Author: Rachel Burner

Tourism to Shenandoah National Park contributes $145 million to local economy

Report shows visitor spending supports 1,240 jobs in nearby communities

Luray, VA – A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 1.4 million visitors to Shenandoah National Park in 2022 spent $104 million in communities near the park. That spending supported 1,240 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $145 million.

“Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with more than 300 million visitors every year. The impact of tourism to national parks is undeniable: bringing jobs and revenue to communities in every state in the country and making national parks an essential driver to the national economy,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams.

“Visitors to Shenandoah National Park come seeking opportunities to learn, recreate, relax, and build community,” said Superintendent Pat Kenney. “We recognize that tourism has an effect on the local economy, and we strive to provide an excellent visitor experience to inspire visitors to continue to return to the area for generations to come.”

The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists at the National Park Service. The report shows $23.9 billion of direct spending by nearly 312 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 378,400 jobs nationally; 314,600 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $50.3 billion.

As for the economics of visitor spending, the lodging sector had the highest direct effects, with $9 billion in economic output nationally. The restaurants sector was had the second greatest effects, with $4.6 billion in economic output nationally.

Report authors also produced an interactive tool that enables users to explore visitor spending, jobs, labor income, value added, and output effects by sector for national, state, and local economies. Users can also view year-by-year trend data. The interactive tool and report are available at the NPS Social Science Program webpage: Visitor Spending Effects – Economic Contributions of National Park Visitor Spending – Social Science (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).

To learn more about national parks in Virginia and how the National Park Service works with Virginia communities to help preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide outdoor recreation, go to https://www.nps.gov/virginia.

To view full press release: Tourism to SNP Contributes $145 million to Local Economy

Shenandoah National Park announces 2023 Night Sky Festival

Shenandoah National Park will celebrate the annual Night Sky Festival, August 11-13, 2023. Featured speakers, including amateur astronomers, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Solar System Ambassadors, and a veteran NASA astronaut, will present on topics ranging from asteroid defense to the largest known impact crater in the United States. Ranger-led programs will focus on animals that rely on dark skies, each planet’s role in the solar system, and stories told by the constellations. There will be opportunities for stargazing, constellation tours, Junior Ranger activities, and more.

Park Rangers and guest speakers will encourage visitors to gain appreciation for dark skies through a variety of special programs and activities. Programs and presentations will take place at Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (mile 4.6 on Skyline Drive), Mathews Arm Campground Amphitheater (mile 22.1), Skyland Amphitheater (mile 42.5), Byrd Visitor Center and Big Meadows (mile 51), and Loft Mountain Amphitheater (mile 79.5).

Veteran astronaut and space scientist Tom Jones returns this year with three presentations in Byrd Visitor Center Auditorium. Jones will present “When Rocks Attack: Defending Earth from Asteroids” and “Beyond Earth: Humanity’s Future in Space” Saturday, August 12, at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., respectively, “Sky Walking: An Astronaut’s Journey” Sunday, August 13, at 11:00 a.m., and “The Future of U.S. Human Spaceflight” Sunday, August 13, at 9:00 p.m. in Big Meadows Lodge Massanutten Room.

Also making a return this year is NASA Solar System Ambassador Greg Redfern. Attend Redfern’s presentations in Byrd Visitor Center Auditorium for “The Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater” Friday, August 11, and Sunday, August 13, at 5:00 p.m. and “Shenandoah Skies and the Perseids” all three nights, August 11-13, at 6:00 p.m.

Join amateur astronomers for a “Telescope Party” Saturday, August 12 at 10:30 p.m. to view stars and the Perseid meteor shower in two locations: Dickey Ridge Visitor Center with Northern Virginia Astronomy Club, or Big Meadows with Rappahannock Astronomy Club, Richmond Astronomical Society, and the University of Virginia Department of Astronomy.

Artist-in-Residence Paul Atkinson will share his approach to night sky landscape photography during his program “Making Art in the Dark” Friday, August 11, at 3:30 p.m. in Byrd Visitor Center Auditorium. The Artist-in-Residence program is financially supported by Shenandoah National Park Trust, the official philanthropic partner of the park.

This annual festival and featured speakers are sponsored by Delaware North, the park’s concessioner, and Shenandoah National Park Association. For a full list of Night Sky Festival activities, please visit, https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/night-sky-festival.htm.

To view full press release: 2023 Night Sky Festival Press Release

Shenandoah National Park announces public meeting to discuss Old Rag pilot program. 

Shenandoah National Park will host a virtual public meeting April 17, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. to share analysis of the data collected during the Old Rag pilot program. 

The park implemented a pilot ticketing system from March through November 2022 to manage visitation at Old Rag, one of the park’s most popular hikes. The pilot was reinstated in March 2023 to give managers additional time to evaluate the data. The pilot program was introduced to address congestion and visitor safety concerns because the popularity of Old Rag has led to crowding that affects the visitor experience and fragile park resources. The ticketing system limits visitation to this portion of the park to 800 people per day.     

Before starting the pilot, the park hosted a public meeting and gathered public comments on the proposed ticketing system. During the pilot, park staff gathered data which they have evaluated. A written report can be found at  https://parkplanning.nps.gov/Old-Rag-Pilot The information collected will help park staff decide how to move forward with managing Old Rag. 

During the upcoming meeting, park staff will share a summary of the report and there will be an opportunity to ask questions about the data and report. Following the meeting, a public comment portal will be available at the web address above. The public is invited to provide written input on the pilot program and the report. 

“We appreciate everyone’s cooperation while we tested a means to ensure a high-quality visitor experience and protect park resources at Old Rag,” said Park Superintendent Patrick Kenney. “We look forward to sharing the data and getting additional input, especially from those who have experienced Old Rag during the pilot.” 

For information on how to comment and to get a link to attend April 17th’s public meeting, please visit our website: www.nps.gov/shen 

To view full press release: Old Rag Public Meeting

Shenandoah National Park extends Old Rag pilot program for 2023. 

Shenandoah National Park will reinstate its Old Rag pilot program March 1, 2023. Shenandoah began the program last year to test a ticketing system intended to address crowding and congestion. The goals are to improve the visitor experience and safety, as well as to protect fragile natural resources at Old Rag. The proposal included a public comment period prior to the pilot which ran from March 1, 2022, to November 30, 2022.

During the pilot, hikers who used trails in the Old Rag area (Saddle, Ridge, and Ridge Access) were required to purchase day-use tickets which were capped at 800 per day. Park staff collected data to be used to determine if the system was contributing toward relieving congestion. The park planned to share the data and evaluate the pilot in early January. However, two winter storms in December caused widespread damage, closing Skyline Drive. “Reopening Skyline Drive was our top priority in January, which did not allow us the time needed for evaluating the pilot program” explained Superintendent Pat Kenney. “We have decided to reinstate the pilot for 2023 to gather more information and to be able to devote time for careful consideration of a longer-term solution to address our concerns at Old Rag.” Within the next few months park staff will share the data and provide an opportunity for additional public input.

The pilot program will resume March 1, 2023. A total of 800 tickets will be available for each day from March 1 to November 30; 400 will be available 30 days prior to the date of arrival, and the remaining 400 will be released five days in advance. Hikers must purchase their tickets online at recreation.gov before their arrival. Tickets are valid for the day of arrival only. A day-use ticket does not guarantee a parking spot, and entrance fees still apply in addition to the day-use ticket fee of $1.00.

For more information about the pilot, specifics about where tickets are required, and details on obtaining tickets, go to https://go.nps.gov/oldragticket.

To view full press release: SNP Old Rag Pilot Program 2023

Shenandoah National Park Artist-in-Residence Applications Available 

 LURAY, VA – Artists are encouraged to apply for the 2023 Artist-in-Residence program at Shenandoah National Park.

The Shenandoah National Park Artist-in-Residence program offers professional artists focused time to creatively explore the natural and cultural resources of this astounding landscape. It also allows artists the opportunity to share their work through educational programs. Shenandoah’s Artist-in-Residence program is supported by a generous donation from the Shenandoah National Park Trust.

Each session of the Artist-in-Residence program offers the artist three weeks of time to pursue their artistic discipline. It also provides the artist with furnished lodging. The selected artist is required to present two public programs during their residency and donate an original piece of art reflecting the artist’s experience.

The Artist-in-Residence program is established in numerous National Park Service sites to inspire artists to create and share art that not only motivates and encourages millions of people to visit and explore, but also helps build awareness and develop stewardship of these beautiful public lands.

Artists of all disciplines are encouraged to apply. Applications are available online at https://www.callforentry.org. The deadline to apply is February 14, 2023. For more information visit go.nps.gov/SHENArt

To view full press release: Shenandoah National Park Artist-in-Residence Applications Available 

Shenandoah National Park sets events for Veterans Day

Shenandoah National Park has announced plans for their 2022 Veterans Day observance.

The Park will continue its partnership with Project Healing Waters, a nationwide nonprofit organization dedicated to our veterans’ physical and emotional healing through fly fishing. In addition to educating participants about fly fishing techniques, the group, along with philanthropic partners, sponsors fly fishing trips. Virginia Regional Coordinator Bill Campbell has brought several groups of veterans to Shenandoah National Park to experience the “healing power” of the program. “We build relationships. It makes your heart much bigger; it makes your heart bigger than you ever thought it could be,” said Campbell of his work with Project Healing Waters.

Volunteers with the organization will return to the Park on Veterans Day, November 11, 2022. Project Healing Waters volunteers will lead programs simultaneously at Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (mile 4.6) and Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51) from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visitors can pick up tips and practice fly-casting. Volunteers will also demonstrate fly-tying.

Also, in observance of Veterans Day NPS staff will be present at both sites from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to distribute free National Park passes to US active-duty military and veterans. There are two types of military passes, a one-year pass for active-duty military and their dependents, and a lifetime pass for veterans and Gold Star Families. For information about the documentation needed to obtain a pass, visit Free Entrance to National Parks for Veterans and Gold Star Families (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).

Friday, November 11, 2022 is a fee-free day in observance of Veterans Day.

Shenandoah National Park Artist-in-Residence to present public program on plein air painting

Shenandoah National Park Artist-in-Residence Ken Michael Heyman will hold a plein air painting drop-in event at Jewell Hollow Overlook (mile 36.4 on Skyline Drive) from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 27, 2022. The public is invited.

Heyman will show some of the paintings he has created in Shenandoah and will demonstrate the techniques and processes he uses to create his artwork. He will share how he would capture the landscape from Jewell Hollow Overlook’s beautiful views of the rolling hills of the Page Valley and the peaks of Neighbor Mountain and Leading Ridge.

The artist relishes the pleasure of painting. “I prefer plein air painting, the act of painting outdoors, for the simple purity of the experience. Working directly on site in nature to capture the essence of the landscape forces spontaneity into the process, including the changing sun, wind, and weather.”

Heyman plans to share his paintings and experiences from the residency through his instagram account: @ken_hey_you.

The program is free. Attendees will need a Shenandoah National Park entrance permit or pass. Shenandoah National Park’s Artist-in-Residence program is funded through generous donations to the Shenandoah National Park Trust.

LURAY, VA – Shenandoah National Park will conduct its sixth annual Night Sky Festival from August 19 through 21, 2022. Rangers and guest speakers will present a variety of programs at sites throughout the Park focusing on space, celestial objects, nocturnal residents, and the importance of dark night skies.

Guest speakers presenting will include NASA Solar System Ambassador Greg Redfern and amateur astronomer Rich Drumm. These programs are sponsored by Delaware North, the Park concessioner.

Other activities include special Ranger-led talks, discussions, children’s activities, and telescope/night sky viewings. Programs will take place at Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (mile 4.6), Mathews Arm Campground (mile 22.1), Skyland Amphitheater (mile 42.5), Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51), Big Meadows (mile 51), and Loft Mountain Amphitheater (mile 79.5).

All programs are free. No reservations are needed. However, Park entrance fees apply. Participants should be weather-prepared and bring a flashlight with a red filter. The complete program schedule can be found on the Park’s website at: https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/night-sky-festival.htm

The National Park Service continues to monitor and respond to current local, state, and CDC information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. At this time, masks are welcome, but not required.