Shenandoah National Park, VA

We have been here at Endless Caverns for a week now with 3 weeks to go and have already been up to Shenandoah NP 3 times.  As it is beautiful and cooler, I expect we will be up there a lot more!  It is a bit of a drive, 50 minutes from here near New Market to the nearest gate.  Then you drive either north or south along the  105 mile stretch to get to the hikes you want to enjoy.

view point across a meadow

 We took the Limberlost Trail from the Henry F Byrd Visitor Center.  Probably the only easy trail in the park;)

saw 9 deer on this trail

 This is the Rose River Loop Hike.  Two small waterfalls with many smaller cascading ones along the river. Very scenic.  Takes you through the few remains of an old copper mine.

remains of copper mine

as we left the park that day this buck was happily munching away near the road

from a view point

This is the Marys Rock hike.  A 2.8 mile roundtrip to a awesome view.  This trail can easily be made longer as it connects  with the Appalachian Trail.  We made it a 4+ mile trail.

up we go! Look, shrooms on the right already!

yes, purple!!!!!!!!!

and what about these interesting shrooms?

Up on Marys Rock

looking down on the park entrance

lots of butterflies
and blooming
flora!

a great shroom day!