Shenandoah National Park

            The next National Park I will discuss is Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.  I want to share this because it is the closest to home.  So if you haven’t been already, maybe you can check it out the next nice day we have.  Shenandoah National Park is a little over two hours away, so it could make for a pretty nice day trip.  I have visited Shenandoah National Park a few times growing up, places like Skyline and Luray Caverns, also the Natural Bridge with my family. 

            The park has a long strip of road called Skyline Drive.  The road starts in Front Royal, Virginia and runs for about 105 miles, the entire length of the park.  The park also includes 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail.  For those who don’t know, the Appalachian Trail runs from Mount Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia.  The trail is approximately 2,184 miles long.  The are over 500 miles of trails in the park all together.

            Along Skyline Drive there are plenty of stops to be made.  Two stops of which I already mentioned and are well worth checking out, Skyline Caverns and Luray Caverns.  The park is also home to many waterfalls, nine of which can be accessed from trails leading off of Skyline Drive.  The park also offers campsites (backcountry or campground) and resort lodging or cabins.

            With lots to offer and close to home, Shenandoah National Park is a great place to send the day with family or friends.