Shenandoah National Park - things to do there...

Mountain Bike Mike

Mountain Bike Mike

Well-Known Member
Heading to Shen with the fams for a couple days on our way to Chattanooga. Looking for some tips while there. Cabins to rent, good camp spots, hikes, waterfalls, places to eat. the “Must do”, “Don’t miss” while there

On the way back hitting Ashevile but that is another thread by itself...
 
Mountain Bike Mike said:
Heading to Shen with the fams for a couple days on our way to Chattanooga. Looking for some tips while there. Cabins to rent, good camp spots, hikes, waterfalls, places to eat. the “Must do”, “Don’t miss” while there

On the way back hitting Ashevile but that is another thread by itself...
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Haven't been to Shenandoah, but have been to Chattanooga and going back in May. Been to Asheville a few times as well.
 
Driving tip: Take 64 from Asheville in Tennessee. The road is in the middle of the Nantahla Gorge, criss-crossing the river that was used for the 2013 Freestyle Kayaking World Championships. It’s rad.

Where you wanna ride? 430am start?
 
I have been to Shenandoah numerous times as a kid. We always stayed in Big Meadows camp ground, which has a Big meadow. One cool thing there is the deer make tunnels through the low brush and you can walk through it.
From there: bearfence mountain is a good hike to a rocky over look, it is right where the Appalachian trail comes through. Fishers gap, and franklin cliffs are overlooks too.

Right next to the meadows is Dark Hollow Falls trailhead, which is down, down, down to the falls. We attempted to kill my mom hiking down there, multiple times.

Lewis falls is around there too.

big meadows is about 45-hour from the entrances for skyline drive
 
Mountain Bike Mike said:
Heading to Shen with the fams for a couple days on our way to Chattanooga. Looking for some tips while there. Cabins to rent, good camp spots, hikes, waterfalls, places to eat. the “Must do”, “Don’t miss” while there

On the way back hitting Ashevile but that is another thread by itself...
Click to expand...
Stokesville lodge or bust. Seriously, message Chris Scott on FB. His camp is 25 min southwest of Harrisonburg. The start of all the big shen events(Shen CX, Shen 100, Stoopid 50). The campsite is surrounded by a really cool flowtrail system. Easy access to fireroads and trail systems. The town of Harrisonburg is pretty cool downtownas well.
 
i've hiked / camped shenandoah several times...last time was last year with my kid in april...it's awesome (this is our out and back hike - we had to cut it short due to weather/asthma). especially since it's been a wet winter you'll see some great waterfalls...

this page had some great ideas, and i also called and spoke with a park ranger before we visited and she was super helpful. she gave us some ideas based upon how long we were looking to hike, abilities, etc etc...

this page has some really good detailed maps - print out the ones you'll use...cell service in the park sucks..

here's some stuff we've done

* hawksbill is an easy day hike for a family...up and back with killer views
* white oak canyon is a tougher hike, but tons of great waterfalls...you can do a great loop from the hawksbill parking lot and hook up with a small section of the AT
* old rag is a great day loop, but not accesible from skyline drive

after shen...if you haven't, stop by luray caverns...it's sounds corny as hell, but the caverns are amazeballs...
 
pygmypony said:
i've hiked / camped shenandoah several times...last time was last year with my kid in april...it's awesome (this is our out and back hike - we had to cut it short due to weather/asthma). especially since it's been a wet winter you'll see some great waterfalls...

this page had some great ideas, and i also called and spoke with a park ranger before we visited and she was super helpful. she gave us some ideas based upon how long we were looking to hike, abilities, etc etc...

this page has some really good detailed maps - print out the ones you'll use...cell service in the park sucks..

here's some stuff we've done

* hawksbill is an easy day hike for a family...up and back with killer views
* white oak canyon is a tougher hike, but tons of great waterfalls...you can do a great loop from the hawksbill parking lot and hook up with a small section of the AT
* old rag is a great day loop, but not accesible from skyline drive

after shen...if you haven't, stop by luray caverns...it's sounds corny as hell, but the caverns are amazeballs...
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excellent feedback - thank you
 
Dave Taylor said:
Stokesville lodge or bust. Seriously, message Chris Scott on FB. His camp is 25 min southwest of Harrisonburg. The start of all the big shen events(Shen CX, Shen 100, Stoopid 50). The campsite is surrounded by a really cool flowtrail system. Easy access to fireroads and trail systems. The town of Harrisonburg is pretty cool downtownas well.
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Wrong side of the valley Shenandoah NP is on the eastern side & George Washington National Forest (Stokesville) is on western side of Shenandoah Valley. Close but different.
 
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Joe J said:
Wrong side of the valley Shenandoah NP is on the eastern side & George Washington National Forest (Stokesville) is on western side of Shenandoah Valley. Close but different.
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He mentioned mustdos however and the lodge is close by.
 
We spent the first couple nights of our honeymoon in Shenandoah.
Skyline drive is key, and another +1 for Old Rag if you can fit it in timewise.
And yes on printing maps because cell service.
 
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