Skyline Drive Road Trip
It's the ultimate way to experience Shenandoah National Park near Harrisonburg, Virginia: Take a Skyline Drive road trip vacation.
This 109-mile drive is like an amusement park ride, set high on the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains with gorgeous views at every bend. Keep it slow—the speed limit is 35 mph for a reason—and enjoy every minute.
Navigating Skyline Drive
This beautiful loop of highway opened in 1939, winding its way between Interstates 66 and 64. Mileposts run from 1 to 101 in the north-south direction. You can pick up a brochure from a national parks booth that details the sites—forests, waterfalls and overlooks—along with activities at mileposts along the way. Look for booths at either end of Skyline Drive, or, if you forget, find one of the two booths along the route.
Walking the Walk
The drive offers an extraordinary road experience and dramatic scenery, but you'll make some of the best memories of Shenandoah National Park if you plan some hikes along the way. Skyline Drive connects with many miles of trails that take you to sparkling waterfalls, mountain tops and viewing points. Get your feet wet on the easy, but lovely, stroll at milepost 84.1, leading to Jones Run Falls. For a tougher ascent that offers one of the only 360-degree views along Skyline Drive, stop at milepost 56.4 and take a steep, but short, trail up Bearfence Mountain.
Overviewing
Skyline Drive teeters its way down the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains, offering stunning views. As you climb up to Skyline Drive across Dickey Ridge, thick with green forests, you'll get views of the patterned lowlands below. Once you hit the crest, the green Shenandoah Valley spreads out to the west; to the east, you'll see the foothills. The road is dotted with overviews and vista points, well worth a stop and a photo. One of the best sights comes at milepost 98.9, at Calf Mountain, where you'll get a fabulous panoramic view of the entire valley.
Waterfalls and Wildlife
Stop at milepost 21.1 for an easy hike to Overall Run Falls—the tallest waterfall in the park—or reach it from nearby Matthews Arm campground. Another glorious splash awaits you at milepost 50.7, where Dark Hollow Fall flows over a 70-foot cliff. It’s said that Thomas Jefferson once trekked to this cascade to admire its beauty. Don't be tempted to exceed the posted speed limit of 35 mph as the area is home to many types of wildlife, including numerous white-tailed deer, black bears, skunks and barred owls.
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