in this video, I talk about my 4 favorite things to do in Shenandoah National Park, VA. This beautiful national park lies in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, about 75 miles west of Washington DC. The park is over a hundred miles long and as you could imagine, there are countless activities to do within this park.
This video was taken in the end of April, so you can really see which trees have leaves and which do not. As we hiked or drove down from Skyline drive, even just 900 feet would be enough to completely transform.
Additional Notes:
SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK
General:
One of the few national parks on the east coast
Established in 1935
Home to the famous SKYLINE DRIVE which is 105 miles long
Virginial mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains (part of the Appalachian mountain range), just 75 mi outside of Washington DC,
Land acquired through eminent domain. There is a long story there including claims of embellished claims local inbreeding
Parts of the park was used to train troops for WW2
5 campgrounds (some are first come first serve, and others allow reservations when in season)
3 lodges/cabins
9 major waterfalls to hike in and see - tallest one is 91 ft, but there are countless smaller ones along every creek
ROSE RIVER FALLS TRAIL / DARK HOLLOW FALLS:
Start at mile 49.4
Moderate difficulty, 4 mi, 910 ft elevation change
Hike clockwise to go down the rocky side (relatively easy) and then up the gradual fire road
You will also see Dark Hollow falls at the bottom and you can optionally add a quarter mile to hike up that waterfall
Cemetery on the way back
SKYLINE DRIVE
105 miles long, spanning the entire park
More than 75 overlook
Countless overlooks and pull offs to get the best view on the east or west side.
I recommend stopping at these all day to see amazing views, at sunrise, at sunset, and pull over to take a look at the stars at night
HAWKSBILL SUMMIT - start on Skyline drive pull off mile 45.5
1.7 mi round trip - which means you go up 520 ft
Very rapid ascent
Birds nest 2 - you can see Old Rag Mountain on your right
OLD RAG MOUNTAIN
You need to drive out of the park to get here
This does still require the park entrance fee, so be sure to stop and pay, or show them your pass
7.5 hrs (we did it in 6)
2380 ft elevation gain
Very strenuous - includes rock scrambling
9.2 mile circuit
Birds Nest 1 resides here - and you can see Hawksbill from the summit
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WHAT GEAR DO I USE?
My camera: amzn.to/2VT3gzN
My microphone: amzn.to/2VKR4kE
My other camera: amzn.to/2BlCcQ4
My tripod: amzn.to/2IebL0V
Please comment below with any questions you might have. Thank you all for watching! I appreciate you!
Disclaimer: This video is purely based on my experiences, research, and opinions. You and only you are responsible for your actions. I made this channel to advise viewers and I truly hope to help you all out. I love making these videos and connecting with my viewers!
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#ShenandoahNationalPark #OBRTravel