Skyline drive runs along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park. Mom and I entered the park at the North Entrance (from Front Royal) and exited via route 33 towards Harrisonburg. We covered 65.5 miles of the 105-mile scenic roadway. It was an incredible drive. Pictures can't do it justice. I want to return in a few weeks to see the park in peak fall colors. The leaves were only starting to change at the higher elevations of the park.
Established 1935
Established in 1935, Shenandoah National Park encompasses over 200,000 acres. It is mostly forested and has over 60 mountain peaks, rising above 3000 feet. In Scotland, they would be called Munros. Elevation ranges from 535 feet (near the North Entrance) to 4051 feet (at Hawksbill Mountain). The park features 75 scenic overlooks. Mom probably thought I stopped at all of them. While there is much to explore deeper into the park, the scenic drive is something everyone can enjoy.
Nature's Masterpiece
73 scenic overlooks
The Point
Shenandoah National Park is known for its wildlife. It is home to more than 50 mammal species, including hundreds of black bears. Bird species number about 200, and there are many species of reptiles, amphibians, and fish that inhabit the park. I saw deer grazing alongside the road twice. There were a couple of turkeys that insisted on loitering in the middle of the road. One of the dead trees at one of the overlooks like like a pig. Does that count? I'm sure you need to explore deeper into the park to see much wildlife, though random spottings occur.
Wildlife in the visitor's center
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) played a foundational role in building the physical infrastructure of Shenandoah National Park (1933-1942). Over 6,500 young men lived in 10 to 12 CCC camps across the park. They constructed the famous 105-mile Skyline drive, built the stone walls and overlooks, and planted over 100,000 trees and shrubs. There wouldn't be a park without the CCC. The CCC was part of FDR's "New Deal" to provide jobs to unemployed young men.
The Iron Mike stature honors the young men in the CCC.