Info for things to do..

Hi ..we are a family of 6 .. Mum and dad, 2 x 20 yr olds , a 17 yr old and a 10 yr. All visiting late March. Plan to leave washington DC and drive to Skyland lodge for an overnight stay before moving on to Roanoke for 3 nights..Can anyone advise what we should do and not Miss..All are active and willing to walk, hike , ride etc ..within reason

Tks

Info for things to do..

Shenandoah NP is a beautiful place, you%26#39;ll enjoy your time there. For detailed park information, visit www.nps.gov/shen (the National Park Service web site). Maps, trails, etc are shown there. Skyline Drive is the road that runs the legnth of the park. There are numerous scenic overlooks. A few of my favorite hikes are: Stony Man Trail milepost (mp)41.7, easy, 1.6 mi, gradual incline, nice views; Rose River Loop Trail mp 50, 4 mi from Fishers Gap, moderate, stream, waterfall; Hawksbill mp 45.6, moderate, 2+ mi, beautiful views, highest peak in park 4050%26#39;. Visitors center will provide trail maps,information and suggest hikes to suit your interests. The Skyland Lodge is a nice place to stay the night. If time allows, consider going into Luray, around mp 30, to tour Luray Caverns. Enjoy your trip.

Info for things to do..

Yes our favorite walks include Stony Man and Hawksbill; also the closest waterfall to Skyline Drive is Dark Hollow Falls just a few hundred yards from the Byrd Visitor Center at Big Meadow (around mp51). It is not a long walk but somewhat steep coming back up. Also another waterfall hike is Lewis Falls which you can access in the Big Meadows camping/picnic area. Do you already have your reservations for Skyland Resort? Last year (2007) they opened up the last week in March. Another lodge to consider (they opened up last April 5th and my daughter and two granddaughters stayed there the first two nights) is Big Meadows Lodge-they have renovated their motel style rooms (we stayed in the Mountain View cabin which had three separate bedrooms=1 with a double and a bathroom, one with a double and one with two twin beds and a bathroom; they also had two fireplaces which we used one most of the time we were there) but they will probably not be open until April.

It should still be cold there in late March. The Stony Man Nature Trail (to the top of Stony Man) is very close to Skyland Lodge. Also there is horseback riding at the stables by Skyland but do not know if they will be open in late March.

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