Author: Rachel Burner

Shenandoah National Park announces
Wildflower Weekend Events 

LURAY, VA – Spring wildflowers and nature art will be celebrated during Shenandoah National Park’s 35th annual Wildflower Weekend, May 14-15, 2022. Guided hikes and programs will focus on the diversity and importance of not only hundreds of species of flowering plants that are protected by the park, but other seasonal changes as well.

Special features this year include a botanical art workshop led by watercolor artist Betty Gatewood, as well as a wildflower photography workshop led by Ann and Rob Simpson. No art experience is necessary, and all materials will be provided. There will also be a presentation by Shenandoah’s current Artist-in Residence, Jillian Sico.

All programs are free. No reservations are needed. However, there is a $30 entrance fee to the park (good for seven days). Adults and children are welcome on all Wildflower Weekend programs. For more information about spring in Shenandoah and the complete Wildflower Weekend schedule of programs, visit our website at https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/spring.htm. There will also be regularly scheduled weekend Ranger programs at both visitor centers at mile 4.6 and mile 51.

For those who cannot attend in person, Shenandoah’s virtual wildflower walks from 2021 are on the Park’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/ShenandoahNPS.

Wildflower Weekend is supported by the Shenandoah National Park Association and the Artist-in-Residence program is supported by the Shenandoah National Park Trust.

Photos to support this Press Release can be downloaded at  https://www.flickr.com/photos/snpphotos/albums/72177720298061128
All are public domain; please credit NPS. 

Contact: Karl Rand
540-999-3500 ext. 3284
karl_rand@nps.gov

Shenandoah National Park releases details for Old Rag Pilot Program

Shenandoah National Park will begin a pilot project designed to improve the visitor experience and protect fragile natural resources at Old Rag, one of the Park’s most popular hiking destinations. The pilot is intended to help the Park evaluate and possibly adapt to a permanent system in the future. Park management will share its analysis after the one-year trial.

To view full press release: SNP Old Rag Pilot Program

Shenandoah National Park Announces Spring Opening Dates

Facilities in Shenandoah National Park are beginning to open and will continue to open throughout the spring. The park’s two visitor centers are now open with rangers providing information at outdoor contact stations and the Park Stores located inside are open with limited capacity. They are operating on the following schedules:

Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (mile 4.6 Skyline Drive)

• Open Fridays through Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays), No indoor exhibits or films.

Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51 Skyline Drive)

• Open 7 days a week, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., No indoor exhibits or films.

Campgrounds will open on the following schedule:

• March 25: Lewis Mountain Campground (mile 57.5)
• March 26: Big Meadows Campground (mile 51.2)
• May 5: Mathews Arm Campground (mile 22.2), Loft Mountain Campground (mile 79.5), and Dundo Group Campground (mile 83.7)

Picnic Grounds will open on the following schedule:

• March 25: Lewis Mountain Picnic Grounds (mile 57.5)
• March 26: Big Meadows Picnic Grounds (mile 51.2)
• Open year round: Dickey Ridge Picnic Grounds (mile 4.7), Elkwallow Picnic Grounds (mile 24.1), Pinnacles Picnic Grounds (mile 36.7), South River Picnic Grounds (mile 62.8), and Dundo Picnic Grounds (mile 83.7)

The restaurants, lodges, and associated facilities operated by the park concessioner, Delaware North, will open as follows:

• March 25: Lewis Mountain Cabins and Campstore (mile 57.5)
• March 26: Skyland Resort (mile 41.7 and 42.5)
• March 26: Big Meadows Wayside (mile 51.2)
• April 1: Elkwallow Wayside (mile 24.0)
• April 23: Big Meadows Lodge (mile 51.2)
• April 23: Loft Mountain Wayside (mile 79.5)
• May 5: Loft Mountain Campstore (mile 79.5)
• May 28: Skyland Stables (mile 42.5)

To view full press release: SNP Spring Opening Dates 2021

Shenandoah National Park implements federal mask requirement for COVID-19 prevention and protection

To protect the health of those who live, work, and visit national parks and National Park Service (NPS) facilities, and in support of President Biden’s Executive Order on Protecting the Federal Workforce and Requiring Mask-Wearing, NPS is immediately implementing a mask requirement for employees, visitors, partners and contractors.

At Shenandoah National Park, face masks are now required in all park buildings and facilities, including, but not limited to, park visitor centers, administrative offices, lodges, gift shops, restaurants, backcountry shelters, picnic pavilions and restrooms. Masks are also required on NPS-managed lands when physical distancing cannot be maintained, including crowded trailheads, narrow or busy trails, overlooks, and other areas of interest that draw large groups of visitors.

To view full press release:  SNP Face Mask Requirement Press Release

Shenandoah National Park Announces Fee-Free Days in 2021 

Luray, Virginia:  Shenandoah National Park will waive its entrance fees on seven days in 2021. Six of the days celebrate significant national events and all national parks will waive their entrance fees on those days. The seventh day, Neighbor Appreciation Day, is a special fee-free day for Shenandoah National Park alone. The fee-free days for 2021 are:

•     Monday, January 18 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
•     Saturday, April 17 – First Day of National Park Week/National Junior Ranger Day
• Saturday, June 19 – Neighbor Appreciation Day
• Wednesday, August 4: One year anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
•     Wednesday, August 25 – National Park Service Birthday
•     Saturday, September 25 – National Public Lands Day
•     Thursday, November 11 – Veterans Day

To view full press release: SNP Fee Free Days 2021

Shenandoah National Park News Release

Shenandoah Issues Hiking Safety Tips 

LURAY, VA – Shenandoah National Park continues to experience an increase in emergency calls, prompting park officials to remind visitors of the need to plan their hiking trips and be prepared. This is especially important during the upcoming colder months when weather is more unpredictable and can be dangerous at higher elevations. Last weekend National Park Service rangers responded to several accidents with injuries and conducted a late-night search for an overdue group of hikers.

The search for four adults began at about 9:00 p.m. when the park’s communications center received a call reporting the group overdue from a hike. A team of NPS search and rescue rangers was dispatched to the call. The NPS located their vehicle at a trailhead and Rangers hiked into the backcountry and were able to find the group at about 2:00 a.m. The hikers were cold, tired, and hungry, but otherwise uninjured.

Shenandoah National Park Superintendent Pat Kenney urges people coming to visit the Park to plan ahead and be prepared. “We have encountered numerous situations that could have been prevented or mitigated with proper planning. Hiking in Shenandoah National Park is a wonderful recreational activity, and your experience will be even better if you are fully prepared for the conditions you may encounter in this mountainous wild place.”

Shenandoah National Park offers trip planning information as well as the Ten Essentials for Hiking Smart.

– www.nps.gov/shen –

About the National Park Service: Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of America’s more than 400 national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with millions of people every year. Learn more at www.nps.gov

October is a popular time to visit Shenandoah National Park, typically garnering nearly a quarter of the Park’s annual visitation of 1.4 million. The Park is experiencing higher than usual visitation with numbers up for the year about 10% despite a closure in the spring due to the COVID pandemic. Park officials are expecting high visitation in October as visitors come to Shenandoah for the fall leaf display. The first weekend in October saw 14,000 cars enter the park, doubling 2019’s 7,000. According to Superintendent Patrick Kenney, “We know fall is an amazing time to visit the Park; we highly encourage visitors to recognize that is also our most popular time to visit and to anticipate higher levels of visitation and come prepared.

To Read Full Press Release: SNP Issues Travel Tips for October 2020 Press Release

National Park Service (NPS) Regional Director Gay Vietzke has named Patrick Kenney as the new superintendent of Shenandoah National Park and Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park.

To Read Full Press Release: Shenandoah National Park News Press Release New Superintendent

Shenandoah National Park Begins Accepting Campground Reservations for 2020 Season

Luray, Virginia: Shenandoah National Park will begin accepting campground reservations for the 2020 season on June 24, 2020. Visitors who would like to camp at Mathews Arm, Big Meadows, Loft Mountain or Dundo campgrounds can go to Recreation.gov or call (877) 444-6777 to make reservations from 2-days to 6-months in advance of their trip. A limited number of campsites will be available on a first come-first served basis.

Lewis Mountain Campground will be available on a first come-first served basis for the entire 2020 season.

Entrance fees to the park can also be paid in advance by purchasing a digital pass at: https://www.recreation.gov/sitepass/74293?q=Shenandoah%20National%20Park%20Digital%20Pass.

To Read Full Press Release: 2020 Campground Reservations Press Release