Shenandoah National Park: History, Trails, and Fall Colors, Virginia

The Trip

Shenandoah National Park is a glittering jewel in the Appalachian Range; a 300-square-mile sanctuary of secluded canyons, roaring waterfalls, diverse flora and animal life, rich in cultural history. We will hike past pioneer farms and home sites from a bygone era where settlers scratched out lives in the craggy mountain highlands. The scenic Skyline Drive parallels the Appalachian Trail. Hikes ascend and descend the ridge, alongside rivers and into deep hollows. In the event of heavy rain the group may visit the park headquarters at Big Meadows, or a local winery and apple orchard. At the end of each day we will enjoy the comfort of a bed in a warm lodge exclusively reserved for our group. The 16-room log structure has a full kitchen, meeting space, and a library. Our lodge is situated on a family-owned and operated farm and retreat center, nestled deep in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. During our stay, the owner of the property will eagerly provide a historical overview of the region and the development of the national park.

The Project

One day of the outing will be devoted to service work on a lovely trail just outside the national park. We will meet at a cabin owned by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC) where the trail system district manager will have identified a section of the trail that needs work and will provide a broader context to our activity. A trail maintainer with PATC will lead our project, instructing us on maintenance techniques and conservation measures. Tools, hard hats, and safety glasses will be provided. After a day of hard work and a contemplative walk down our improved section of trail, we can head back to our lodge feeling abundantly good about our very real contribution to the trail system.

Day 1 (Sunday): Those flying into Charlottesville or the D.C. area may want to share the expense of a car rental. Contact information will be made available in advance so that participants can make these arrangements with other members of the group. The trip officially begins at a historic lodge outside Shenandoah National Park around 3:00 p.m. After checking into our rooms there will be an opportunity to hike around the area, exploring the old cabins and animal farm on the property. Trip orientation will be at 5:00 p.m. in our own lodge. Each night of the trip, dinner will be in the main lodge dining room, located about a half-mile from our accommodation. The walk back to our own lodge under the stars will feel good after a big Southern-style dinner and yummy dessert!

Day 2 (Monday): Coffee and tea will be available every morning in our own kitchen. We will prepare sack lunches and snacks before enjoying a full hot breakfast at the main lodge dining room at 8:00 a.m. Participants will be expected to carry their own lunch and water for the day, as well as rain gear and extra clothing to accommodate changes in weather. After breakfast, we carpool to the Little Devils Stairs Loop Hike. The moderately strenuous hike is relatively short at 5.4 miles with an elevation gain of 1,400 feet. Trail and creek merge many times, requiring easy rock hopping at normal water levels. Unless it is absolutely pouring on any day, we will plan to hike in the rain, which can be quite lovely. (Please closely read the Trip Difficulty section to determine if these hikes are suitable for you.) Dinner is back at the main lodge dining room.

Day 3 (Tuesday): After preparing our lunches and eating breakfast, we will carpool to the Cedar Run-White Oak Canyon trailhead. Our second hike is a bit more strenuous, though not quite as long (7.3 miles), with a 2,200-foot gain in elevation along a beautiful river with cascading waterfalls and spectacular vistas. There will be time to relax back at the lodge before dinner.

Day 4 (Wednesday): We carpool to Rosser Lamb Cabin, one of several wilderness cabins owned by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC). There, we will meet up with the PATC district manager and a PATC trail maintainer, who will go over the day’s project, and review safety issues and proper use of tools and personal protective equipment. Hard hats, safety glasses, and an array of tools will be provided, but participants should bring their own favorite work gloves. The project will include work suited for everyone, from lopping vegetation to cutting roots and moving rocks. With good humor, and no fear of getting dirty, we are bound to have a most inspiring day, followed by a shower and dinner back at the lodge. The evening’s discussion will focus on conservation activities led by the Sierra Club in the Southeast region. 

Day 5 (Thursday): After breakfast we carpool to the Old Rag Mountain parking area. Today’s hike is our longest and most challenging, at 9.5 miles with a 2,000-foot gain in elevation. The full loop trail ascends to the ‘rock scramble’ at the summit of Old Rag. Blue trail markers guide us up, over, and around large boulders offering plenty of challenge and fun. There are no ropes or ladders, but we can push each other up and over if we need to! Together we will prevail! The top of Old Rag offers a spectacular view. Dinner awaits back at the main lodge. 

Day 6 (Friday): Our last hike will include section of the Appalachian Trail, the old Corbin Cabin, and a loop trail that is accessed off the Skyline Parkway. Since the hike is relatively short (4.4 miles), we will have time to visit the park headquarters at Big Meadows, where there is plenty to see and do. You can expect to be tired but happy, among new friends with many shared memories of a glorious week in Shenandoah National Park.

Day 7 (Saturday): After breakfast, we must pack up and check out by 11 a.m. You might want to plan on a visit to Thomas Jefferson’s estate at Monticello, or James Madison’s home in Montpelier on your way to the airport.

Getting There

The closest airport is Charlottesville, but it may be more convenient to fly to Baltimore Airport or Dulles. The drive from Charlottesville to the lodge is under an hour; from Baltimore or Dulles the drive takes about two hours. Directions to the lodge will be provided. Once we are all together, our travel to the various trailheads should take no more than a half-hour and we will carpool. The longest drive could be to the headquarters at Big Meadows, which is about an hour up the scenic Skyline Parkway. Participants are encouraged to share rental vehicles, but these arrangements will have to be made independently. Contact information for one another will be provided well in advance of the trip. 

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

For this outing we will have the exclusive use of a 16-room log lodge with wrap-around porches on two levels, located about a half-mile from the main lodge dining room. Every participant will have his/her own room and private bathroom (toilet, sink, and shower) so there is NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT! Couples can use one room for sleeping and the other for their luggage. Each room has two twin beds, which can be put together to make a king bed on request. The lodge has a full kitchen (refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, hot plate, and coffee maker). There is a large meeting room and a library full of books, games, and puzzles. Free wireless broadband is available. 

All meals are provided from dinner on day one to breakfast on day six. Breakfasts are served buffet style and dinner is served at long tables family style, both in the main dining hall. There is plenty of food, and the desserts are wonderful. On request, the cook will prepare a vegetarian main course for each dinner. Otherwise, there’s good old Southern fried chicken, pot roast, catfish, trout, and meatloaf. Plenty of vegetables, too. Breakfast includes fresh fruit, hot cereal, eggs, meat, and pancakes or homemade donuts.

Trip Difficulty

This outing will be most enjoyed by those in excellent physical condition. Hikes are moderately difficult to strenuous, with river crossings, and bouldering. Know that in Shenandoah NP hikes either go up to the ridgeline or down to the holler. Trails are rarely groomed or flat. Participants will be expected to carry their own lunch, water, and rain gear in their backpack. The longest hike is about 10 miles. We will plan to hike even in the rain unless it is absolutely pouring. The service day will be hard work moving dirt, rock, and vegetation. On any of the hiking days, participants who want to take a break may opt to stay behind at our lodge, exploring the area on their own and relaxing.

Equipment and Clothing

A day pack and good hiking shoes are a must, as the trails are rocky and full of roots. Although October is typically the driest month in the Appalachians, participants should be prepared for rain and chilly temperatures. Predicted highs are in the 60s; lows are in the 30s. A warm jacket, rain pants, and rain jacket are essential, and hiking poles for the downhills are recommended. You will need a reusable bottle for water. A list of recommended clothing and other gear will be sent after trip registration. Special equipment will be provided for the service day, but participants should bring their own work gloves.

References

• Molloy, Johnny, Top Trails: Shenandoah National Park. Wilderness Press, 2012.
• Hiking Shenandoah National Park, A Falcon Guide. Rowman & Littlefield, 2016.
• Rapidan Camp: https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/presidents/hoover_camp_rapidan.html
• Kearse, Bettye, The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a President’s Black Family. 2020.
• Leave No Trace guidelines: https://www.Int.org

Conservation

Shenandoah National Park is a sanctuary for plants, animals, and historic objects. Visitors should not harm or collect what they find. Wildflowers must set seed for the next year; artifacts must stay in place to have meaning and be rediscovered by the next hiker. Fawn and other wild animals are at home in their natural habitat and should be enjoyed from a distance. Feeding wildlife is illegal and unsafe. Although some animals appear tame, all are wild and unpredictable. They can bite, kick, and spread disease. Deer and other animals fed by humans become easy targets for illegal hunters. Bears habituated to human food can become more dangerous and may have to be killed. Hunting is prohibited in Shenandoah NP. 

The Appalachian Trail (AT), a national treasure that spans over two thousand miles from Georgia to Maine, was conceived by Benton Mackay in 1921 as “a grand trail that would connect a series of farms and wilderness work/study camps for city dwellers.” Five hundred miles of the AT runs through the state of Virginia. A portion of the trail parallels the beautiful Skyline Drive on the ridgeline of Shenandoah National Park. The question of how the human species can continue to safely access the AT, while protecting other species, will be a topic of discussion. 

Throughout our trip we will adopt a Leave No Trace practice on the trail; what this really entails can be challenging on many levels. We will review published guidelines and share stories and tips on how to make our exploration of the wilderness more sustainable and comfortable. Everyone on the trip should come prepared to share advice and skills.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.