First and foremost, the name Shenandoah conjures up a legendary river, one that flows through America's past in song, print, and folklore. And the valley that bears its name is easily the most beautiful in Virginia, an idyllic landscape of rolling hills and pastures, bounded by mountains on either side and bisected by the majestic river.

Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park lies high above this classic American panorama, 300 square miles stretched out along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a precious reminder of the great hardwood forest that once blanketed the northeastern United States.

Maybe it's Shenandoah's serpentine shape, the fact that it parallels a river, or the famous motorway that bisects the park, but this is a park meant for motion. People come here to paddle, to bike and drive, and, of course, to hike. For on top of everything else there is to do in and around Shenandoah, a certain hiking path known as the Appalachian Trail just happens to run for 100 miles through the entire park.

Chances are you won't be able to see and do everything you planned when visiting Shenandoah, but you won't be alone if you feel the need to return again and again.

Move on to Top Park Picks

Return to Top

RELATED GORP LINKS
GORP Parks and Preserves
Virginia Resources
GORPtravel