 8.00 | March through November. Per person 16 years of age or older when entering by means other than a private, non-commercial vehicle. |
| Annual Pass | $ 20.00 | Good one year from date of purchase. An annual pass for entrance into Shenandoah National Park for persons entering in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle or alternatively the pass owner, spouse, children and parents when a per-person fee is charged. Valid for 12 months from month of purchase. Pass is non-transferable and valid for one vehicle only. |
| National Parks Pass | $ 50.00 | Good one year from date of purchase. An annual pass for entrance into all NATIONAL PARK entrance fee areas for persons entering in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle, or alternatively the pass owner, spouse, children and parents when a per-person fee is charged. Valid for 12 months from the month of purchase. Pass is non-transferable and valid for one vehicle only. |
| Gold Access Pass | Free | Lifetime - good in all national parks. Available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. who have a permanent physical, mental, or sensory impairment that severely limits one or more major life activities. Valid for lifetime of the holder and allows free entry to federal entrance fee areas and 50% discount on user fees in federal areas. |
| Golden Age Pass | $ 10.00 | One time fee. Lifetime - good in all national parks. Available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents age 62 and over. Valid for the lifetime of the holder and allows free entry to federal entrance fee areas and 50% discount on user fees in federal areas. |
| Golden Eagle Pass | $ 15.00 | An annual pass for entrance into all FEDERAL recreation fee areas for persons entering in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle, or alternatively the pass owner, spouse, children and parents when a per-person fee is charged. Valid for 12 months from the month of purchase. Pass is non-transferable and valid for one vehicle only. A Golden Eagle Passp is a eagle hologram sticker placed on the front of a National Park Pass. |
Commercial Tour Fees
A commercial tour is defined as consisting of "one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the services."
Entrance fees are based upon the total capacity of the vehicles that can carry seven or more passengers. Possession of a national park passport or the age of the passengers does not affect the price charged. Entrance fees are valid for the day of purchase and the next six days for a vehicle carrying the same group of passengers.
Capacity Fees:
Educational Fee Waivers
Entrance fees may be waived for visits by bona fide educational or scientific institutions recognized by a federal, state, or local governmental entity. The group must be visiting the park as part of an educational program that relates to the resources of the park. Educational fee waivers will not be granted for visits which are solely recreational.
Fee waivers for educational groups should be requested on official letterhead in advance and mailed to:
Shenandoah National Park
3655 U.S. Hwy 211 E.
Luray, VA 22835
Attention: Education Office
Please state the number of people, the purpose of the trip, the date of entry into the park, and the duration of the visit.
Fishing
A Virginia fishing license is required for those between 16 and 65.
See the Hiking Page for more information.
Food and Supplies
Waysides
Elkwallow at Mile 24.1
Big Meadows at Milepost 51
Loft Mountain at Mile 79.5
Campstores
Elkwallow at Mile 24.1
Big Meadows at Milepost 51
Lewis Mountain at Mile 57.6
Loft Mountain at Mile 79.5
Wood, Ice, Showers, Washers and Dryers
Big Meadows Wayside at Milepost 51
Lewis Mountain at Mile 57.6
Loft Mountain at Mile 79.5
Dining and Food Service
Elkwallow Wayside at Mile 24.1
Panorama Restaurant and Gift Shop at Mile 31.5
Skyland Lodge at Mile 41.7
Big Meadows Wayside at Milepost 51
Big Meadows Lodge at Milepost 51
Loft Mountain Wayside at Mile 79.5
Gasoline
In season, gasoline is available at:
Hiking
There are over 500 miles of hiking trails in Shenandoah National Park. The trails vary in length from short-stretchers to a 101 mile segment of the Appalachian Trail that runs the length of the park. Many of the trailheads are located on Skyline Drive and in the developed areas. The Whiteoak Canyon Trail leads to six waterfalls and an old-growth forest.
See the Hiking Page for more information.
Horseback Riding
There are more than 150 miles of horse trails in the park. Visitors may bring their own horses, or sign up for a guided trail ride from the Skyland Stables (May through October).
Horseback riding is available at Skyline, weather permitting. Riders must be at least 4 ft 10 in height. Pony rides are available for children.
See the Hiking Page for more information.
Lodging
Lodges and Cabins in the park are:
Big Meadows Lodge
Lewis Mountain Cabins
Skyland Lodge
For more information see the Lodging Page.
Permits and Reservations
Most of Shenandoah National Park, including its wilderness, is open to backcountry camping. Special regulations for backcountry camping are intended to keep campers and the park in the best possible condition. A free permit is required for backcountry camping. Permits are available by mail from Park Headquarters.
See the Camping Page for more information on permits.
Click here for more information on reserving campgrounds. No reservations are needed to enter the park
Pet Information
Pet owners have the special responsibility of following park rules for pets. Pets must be on a leash at all times in the park. Pets are allowed in campgrounds, but not in lodging units. Your pet is allowed on most trails, if he/she is on a 6-foot lead. But a few trails are rocky, or designed for family groups; and one trail is ADA accessible. For the protection of the park and the safety of others, a few trails, listed here from north to south, are not open to pets:
Picnic Areas
There are seven picnic areas. Tables, fireplaces, drinking fountains and restrooms are provided.
See the Hiking Page for more information.
Programs and Activities
There are various Ranger programs and activities and Jr. Ranger activities. See the Calendar Page for more information.
There is also hiking (over 500 miles of hiking trails), picnicking, camping in a regular campground or backcountry camping, participating in conducted activities, watching the audiovisual programs and viewing the exhibits in the visitor centers, fishing in one of 30 legal Park streams, or just plain relaxing in the peaceful surroundings.
See the Calendar Page, Hiking Page and Camping Page for more information.
Ticks
Protect yourself against ticks.
As you walk through foothill grasses, a tick may hitch a ride. Tick bites are painless, but a small percentage of ticks carry Lyme disease. If you have been hiking in brushy or grassy areas, check yourself thoroughly when you return from your hike. Use tick repellent to all clothing, including footwear, according to label instructions. Tuck shirts into pants and pants into socks. If you find a tick, remove it with tweezers and seek a ranger's or doctor's advice. Wash the area thoroughly with soap and water.
Visitor Centers
Dickey Ridge Visitor Center
Harry F. Byrd, Sr. Visitor Center
Loft Mountain Information Center
See the Calendar Page for more information
Weather
The mountains in Shenandoah National Park are usually 10 degrees cooler than the valley below. Winters can be severe with snow and ice and summer showers are the usual. Layered clothing is always suggested.
See the Weather Page for current conditions, forecasts and other weather data.
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