Like a great, hazy shadow against the sky, the Blue Ridge Mountains rise
between the Piedmont and the Valley of Virginia. The 105-mile Skyline
Drive winds along the Blue Ridge highland, crossing and recrossing the
crest. It roughly bisects Shenandoah National Park, which encompasses
over 300 square miles of scenic mountain country and claims 60 peaks
that rise 3,000 to 4,000 feet. Seventy-five parking overlooks on the
drive give you panoramic views of the Piedmont to the east and
Shenandoah River Valley to the west. From Hogback Overlook, on a clear
day, you can count 11 bends in the river and look down on fertile
valleys where Indian villages once stood.
To know Shenandoah National Park, to discover its secrets, you must take
time to stop, look, and listen. For adventure, you must explore. Leave
your car at one of the overlooks or visitor-use areas, and hike or ride
horseback along the trail. Between the drive and the park’s boundaries
are miles of ridges and valleys, hills and hollows, laced with sparkling
streams and waterfalls. Trout lurk in shadowed pools, and wild gardens
of rock, vines, shrubs, and wildflowers nestle only a short walk from
the busy roadway.
At night, take time to look down on the twinkling lights of Luray, in
Shenandoah Valley, and to see the stars through air so crystal-clear
they seem almost within reach. On a rainy day, watch the fog roll in
like a tidal wave; on a sunny day, see the cloud shadows sweep across
hill and valley.