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Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park straddles a beautiful section of the Blue Ridge, which forms the eastern rampart of the Appalachian Mountains between Pennsylvania and Georgia. In the valley to the west is the Shenandoah River, from which some believe the park got its name. Between the north and south forks of the river is Massanutten, a 40-mile-long mountain. To the east is the rolling Piedmont country. Providing vistas of the spectacular landscape is Skyline Drive, a winding road that runs along the crest of this portion of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Though the park was authorized May 22, 1926; it wasnt fully established until December 26, 1935. The total acreage is 196,466.19, including 79,579 acres of the designated wilderness area.

Use the menu below to quickly access information on this park:

General Information
History
Reservation Information


General Information

Location

The park is approximately 75 miles west of Washington, D.C. The park's headquarters are located 3 miles west of Thornton Gap and 4 miles east of Luray, Virginia, on U.S. Route 211.

Visitation

Nearly two million visitors come to Shenandoah National Park each year. The highest visitation is during the fall foliage season, as well as the summer months. Traffic can be heavy on Skyline Drive during weekends.

Address

3655 U.S. Hwy. 211 E
Luray, Virginia 22835-9036

Telephone

General Information: (540) 999-3500

Road Closings

The park is always open, but some portions of Skyline Drive, the only road through Shenandoah National Park, are closed during hunting season from dusk to early morning. The road also closes in inclement weather for safety reasons.

Climate & Recommended Clothing

The mountains in Shenandoah National Park are usually 10F cooler than the valley below. Winters can be severe with snow and ice. Summer showers are the norm. Layered clothing is always suggested.

Directions

Since there are no bus, taxi, or shuttle services through the park, a car is needed. The park is accessible by Interstate 66 and I-340 to the north entrance at Front Royal; Route 211 for the central entrance at Thornton Gap; Route 33 at Swift Run Gap; and I-64 at the Rockfish Gap entrance. Speed limit for the Skyline Drive is 35 mph.

Transportation

No bus or train services are within the park, though taxi service is available from Front Royal, Luray, and Waynesboro to areas in the park. From Front Royal it is 5 miles to the first visitor center at Dickey Ridge, and 42 miles to Skyland. From Luray it is 9 miles to Thornton Gap Entrance Station, 19 miles to Skyland, and 29 miles to Big Meadows. From Waynesboro it is 30 miles to the Loft Mountain area and 60 miles to Big Meadows.

The nearest airports are in Washington, D.C. (90 miles away), Weyers Cave (45 miles) and Charlottesville (50 miles).

Bicycles are permitted in the park on paved roads only. The speed limit is also 35 mph on the Skyline Drive for bicycles and 10 mph in campgrounds.

Fees

Entrance fee for seven consecutive days is $10 per vehicle; and $5 per non-commercial bus passenger or cyclist (age 17 or older).

Commercial bus fees for seven consecutive days for the same group is based on vehicle capacity: vehicles that hold six or fewer passengers, $25, plus $5 per passenger, excluding the driver; seven-15 passenger capacity, $75; 16-25 passenger capacity, $100; 26+ passenger capacity. $200

Entrance is free if you have a Shenandoah Pass, a Golden Eagle, Golden Access or Golden Age Passport. A 12-month Shenandoah Pass costs $20.

Golden Eagle Passport

The Golden Eagle Passport is an entrance pass to any national park, monument, historical site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge that charges an entrance fee. It is a great convenience for those who plan on visiting several different areas that charge special fees. It is valid for one year from the purchase date. A Golden Eagle Passport may be purchased for $50 at any National Park Service entrance fee area or by mail. To order by mail, send check or money order (no cash, please) to:

National Park Service
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Room 138
Washington, DC 20242
Attention: Golden Eagle Passport

Where entry is by private vehicle, the Golden Eagle Passport will admit the passholder as well as any passengers. Where entry by private vehicle is not possible, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Eagle Passport will not reduce use fees, such as those for camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or cave tours. It covers entrance fees only.

Golden Age Passport

The Golden Age Passport is a lifetime entrance pass for those United States residents 62 years or older. These may be purchased at any National Park Service entrance fee area for a one-time processing fee of $10. The Golden Age Passport cannot be purchased by mail or telephone. Proof of age and citizenship or permanent residence must be shown at the time of purchase.

The Golden Age Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. When entrance is not via private vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder as well as children, spouse, and parents.

The Golden Age Pass grants a 50% discount to the holder on any federal use fees charged for things such as camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or tours. It does not, however, reduce the price of special recreation permit fees or fees for concessions.

Golden Access Passport

The Golden Access Passport is a free entrance pass to any national park, monument, historic site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge for those who are blind or permanently disabled. The Golden Access passport may be obtained at any National Park Service entrance fee area. Proof of a medically determined disability and eligibility for receiving benefits under federal law is necessary at purchase.

The Golden Access Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. Where entrance is not by vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Access Passport also provides a 50% discount on any federal use fees charged for services and facilities. It does not cover special recreation permit fees or fees charged for concessions.

All passes described above are non-transferable.

Facilities & Services

The following are usually open late spring through late fall and closed during winter. Call (540) 999-3500 for opening dates and times.

Visitor Centers

Dickey Ridge Visitor Center at Mile 4.6

Harry F. Byrd, Sr. Visitor Center at Milepost 51 (Big Meadows)

Loft Mountain Information Center at Mile 79.5

At the visitor centers you'll find exhibits, items for sale, audiovisual programs, information and a schedule of activities.

Waysides

Elkwallow at Mile 24.1

Big Meadows at Milepost 51

Loft Mountain at Mile 79.5.

Camp Stores

Elkwallow at Mile 24.1

Big Meadows at Milepost 51

Lewis Mountain at Mile 57.6

Loft Mountain at Mile 79.5.

Wood, Ice, Showers, Washers and Dryers

Big Meadows Wayside at Milepost 51

Lewis Mountain at Mile 57.6

Loft Mountain at Mile 79.5.

Campgrounds

Matthews Arm at Mile 22.2 (first-come, first-served)

Big Meadows at Milepost 51 (first-come, first-served until May 14, then reservations through Biospherics at 1-800-465-CAMP)

Lewis Mountain at Mile 57.6 (first-come, first-served)

Loft Mountain at Mile 79.5 (first-come, first-served)

Dundo Group Campground at Mile 83.7 (reservation only for organized groups through 540-298-9625).

Lodges and Cabins

Skyland Lodge at Mile 41.7

Big Meadows Lodge at Milepost 51

Lewis Mountain Cabins at Mile 57.6
For Reservations and information call 800-999-4714.

Dining and Food Service

Elkwallow Wayside at Mile 24.1

Panorama Restaurant and Gift Shop at Mile 31.5

Skyland Lodge at Mile 41.7

Big Meadows Wayside at Milepost 51

Big Meadows Lodge at Milepost 51

Loft Mountain Wayside at Mile 79.5.

Picnic Grounds

Dickey Ridge at Mile 4.6

Elkwallow at Mile 24.1

Pinnacles at Mile 36.7

Big Meadows at Milepost 51

Lewis Mountain at Mile 57.5

South River at Mile 62.8

Loft Mountain at Mile 79.5

These areas have picnic tables, fireplaces, water fountains and comfort stations.

Accessibility

Most comfort stations, buildings, picnic grounds, and campgrounds are accessible or accessible with help for those with handicaps. Shower and laundry facilities at Big Meadows and Lewis Mountain Campgrounds are accessible. Overnight accommodations are available at Lewis Mountain, Skyland and Big Meadows Lodge.

Limberlost Trail is accessible as well. It is a gently sloping 1.3-mile trail featuring a 5-foot-wide, hard-packed green stone dust surface with a less than 8% gradient, and benches are at frequent intervals. The trail circles through an old-growth forest of magnificent hemlocks and includes a 65-foot bridge and 150-foot boardwalk.

Summary Of Visitor Activities

Activities change from year to year, as well as from season to season. Schedules are posted on the park bulletin boards at the visitor centers and in the park publication The Overlook, given to each visitor upon entering the park. Or call (540) 999-3500 for a schedule of seasonal activities.

Special Events

Wildflower Weekend: activities involving wildflowers, usually second weekend in May.

Hoover Days: includes Camp Hoover tours, scheduled on the weekend closest to President Hoover's birthday on August 10.

Anniversary of National Park Service: free entry into Shenandoah on August 25.

CCC Reunion: takes place the last weekend in September.

Annual Bird Count: This is usually the third Sunday in December.

Hiking

There are more than 500 miles of hiking trails throughout Shenandoah National Park.

Cross-Country Skiing

Cross-country skiing can be a rewarding experience in the park during winters with adequate snowfall. The shoulder of Skyline Drive, some hiking trails, and fire roads are suitable locations.

Swimming

Swimming is permitted in all the park streams, at your own risk.

Bicycling

Cycling is permitted on the Skyline Drive only. This is a two-lane, two-way road with no bike paths. Cyclists must ride single file and in low visibility conditions have a white light on the front wheel and a red light or red reflector on the rear of the bike.

Hang Gliding

Hang gliders may launch from two authorized sites. Contact the Park Communications Center to a Hang-Gliding Special Use Permit in advance of your visit.

Birding

Shenandoah National Park is a fascinating place to discover and appreciate birds. Former park guide Terry Lindsay and his wife, Patressa, chronicle the lives of some 55 birds common to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Shenandoah National Park in their book Birds of Shenandoah National Park: A Naturalists View . The book is available from the Shenandoah Natural History Association Bookstore. For a price list and order form call (540) 999-3582. You may also buy a checklist of birds as well as field guides at the bookstores located in the parks visitor centers.

Flora & Fauna

Learn about the flora and fauna in the park by renting an Explorer Backpack at any one of the three visitor centers from the Shenandoah Natural History Association. They contain field guides, binoculars, hand lenses, paper, and pencils.

Junior Ranger

Become a Junior Ranger by completing the Junior Ranger activity book available during the summer at the visitor centers and gift shops. Program activities help kids learn more about the natural wonders of the park. A badge or patch designating them official Junior Rangers awaits those who complete the booklet.

Field Seminars

Field seminars for adults run from June to September. These in-depth studies are conducted by the Education Department and run approximately six hours. Advance reservations need to be made, and a fee is charged. For information call (540) 999-3489.

Horse Trails

There are more than 150 miles of yellow-blazed horse trails and fire roads in Shenandoah. You may rent a horse at Skyland Stables (Mile 42.5), or trailer in your own. Be aware that backcountry camping trips on horseback are not encouraged. For more information stop at one of the visitor centers or write to: Shenandoah National Park, 3655 U.S. Highway 211 East., Luray, Virginia 22835.

Basic Visit Recommendations

Since the Skyline Drive is 105 miles long and the speed limit is 35 mph, it requires three to five hours to travel from north to south, including stops at some of the overlooks. To enjoy all that Shenandoah has to offer, plan on one to two days for a good visit.

Adjacent Visitor Attractions

There are a number of interesting areas to visit all around Shenandoah National Park. There are many popular caverns, museums, antique shops, fairs and festivals in season, two national forests and historic towns. Check with the visitor centers for more information.

Additional Information

Write to park headquarters for more information at Shenandoah National Park, 3655 U.S. Hwy 211 East, Luray, VA 22835-9036, or call (540) 999-3500.

Books, maps and materials about Shenandoah National Park can be ordered from the Shenandoah Natural History Association, 3655 U.S. Hwy 211 E, Luray, VA 22835-9036, or call (540) 999-3582.

Additional Sources Of Information

GENERAL GUIDES

Guide to Shenandoah National Park & Skyline Drive
by Henry Heatwole, SNHA
This book has long been regarded as a visitor's best guide to Shenandoah National Park. Henry Heatwole provides a narrative description and map for most of the 500 miles of trails in the park. In addition, a chart of the trails gives starting points, hiking distances, elevation changes, and estimated times and difficulty for each hike. For non-hikers, Heatwole provides the major features and views along the entire 105 miles of Skyline Drive, as well as natural and cultural history, geology, advice, folk tales, and personal experiences - all in a vivid, readable style.

National Geographics Guide to the National Parks of the United States

National Geographic Society

Readers will journey through 54 of America's national parks with this National Geographic publication. The book includes 450 color photographs, detailed maps, site-by-site tours, activities, lodging, trails, and campgrounds.

Shenandoah-The Story Behind the Scenery
by Hugh Crandall and Reed Engle, KC Publications
The authors provide an intimate portrait of Shenandoah National Park, its geologic history, forests, fauna, flora, and cultural history. Full-color photographs convey the poetic essence of this part of the rugged Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia.

HIKING GUIDES

Appalachian Trail Guide to Shenandoah National Park With Side Trails
(Volume 7 in the Appalachian Trail Guide Series, PATC)
The guide provides a brief description of individual sections of the trail within each park district; points of scenic or historic interest; side trails, trail approaches, and accommodations (huts and cabins).

Guide to Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive
by Henry Heatwole, SNHA

Circuit Hikes in Shenandoah National Park
by James W. Denton, PATC
This is a handy pocket guide to 23 of the more popular circuit hikes in Shenandoah National Park. The hikes include all three districts of the park. Distances, approximate hiking times and detailed maps are also included for each trail.

Hikes To Waterfalls in Shenandoah National Park
by Joanne Amberson, SNHA
If you're in Shenandoah National Park, chances are you want to see a waterfall. Shenandoah National Park has beautiful waterfalls in gorges, canyons, and hollows. Since waterfalls in the park are not visible from Skyline Drive, if you wish to see one you must take a hike. This booklet gives you a point-by-point description of each hike, a map, starting points, distances, elevation changes, and safety tips.

PATC Packet

(PATC Map # 9, Map # 10, Map # 11, and Appalachian Trail Guide to Shenandoah National Park with side trails)

Short Hikes in Shenandoah National Park
This booklet introduces the hiker to 39 short hikes from 0.25 to 2.8 miles long and covers the full length of the park. Although short, the hikes are not necessarily easy. Some hikes have uphill climbs. Maps and starting points along Skyline Drive are provided, as well as the distance of each hike and estimated hiking time.

The Best of Shenandoah National Park: A Guide to Trails and the Skyline Drive
by Russ Manning and Sondra Jamieson, Mountain Laurel Place
This guide gives hiking directions for 75 different trails within Shenandoah National Park. The authors also provide a brief human and geologic history of the park and other general information. Illustrated with photographs and maps.

Appalachian Adventure: From Georgia to Maine-A Spectacular Journey on the Great American Trail
by the staffs of The Atlanta Journal/Constitution, The News & Observer of Raliegh, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Hartford Courant, and The Maine Sunday Telegram.
In 1995 a group of reporters, photographers, and illustrators from five newspapers walked the Appalachian Trail in relays for eight months with through-hikers. The book, illustrated with maps, drawings, charts, and color photography, covers the 2,158 miles of trail from Georgia to Maine and relates "the camaraderie and the solitude, the successes and defeats, the pain and the triumph of those who undertake this memorable journey."

OTHER PARK MAPS

PATC MAP #9 Topographic Map, North District, Shenandoah National Park, $ 5.00
Shows the Appalachian Trail and side trails from Front Royal to Thornton Gap.
(1996 edition)

PATC MAP #10 Topographic Map, Central District, Shenandoah National Park, $ 5.00
Shows the Appalachian Trail and side trails from Thornton Gap to Swift Run Gap.
(1995 edition)

PATC MAP #11 Topographic Map, South District, Shenandoah National Park, $ 5.00
Shows the Appalachian Trail and side trails from Swift Run Gap to Rockfish Gap.
(1996 edition)

PATC PACKET (PATC MAP #9, MAP #10, MAP #11, and Appalachian Trail Guide to Shenandoah National Park with side trails) $ 20.00

SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK RAISED RELIEF MAP
Hubbard Scientific, $ 10.95
Acquaint yourself with the ruggedness of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This 3-dimensional map of Shenandoah National Park features mountain peaks, canyons and gorges, and broad valleys. (Plastic, 18 1/2" x 12 1/2")

SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK TOPO MAP
Trails Illustrated, $ 9.00
This map covers the Shenandoah National Park and the surrounding area. It includes Skyline Drive, the Appalachian Trail, and other highlighted trails and features, plus a 3-D overview map and backcountry and visitor information. The map is based on USGS information, modified and revised by Trails Illustrated with the assistance of Potomac Appalachian Trail Club and the National Park Service." (Waterproof, Tearproof, 100% Plastic Material)

SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK BROCHURE
Government Printing Office
Shenandoah National Park is more than a pretty drive. We invite you to leave the roadway, hike its many trails, and meet nature up close. The brochure's map will help you find features, facilities, and services along the 105 mile Skyline Drive.

Wildlife & Plant Guides

Birds of Shenandoah National Park: A Naturalist's View
by Terry and Patressa Lindsay, SNHA
Shenandoah National Park is a fascinating place to discover and appreciate birds. Park Naturalist Terry Lindsay did just that during the decade he worked there. In this book, which preaches "bird knowing rather than bird watching," Lindsay and his wife, Patressa, chronicle the lives of some 55 birds common to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Shenandoah National Park. It's a surprising look at the park and its bird life, and a must for birders and amateur naturalists.

Ferns and Fern Allies of Shenandoah National Park
by Peter M. Mazzeo, SNHA
This booklet describes 46 species of ferns and fern allies, grouped into 20 genera and seven families that exist in Shenandoah National Park. Mazzeo provides an introduction to fern morphology and reproduction, keys to fern identification, description of each fern species, and a glossary.

Trout Fishing in Shenandoah National Park
by Harry W. Murray
Shenandoah National Park provides excellent trout fishing for wild brook trout. This book enables you to understand the trout's natural foods, his ecological requirements, and specific tackle needs in order for you to enjoy trout fishing in the park to its fullest. Access to over 25 streams is described.

Wildflowers In Color
Eastern National Park and Monument Association
This handy field guide identifies more than 250 wild flowers, shrubs, vines, herbs, and trees located in Shenandoah, Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Great Smoky Mountains. Beautifully illustrated with full color photography.

Cassettes

Auto Tour Along Skyline Drive
by Rock Comstock, SNHA
Enjoy this personal tour of Shenandoah National Park at your own pace. The tape begins in the north at Front Royal and continues to Rockfish Gap in the south. Explore many of the interesting features and history along the 105 miles of Skyline Drive. This guide is ideal for all age groups, in all seasons. It will enrich your visit and entice you to a closer look. The guide includes a map that identifies mile points designated on the tape and well known points along the drive.

SIDE ONE: 47 miles - Dickey Ridge to Big Meadows
SIDE TWO: 54 miles - Big Meadows to Rockfish Gap

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History

By Reed L. Engle

The Concept

The drive to establish a large national park in the east dates to meetings held in Washington in the first year of this century between Virginia and Tennessee congressmen. In attendance was Virginia's Henry D. Flood, uncle of future Virginia governor (1926 - 1928) and senator, Harry Flood Byrd. Although a bill to establish a park was drafted, nothing came of this early effort.

The concept languished until 1923 when National Park Service Director Stephen Mather approached Calvin Coolidges Secretary of the Interior, Hubert Work, with a request to establish a national park in the southern Appalachians. Work asked Congress to authorize an unpaid Southern Appalachian National Park Committee (NANPC), which resolution passed on February 24, 1924. The five-member committee was immediately appointed and by spring the committee had developed and published a broadly distributed questionnaire inviting public input into suggested sites for the new park area.

Perfect Timing

The timing of the establishment of the committee could not have been more advantageous to Shenandoah Valley boosters. In early January 1924, businessmen in Harrisonburg, Virginia, had put out the call for a convention to be held on January 15 "for the purpose of rallying all the resources of the valley together in a program that would tell the world of the scenic, historical, industrial, and other values of the famous Shenandoah Valley." Almost 1,000 delegates, representing 13 valley counties, attended the convention. A regional Chamber of Commerce, henceforth known as Shenandoah Valley, Inc. was established; and a 30-person board of directors, composed of the most influential businessmen, bankers, and politicians, was elected. The first board meeting, held February 25, 1924 (the day after the park committee was authorized by Congress), passed a resolution calling for the creation of a new national park in the Shenandoah Valley. It was to be created on lands owned by the Forest Service and private parties. This proposed resolution called for a park west of the Shenandoah National Park.

By June 1924, George Freeman Pollock, founder and manager of the 19th century resort Skyland; Harold Allen, criminal investigator for the Department of Justice; and George H. Judd, owner of Judd & Detweiler Publishing Company (both property owners at Skyland), filled out a questionnaire advocating the creation of a national park along the Blue Ridge spine with a central focus on Skyland. By September, Pollocks group had formed its own Northern Virginia Park Association, sharing two officers with Shenandoah Valley Inc. By this time, the earlier group had joined in advocacy of the Skyland-centered park.

Proposed Park

Between September and December of 1924, the members of SANPC visited the proposed park sites individually and in groups. The business boosters from the Valley and Skyland had been busy in preparation:

"We have already ridden several hundred miles over the area, we have seven towers built upon high points, several trails blazed the whole length of the Blue Ridge - and we have the whole country-side aware to the fact that the Commissioners (sic) are coming."

Shenandoah Valley Inc. spent more than $10,000 in its campaign to sell the Blue Ridge site; and in December, the committee presented its report to the Secretary of the Interior. The report recognized that the Great Smoky Mountains were the most picturesque of the visited areas, but concluded that the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia had the greater advantage of accessibility to the 40,000,000 visitors within a days drive of the area. The committee wrote that,

"The greatest single feature, however, is a possible skyline drive along the mountain top, following a continuous ridge and looking down westerly on the Shenandoah Valley - and commanding a view (to the east) of the Piedmont Plain- Few scenic drives in the world could surpass it."

Congress passed legislation on February 21, 1925, allocating $20,000 for the survey and evaluation of proposed parks in the Great Smoky Mountains, Mammoth Cave (Kentucky legislators would not support the bill without this inclusion), and the northern Blue Ridge Mountains. The park committee became an official commission. The authorization envisioned Shenandoah as a park with a minimum of 521,000 acres, a figure soon reduced to 400,000, and containing the stipulation "Virginia purchase the land and present it to the federal government for such purpose." Up to that time, Congress had created parks only on government land or on land donated for park establishment - it was not about to break precedent.

On July 7, 1925, the Shenandoah National Park Association was formed in Charlottesville for the sole purpose of collecting funds and donated land for the proposed park. The organization formed by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce and Shenandoah Valley Inc. set a goal of $2,500,000, a figure estimated to be the cost of purchasing 400,000 acres at $6,000 per acre. By April 1926, $1,249,154 had been pledged; and the park committee felt confident enough to recommend Congress authorize Shenandoah National Park. The bill passed on May 14 and was signed by Calvin Coolidge on May 22, 1926. Shenandoah would become a reality when Virginia donated a minimum of 327,000 acres to the federal government.

Collecting Park Lands

Gov. Harry F. Byrd established the Virginia Conservation and Development Commission in April 1926 to take over the management of funds collected for the park. The new commission was headed by William Carso, Byrds former campaign manager, and had a mandate to survey, appraise, and purchase the estimated 4,000 properties within the authorized boundary. As time passed, landowner resistance mounted and property values became inflated due to government purchase. Carson convinced the Commonwealth legislature to enact a blanket condemnation law. The legislation was passed in Virginia in December 1927 and survived Commonwealth Supreme Court challenges in October 1929, but was not finally resolved until the United States Supreme Court refused to hear the case in December 1935. On December 26, Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes officially accepted the legally cleared deeds.

Because of the unresolved legal status of the park land, National Park Service planning and development of Shenandoah from 1931 to 1935 was confined to the 100-foot Skyline Drive right-of-way purchased from willing landowners.

From 1931 to 1933, President Herbert Hoover (intimately familiar with the park area because of his fishing camp in Rapidan River) supported the expenditure of significant drought relief and public works funds to build the initial 32 miles of Skyline Drive. This route went from his Camp Rapidan to Big Meadows, to Skyland and finally to Thornton Gap (Virginia Route 211). After President Franklin D. Roosevelts inauguration in 1933 and the establishment of six Civilian Conservation Corps camps in Shenandoah by years end, construction and development exploded - primarily as a highly visible public relations efforts to bolster Roosevelts campaign to fight the impact of the Great Depression.

Park Planning

The historian will search in vain in public and private archives to find an indication that there was an official master plan, an overriding philosophy, behind the development of Shenandoah National Park between 1926 and 1936. The Commonwealth of Virginia and private business interests sought to have a national park because of the economic stimulus it would provide. George Pollock naively thought he would retain his Skyland; and many of the commercial lodging and mineral-right owners of park land thought that they would share in a harvest of greatly inflated land values. Few seemed to have given serious thought to the 400 to 500 mountain families who had no desire to move from their homes.

The actual number of residents in Shenandoah at the time will never be known precisely because many moved before December 1935. Herbert Hoovers Secretary of the Interior Ray Lyman Wilbur had expressed the Washington policy that park residents would not be disturbed unless they were in the direct path of development. Then on February 1, 1934, the new director of the National Park Service, Arno Cammerer, stated "all inhabitants of the park lands whether landowners, tenants, or squatters, would have to leave." At first, Washington attempted to dump the entire problem on Virginia officials. A flood of letters to the White House, in part instigated by extensive coverage of the issue by the Baltimore Sun soon brought reaction; and the Department of Agriculture Resettlement Administration purchased 6,291 acres in seven locations bordering the proposed park to establish resettlement homestead communities. By the spring of 1938, 41 elderly residents had been given life estates, 175 families had been moved to resettlement communities, several families had been physically evicted and their houses burned, and the majority of the mountain residents had left town their own.

Visitor service facilities also seemed to be an afterthought in the new park. Although the CCC developed trails, picnic areas, overlooks, and Skyline Drive features, the water and sewer systems tied to comfort stations and drinking fountains and other development remained unplanned. The service - which only had experience with the development of the western parks where the railroads had the primary role in the development of accommodations - followed that precedent in a 1936 advertisement for a concessionaire. In February 1937, a contract was awarded to the Virginia Sky-Line Company, a consortium of Richmond businessmen. The company immediately began plans to design and develop lodges, cabin camps, gas stations, riding stables, and other recreational facilities that today comprise the majority of the buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places within the park. At the insistence of the new concessionaire, George Pollock ceased to manage Skyland. The park master plans for the years 1937 through 1942 were driven to a large extent by the needs and desires of the Virginia Sky-Line Company.

Historical and Environmental Significance

In 1935, with park establishment pending, Director Cammerer gave thought to the many buildings being removed by the Commonwealth to salvage lumber to construct outbuildings in the resettlement communities. He sent Edward Steere, Washington Office junior historian, to survey park structures. Steeres 88-page report, "The Shenandoah National Park, Its Possibility as an Historical Development," was produced in January 1936. Steere recommended the preservation of more than 40 buildings, including a saw mill, a grist mill, and several log homes in Corbin and Nicholson Hollows. Cammerer strongly endorsed the report, in spite of Superintendent Lassiters protests that "there was nothing culturally significant in the mountains," and directed the superintendent to preserve the structures as they were vacated. The directors action established unequivocally that Shenandoah was not intended solely to be a "natural park." Yet at the National Park Service of the 1930s, building preservation and restoration was in its infancy. Time passed, Lassiter left, World War II began, and labor and budgets went the way of the CCC. Buildings decayed - and with the rot went the chance to interpret the full spectrum of the physical fabric representing 200 years of permanent occupation of the Blue Ridge.

Scientific natural resource management also was non-existent. Quasi-scientific vegetative surveys did not begin in Shenandoah until 1937, long after the CCC began planting tens of thousands of specimens of species. Fraser fir, red spruce, Canadian yew, table mountain pine, and fragrant sumac were started from park seed purchased from commercial nurseries or imported from other parks. Deer, trout, turkey, and possibly black bear were introduced in Shenandoah to help establish a wild game preserve. Extensive efforts were made by the CCC to remove dead wood, obliterate exotic species, control pine bark blister rust, and, generally, to beautify and reestablish nature. Site-specific records of the 12 years of natural resource activities from 1931 to 1942 are scant, making modern assessment of natural communities difficult.

Shenandoah National Park today approaches 200,000 acres. Forty percent of the area has been designated wilderness Congress. Hiking in some wilderness areas of the park, a visitor can easily feel like the first person to brush past the mountain laurel, to spook a flock of turkey, or to stop and examine the trailing arbutus in the thick humus and duff of the forest floor. But then the same visitor stops at a row or fieldstones, unmarked but linearly precise - mute testimony to a cultural past.

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Reservation Information

Lodging

For lodging at Skyland Resort and Big Meadows Lodge call (800) 999-4714. Lewis Mountain Cabins are available January through October. Call (800) 999-4714.

Campgrounds

For Dundo Group Campground call (540) 298-9625. Matthews Arm Campground, Lewis Mountain Campground, and Loft Mountain Campground are first-come, first-served. Big Meadows Campground requires reservations from Memorial Day weekend to the last weekend in October. These may be made up to five months in advance by writing DESTINET, P.O. Box 85705, San Diego, CA 92138-5705, or by calling (800) 365-2267.

Trailside Huts

The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club maintains huts.

Huts are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. They are meant for use by long-distance hikers only.

Located along the Appalachian Trail are the following huts at 8- to 14-mile intervals:

  • Gravel Springs
  • Pass Mountain
  • Rock Spring
  • Bearfence
  • Hightop
  • Pinefield
  • Blackrock

For more information contact the Pacific Appalachian Trail Club (PATC), 118 Park Street SE, Vienna, VA 22180, or call (703) 242-0315 or Shenandoah National Park (540) 999-3500.

Backcountry Cabins

The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club maintains cabins.

Make reservations for the following cabins through the Pacific Appalachian Trail Club (PATC), 118 Park Street SE, Vienna, VA 22180, or call (703) 242-0315. Reservations cannot be made without a signed Responsibility Statement on file. They are available through PATC at the above address.

  • Range View Cabin (Mile 23)
  • Rock Spring (Mile 48)
  • Corbin Cabin (between Mile 38 and 39)
  • Jones Mountain (Mile 54)
  • Pocosin Cabin (between Mile 59 and 60)
  • Doyle River Cabin (Mile 81)

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