Note that all check-ins are at the nearby Loft Mountain Campground. Reservations are required and can be made up to one year in advance. All campsites have fire grates and picnic tables. Groups must number at least 7 with a maximum of 20 people. The Dundo Group Campground is the only one of the five Shenandoah National Park camping areas that’s exclusively for groups. Great place to stay!” -The Dyrt camper Taylor K. The bathrooms were clean and there was a campstore down the road. There are walk-up and drive-up sites, all including a fire pit with a grate and a picnic table. “This campground has some spots that are reservable and some that are first come first serve. First come, first served and reservations.Open from early-May through late-October.This campground also has restrooms and showers, laundry facilities and a campstore. All of them come with a picnic table and fire grate. The largest campground in Shenandoah National Park, the Loft Mountain Campground has more than 200 individual sites. You won’t have to venture far from your car to access these front-country campgrounds. Shenandoah National Park camping allows you to experience and get to know these ancient mountains-one of the oldest ranges on Earth-much more intimately. Get up before dawn for a peaceful sunrise over the Blue Ridge. Head over to Big Meadows and gaze awe-struck at a star-studded sky. Raccoons checked out my site overnight as well, no harm no foul, just cute footprints.” -The Dyrt camper Caren L.įront-Country Camping Off of Skyline DriveĬozy up around a campfire and listen to nocturnal nature waking up at night in Shenandoah’s forests. Barred owls called all night under the Milky Way. None came right up to people, but they had no problem grazing near us. Deer are everywhere, like squirrels in a city park. “I saw a bear directly across from my campsite one morning (as well as others throughout Shenandoah), but never felt threatened. Never approach wildlife, though, and stay in your vehicle. If you see a wild animal and would like to get a closer look, you may pull over only if all wheels of your vehicle are off the road. You’ll have the best chance of spotting deer and bears at dawn or dusk, when they’re most active. The recommended distance is 75 feet for deer and most other wildlife, and 150 feet for black bears. You may spot wild turkeys, red-tailed hawks and Carolina chickadees.Īlways keep your distance when watching wildlife in Shenandoah National Park. Birds also thrive in these dense forests. Other mammals that call Shenandoah home include coyotes, skunks, raccoons, bobcats, gray squirrels and foxes. While driving Skyline Drive you are almost guaranteed to spot several white-tailed deer and a couple of black bears, the park’s two iconic mammal species. Shenandoah National Park is a safe haven in the increasingly developed central Virginia for numerous wild animals. Big Meadows Lodge and the Big Meadows Campground lie off a spur road behind the visitor center. Byrd Visitor Center you’ll also find a gift shop, snack bar and the only gas station in the park. Ranger programs are held here on a regular basis, while backcountry permits, maps, and other publications are available as well. Here, too, you’ll find exhibits, restrooms, an information desk, and bookstore. It’s situated right across from Big Meadows, its large windows offering great views of this huge grassland. Byrd Visitor Center, the main visitor center in Shenandoah National Park. On Skyline Drive’s mile 51 lies the Harry F. You can get backcountry permits, publications, and maps here as well. This is also the only visitor center that has that classic national park orientation movie, arguably the best introduction to any park.Īdditionally, there are restrooms, an information desk, a bookstore, and exhibits. It’s the first point of interest you’ll encounter when starting your drive in the north. The Dicky Ridge Visitor Center is located on mile 4.6 on Skyline Drive. There are two Shenandoah National Park Visitor Centers just off of Skyline Drive. The first thing to do when visiting any national park is swinging by one of its visitor centers. Access Visitor Centers from Skyline Drive
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