I recently had the amazing opportunity to visit a National Park that has been on my bucket list for quite some time–Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. This gem of a National Park is only 75 miles from Washington, DC. It was early one foggy spring morning when we entered Shenandoah via Skyline Drive. (The National Park Service charges $30 for a single vehicle entrance fee. This fee covers unlimited entry for one vehicle and passengers for seven consecutive days.)

Skyline Drive is a 105 mile winding road which runs through the park and you can enjoy many stops along the way. I had just one day to visit and was able to see a lot in a short amount of time. There are many places to pull over and enjoy the breathtaking mountain views. I recommend taking your time and enjoying as many of the vistas as you can. When I visited everything was just beginning to bloom. It was really amazing!

Shenandoah is also known for its many hiking trails. With limited time, I chose to hike one of the most popular trails called the Dark Hollow Falls Trail. There is plenty of parking at the trailhead and the trail is well marked. This winding 1.5 mile round trip trail is pretty easy going down but steep going back up. I recommend you wear hiking shoes as it could be a bit dangerous with sneakers. At the bottom of the trail is an amazing waterfall that is well worth the trip! This is the tallest waterfall in the park.

I also recommend stopping at two Visitor Centers if you have time–the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center and the Harry F. Byrd, Sr. Visitor Center. Both of them have informational exhibits summarizing the history of the park, wildlife and geography. I especially enjoyed the exhibits at the Harry F. Byrd, Sr. Visitor Center and learning about the dedication of the park and the people who constructed Skyline Drive.