Shenandoah National Park, Virginia Fall Travel Diary

Over the weekend, Papa and our dog Rosie and I embarked on our annual Fall tradition to see the foliage at Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. We rarely get out and hike or walk on any of the trails at Shenandoah National Park, but rather stick to leaf peeping and taking in ALL of the scenic views view the scenic Skyline Drive. We have made visiting Skyline Drive an annual tradition ever since I graduated from college in May 2021 (see more here!) and it has become a special way to celebrate the Fall season alongside the upcoming holiday season, too. Rosie has LOVED getting to take in ALL of the sights and smells at Shenandoah National park, too! And, 2024 was the first year that I had my camera with me to snap some lovely shots of the mountains in their beauty and glory this Fall season!

Please note that this content is apart of my exploring the Washington, DC area series. For more information on planning your own trip to Washington DC (here), Northern Virginia (here), the Virginia Wine Country (here), Maryland (here), and beyond (here), please use the corresponding links for some recommendations and inspiration.

Our Experience:

One of the things that we’ve noticed this year, despite arriving at Shenandoah National Park before 9am, was the lack of visitors this year (even as we left). Papa and I believe that the recent damage and unfortunate and devastating events from Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton are a big reason for this decrease in visitors. Shenandoah National Park amongst some of Western North Carolina’s and Virginia’s towns are reopening post-hurricane and are welcome to visitors. Even though these destinations may have received damage from recent hurricanes, they are still open to and eager to welcome visitors, including at Skyline Drive at Shenandoah National Park. These towns that are reopening need our business now more than ever before. While they may not be every town or place, the ones that are opening again and ready for visitors need us now to support and stimulate their economies, especially after receiving damage. That all being said, I am SOOO grateful that Papa and Rosie and I visited Skyline Drive via our annual Fall tradition especially this year.

Now, I am going to keep this post more focused on the photos I took as they encompass some of the many special memories made on our Shenandoah adventure this Fall 2024!

 

 

 

And, until next Fall!!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadee2 Comments

I Visited Shenandoah National Park During Peak Season!

Every year, my Papa and I make an effort to visit Shenandoah National Park during the Fall season. Luckily for us, it SO happened to be that the only weekend day we both had available to go was during Peak Fall leaves season! That all being said, we had a breathtakingly gorgeous experience driving through the national park’s major road to sightsee – Skyline Drive. It was all truly a DREAM come true!!

About Shenandoah National Park: Shenandoah National Park is a mountainous oasis just 75 miles away from Washington, DC in Virginia. It is home to Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, which extend from North Carolina. This Virginia national park also includes a 101-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail. Skyline Drive, which Papa and I drove about 25 miles of from the Front Royal entrance to the Sperryville exit, runs approximately 105 miles both north and south along the Blue Ridge Mountains. Scenic views galore when driving through Skyline Drive, whether you go leaf peeping (like Papa and I!) in the Fall or want to take in ALL the gorgeous mountainous views. One of the most well-known hikes at Shenandoah National Park is Old Rag. There are ALSO several other hiking trails, many of which include gorgeous cascade waterfalls. For more information and to book a National Park Pass to visit, look no further than here: https://www.nps.gov/shen/index.htm

I will be honest here for a second, it was PACKED when Papa and I arrived. We picked the prime day for leaf peeping yet the WORST day in terms of traffic and crowds. We actually had to wait about 1-2 hours in a longggg line full of cars just to get into the park. One of the biggest suggestions I have for visiting Shenandoah National Park is to book your pass to visit in advance (or purchase a National Park Pass if you’ll get your money’s worth!). Papa has a Senior Citizen National Park Pass, so we were able to bypass a good chunk of the lines of cars to get into the park. BUT, when we did get into the park, it was definitely worth the wait!

Personally, I am not a big fan of crowds. There were crowds everywhere when we drove Skyline Drive, but it was to be expected given the time that we chose to visit and the fact that it was a weekend. If crowds overwhelm you, then it is worthwhile choosing to visit during a less of a peak season or on a weekday to avoid them a bit. I will say, though, that simply being in the car with Papa and Rosie and stopping at the scenic views of our choosing was nice and a good way to simply space out.

Now, on a more positive note, the leaves were absolutely gorgeous!!! I LOVED getting to visit Shenandoah National Park during Peak leaves season. This is something I have ALWAYS wanted to do, yet never gotten the chance to given, well, life. So, through the crowds and traffic and all, I am so so so grateful that I was able to visit during this terrific time to do so. Pictures DO NOT do the roads and the sights of Skyline Drive ANY justice. Gratitude is the word, especially when taking in ALLL the views!

I feel super lucky to be able to live so close to such a great national park within an easy day’s reach. While I’m not a big hiker, I do love the mountains and the serenity that it brings me. I know others feel the same way, too, hiker or not. One day, I would LOVE to explore the cascade waterfalls via a bunny hike of Shenandoah National Park and more!

XOXO – Katie <3

thepinkchickadee2 Comments