few hiking options to
pick from. The Lower
Hawksbill Trail is a
steep 1.7-mile round trip
that circles Hawksbill
Mountain’s lower slopes;
that huff-inducing ascent
yields a pretty great
view over the park.
Another great lookout
lays at the end of the
Upper Hawksbill Trail,
a moderately difficult
2.1-mile trip. You can link
up with the Appalachian
Trail here via a spur
called the Salamander
Trail.
If you continue south
for about 5 miles you’ll
reach Fishers Gap
Overlook. The attraction
here is the Rose
River Loop, a 4-mile,
moderately strenuous
trail that is positively
Edenic. Along the way
you’ll pass by waterfalls,
under thick forest canopy
and over swift-running
streams.
The Drive » From Fishers Gap,
head about a mile south to the
Byrd Visitors Center, technically
located at MP 51.
a^ Byrd Visitors
Center
The Byrd Visitors Center
(%540-999-3283; Skyline Dr,
MP 50; h9am-5pm Apr-Nov)
is the central visitor
center of Shenandoah
National Park, marking
(roughly) a halfway point
between the two ends
of Skyline Drive. It’s
devoted to explaining
the settlement and
development of the
Shenandoah Valley via
a series of small but
well-curated exhibitions;
as such, it’s a good place
to stop and learn about
the surrounding culture
(and pick up backcountry
camping permits).
There’s camping (p264)
and ranger activities in
the Big Meadows area,
located across the road
from the visitor center.
The Story of the
Forest trail is an easy,
paved, 1.8-mile loop
that’s quite pretty; the
trailhead connects to the
visitor center. You can
also explore two nearby
waterfalls. Dark Hollow
Falls, which sounds (and
looks) like something
out of a Tolkien novel,
is a 70ft high cascade
located at the end of a
quite steep 1.4-mile trail.
Lewis Falls, accessed via
Big Meadows, is on a
moderately difficult 3.3-
mile trail that intersects
the Appalachian Trail;
at one point you’ll be
scrabbling up a rocky
slope.The Drive » The Lewis
Mountain area is about 5 miles
south of the Byrd Visitors
Center via Skyline Drive. Stop
for good overlooks at Milam
Gap and Naked Creek (both
clearly signposted from the
road).b Lewis Mountain
Lewis Mountain is both
the name of one of the
major camping areas
(p265) of Shenandoah
National Park and a
nearby 3570ft mountain.
The trail to the mountain
is only about a mile long
with a small elevation
gain, and leads to a
nice overlook. But the
best view here is at
the Bearfence Rock
Scramble. That name
is no joke; this 1.2-mile
hike gets steep and
rocky, so don’t attempt it
during or after rainfall.
The reward is one of the
best panoramas of the
Shenandoahs. After you
leave, remember there
are still about 50 miles
of Skyline Drive between
you and the park exit at
Rockfish Gap.TRIP HIGHLIGHT
GARDEN MAZE ALERT
Next to the Luray Caverns is an excellent
opportunity to let your inner Shelley Duvall or
Scatman Crothers run wild. Go screaming Shining-
style through the Garden Maze (adult/child $9/7),
but beware! This maze is harder than it looks
and some could spend longer inside it than they
anticipated. Paranormal and psychic abilities are
permitted, but frowned upon, when solving the
hedge maze. Redrum! Redrum!VIRGINIA.TRIPS.21
.SKYLINE DRIVE