Park Watch: What's Up in Shenadoah?
After a weekend at Shenandoah National Park, I'm happy to report mountain laurels (click for photo) blooming all through the woods, there are bear cubs (click for photo) and fawns (click for photo) aplenty and Washington's closest mountain-retreat national park seems to be primed for another summer.
There are more ranger programs [PDF] than last year, with talks at the lodges, new walks (including one about the early history of George Freeman Pollock's Skyland Resort) and once- or twice-daily trips to Rapidan Camp, President Herbert Hoover's summer retreat in the park.
It's also the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the public works program created by FDR during the Depression for single, unemployed young men.
One of the major accomplishments of the CCC -- well, in my opinion, anyway -- was its work in Shenandoah, including the creation of Skyline Drive, which snakes along the Blue Ridge Mountains. The statue of Iron Mike, commemorating the CCC, has been in front of the Byrd Visitor Center at Big Meadows since the fall of 2006, and now visitors can learn more about CCC workers and their experiences in the park with a display at the Skyland lodge and afternoon ranger walks most days to the CCC camp site in Big Meadows.
Something I'm excited to try next time I visit is the new GPS Ranger unit. It's a small, handheld GPS device loaded with site-specific recordings for four different hikes in the Central District of the park: The Appalachian Trail from Milam Gap to Tanner Ridge Road, Dark Hollow Falls, Hawksbill Mountain and a Meadow Discovery Walk. My parents graciously tested one of the units on the Appalachian Trail, and they were impressed with the device.
Here's how it works: You rent a unit at the Byrd Visitor Center for $10 and get to keep it till 6 p.m. that day. Pick a hike, and while you're on the trail, the unit will beep when you reach a point that has recorded information about it. On the AT hike, the audio included stories about how the trail got started, comments from through-hikers and information about the history of the area, including the site of an old apple orchard. The units have about 3.5 hours of power, so hikers probably can't tackle all four trails in one day.
Of course, why would you want to, anyway? There are so many things to do at the park this summer, which might be necessary if more people from D.C. skip far-flung trips in favor of a closer-to-home retreat. Ranger walks - electronic or human - are a great way to discover the park, but to me, part of the joy of visiting Shenandoah is just looking at the scenery, building a campfire and relaxing.
They say that, in the old days, you could see the lights of Washington from certain places in Shenandoah. But why would you want to?
By Christina Talcott |
June 19, 2008; 7:00 AM ET
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Posted by: Woodbridge VA | June 19, 2008 9:42 AM
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I have mixed feelings about this article. I love the SNP even if gas prices have limited my ability to get up there 2-3 weekends a month as I have in the past. Unfortunately, it is becoming overcrowded and articles like this only make it worse. The last time I hiked Old Rag, there was a 30 minute backup at the narrow chute just before the cave. On some days White Oak falls seems to have more people than the mall. You really have to get away from the central part and northern part of the park to find any real solitude. And NO, I will not say where. Just be prepared for a lonnnng hike. Nevertheless, it is good to see people enjoying the park, particularly the children. They need to learn there are some places where real world experiances are more fun/meaningful than virtual reality.