Itinerary 1 itinerary
Day 1
Meet at meeting point: Rockfish Gap Entrance Station 282 Skyline Dr, Waynesboro, VA 22980, United States You can also begin the tour from the Rockfish Gap Entrance Station, Skyline Drive, Waynesboro, VA, USA. The tour works in both directions, so you can begin in Afton and end in Front Royal, or vice versa.Meet at meeting point: Shenandoah National Park Sign Virginia 22630 Begin from Shenandoah National Park Sign, Virginia 22630, USA. After booking the tour, search your emails and texts for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOREVER, so follow these instructions NOW to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite.
Attractions and Activities: Shenandoah National Park (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Shenandoah National Park is famous for Skyline Drive, where mountain overlooks roll on for miles. It's a perfect mix of scenic pullouts, waterfall hikes, and Blue Ridge beauty. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
Attractions and Activities: Fox Hollow Trailhead (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Fox Hollow Trail is one of Shenandoah's most popular trails for a reason. This short, mile-long trek dives through some seriously lush greenery, and even throws in some unique history along the way, as it passes the Fox family cemetery, which dates back to the early 1800s.
Attractions and Activities: Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) At the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center, you can find maps, snacks, and info about the park. This is also the site of the Fox Hollow Trailhead.
Attractions and Activities: Signal Knob Overlook (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Signal Knob Overlook doesn't just offer stupendous views (although it certainly has those). It's also rich with history! This knob actually served an important strategic purpose for both the Union and the Confederacy during the Civil War.
Attractions and Activities: Hogwallow Flats Overlook (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) At Hogwallow Flats Overlook, which looks across Rappahannock County and the town of Flint Hill, you'll get familiar with some of the region's oldest mountains. These monadnocks, as they're called, are even older than the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains! Then, you'll learn about the Six Nations who once occupied this territory.
Attractions and Activities: Range View Overlook (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Range View Overlook looks directly toward the center of Shenandoah National Park. From up here, you can see from Keyser Mountain all the way to Stony Man Mountain much farther off. Beyond this overlook, you'll hear about the origins of the Appalachian Trail and how it became the most famous thru-hike in the nation.
Attractions and Activities: Appalachian Trail (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Hogback Overlook is the longest overlook in the park, meaning it offers a panoramic vista of the valley and the mountains beyond. This spot makes for some splendid photo ops! Then you'll find out more about the Iroquois, including their sports, their wars, and more.
Attractions and Activities: Stony Man Mountain Overlook (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Casual or inexperienced hikers will find the perfect trail at Stony Man Overlook. This easy, one-mile trail is great for families, and offers tremendous views along the way. Make sure to keep your camera at the ready!
Attractions and Activities: Limberlost Trail (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Limberlost Trail offers another great opportunity for an easy trek through picturesque wilderness. This 1.2-mile loop travels along a boardwalk with almost no elevation change, meaning it's also totally accessible! It also features educational plaques along the way so you can learn as you go!
At 3,550 feet above sea level, Crescent Rock Overlook has some of the best views Shenandoah's highest peak. Because it faces due west, it's also a phenomenal place to catch the sunset. There's a good reason this was once the site of religious revival services. 10 min(s)
Attractions and Activities: Cedar Run Trail (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Cedar Run Trail is one of Shenandoah's dog-friendly trails for those traveling with furry companions. It is 5.8 miles, however, and features a harrowing 2,700 feet of elevation gain, so it's primarily suitable for experienced hikers.
Attractions and Activities: Franklin Cliffs Overlook (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) At Franklin Cliffs Overlook, you can catch a glimpse of the town of Stanley and learn a bit about its history. Dating all the way back to the 1700s, this unassuming town has a rich and storied past which lingers within its community to this day.
Attractions and Activities: Camp Rapidan (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Rapidan Camp (also known at times as Camp Hoover) in Shenandoah National Park in Madison County, Virginia, was built by U.S. President Herbert Hoover and his wife Lou Henry Hoover and served as their rustic retreat throughout Hoover's administration from 1929 to 1933.
Attractions and Activities: The Point Overlook (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) The Point Overlook boasts excellent views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley in the distance. Here, you'll also find out about the town of Elkton, once home to the first permanent European settler of Shenandoah Valley.
Attractions and Activities: Bearfence Mountain (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Bearfence Mountain Trail is only a 1-mile hike, but don't let the brevity fool you. This hike is a steep, gravelly scramble that should only be attempted by ambitious hikers. The views at the top, however, are well worth the difficult ascent.
Attractions and Activities: The Oaks Overlook (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) The Oaks Overlook demonstrates the stark difference between the wilderness of Shenandoah National Park and the cultivated land in the towns beyond. It's also a great place to view Massanutten Mountain. Past it, you'll get to know Miriam M. Sizer, an anthropologist who was tasked with studying the people of this region almost 100 years ago. The man-made landscape of the Shenandoah Valley provides a stark contrast from the wilderness in Shenandoah National Park.
Attractions and Activities: South River Falls Trail (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) South River Falls Trail isn't just a great hike, it's also a great spot for birdwatchers! This moderate, 4.6-mile trek also leads to a stunning, 83-foot waterfall sure to improve any hike. As an added bonus, dogs are also welcome on this trail.
Attractions and Activities: Swift Run Overlook (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Keep an eye out for birds when you reach Swift Run Overlook. Here, you'll get a crash course in spotting some of Shenandoah's coolest avian residents, and with great views to boot!
Attractions and Activities: Bacon Hollow Overlook (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Bacon Hollow Overlook features a vista that includes two of the park's coolest mountains: Flattop Mountain and Brokenback Mountain. Beyond it, get ready to dive into the valley's Civil War history as well.
Attractions and Activities: Loft Mountain Overlook (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Looking southeast, Loft Mountain Overlook features a look at the Blue Ridge Mountains as they descend into the foothills and merge with the Piedmont region of Virginia. All that lush greenery is sure to catch anyone's eye!
Attractions and Activities: Rockytop Overlook (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) In addition to its sweeping vistas, Rockytop Overlook also boasts a spectacular view of the Big Run watershed wilderness.
Attractions and Activities: Jones Run Falls Trailhead (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Jones Run Falls Trail is yet another gorgeous hike that features a beautiful waterfall. It's also known for being the site of a number of hidden swimming holes, so keep your eyes open when you're on the trail!
Attractions and Activities: Blackrock Summit Trail (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) The Blackrock Summit Trail is a short hike to a lovely viewpoint atop a rocky slope, but there's more to it than that. This quick trail actually follows part of the sprawling, 2,000-mile Appalachian Trail!
Attractions and Activities: Moormans River Overlook (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Facing east-southeast, the Moormans River Overlook lets visitors see Pasture Fence Mountain, Sawlog Ridge, Bucks Elbow Mountains, and the Charlottesville Reservoir. It also offers great views of the Moormans River, a seemingly humble river which is known for frequently overflowing its banks and wreaking havoc on the surrounding landscape.
Attractions and Activities: Crimora Lake Overlook (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Standing at nearly 3,000 feet, Crimora Lake Overlook boasts views of Wildcat Ridge and the dark, alluring waters of Crimora Lake. Back in the 1800s, that lake was a major industrial site. The remnants of manganese mining operations can still be seen here to this day.
Attractions and Activities: Turk Mountain Overlook (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Turk Mountain Overlook points straight at Turk Mountain's quartzite-covered peak. It gets its name from a mysterious family that lived in the area, though no one knows much about them now.
Attractions and Activities: Calf Mountain Overlook (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Calf Mountain Overlook is famous for one thing: Sunset views. As one of the last stops along your journey, this is the perfect spot to set up and watch the sun dip below the mountains on the horizon. It'll make for a sight you won't soon forget!
Attractions and Activities: Shenandoah National Park (Free entry How to visit:No indoor visits) Your southbound tour of Shenandoah's Skyline Drive begins at the park's north entrance, just outside Fort Royal. From here, you'll cruise along this scenic roadway, stop at jaw-dropping vistas, and get acquainted with the area's complicated history.
Finally, you'll cross through Rockfish Gap, an important passage into the mountains which also has a surprising history. As you drive, you'll get to know the so-called "Paul Revere of the South" and how Rockfish Gap played a crucial role in his (and Thomas Jefferson's) story. Your tour concludes just beyond this gap, at the southern end of the Skyline Drive. Note: The tour is over 120+ miles long, with more than 100+ audio stories, and takes about 4–5 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. 10 min(s)
Guests leave on their own: Rockfish Gap Entrance StationEnd the tour on your own and bring your trip to a happy conclusion 282 Skyline Dr, Waynesboro, VA 22980, United States
*Itinerary times are in the local time of the place of visit and may be subject to changes due to weather conditions, road conditions, and other factors. We appreciate your understanding.