America's Best Idea

Shenandoah National Park

Back to school in September 2020, I took on the roles of an in-person, hybrid, and virtual PE teacher. Navigating this new teaching style during the pandemic emphasized the need for flexibility. Despite my ability to adjust well to changes, the restriction on travel posed a significant challenge upon returning to work. The contrast with the freedom of summer was noticeable, as I didn't have to contend with all these new rules during those carefree months.

Planning a road trip to Virginia over a long holiday weekend seemed perfect, but COVID-19 travel restrictions presented a dilemma. If you visited any state that was on the list, upon leaving, a mandatory 10-day quarantine is required. Virginia was on that list. After that was brought to my attention, my response was, "So, if I were to visit Virginia, I would have to teach virtually from home during the quarantine and coordinate with a substitute teacher to move from class to class with a laptop, given that students couldn't enter the gym?" It left me perplexed by this new setup, but whatever, it is what it is. I stayed true to my travel plans, hitting the road to Virginia and marking Shenandoah National Park as my 31st National Park visit.

Our 5-hour drive from NJ brought us to our destination, nestled in the Virginia mountains. It was a beautiful fall day, driving with the windows down, music playing, and great conversations, along with some enjoyable quiet moments; this drive went by fast.

Established in 1935, Shenandoah National Park sprawls over 200,000 acres of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, featuring four entrances: Front Royal (North Entrance), Thornton Gap, Swift Run Gap, and Rockfish Gap. Choosing the North Entrance in Front Royal, we established it as our home base for two nights.

The Skyline Drive, spanning 105 miles within the park, offers a scenic route. Opting not to cover the entire drive, we still admired its beauty and explored some of the park's hiking trails, taking in the views from various pullover spots.

If you're picking just one hike in this park, go for the Old Rag hike. The trail to the summit offers a challenging yet fun rock scramble. Navigate through countless rocks, squeeze through narrow passageways, and crawl down tall boulders, all while anticipating some of the best views (so I've heard). Unfortunately, the day we hiked was foggy and overcast, but we still caught glimpses of the breathtaking scenery here and there.

The next day, under clear skies, we eagerly ventured to Hawksbill Mountain, proudly standing as the park's highest point at 4,049 feet. The panoramic view from its summit was simply breathtaking. Embarking on the 1.6-mile out-and-back hike, starting from the Hawksbill Gap parking area at mile marker 45.5, we embraced the short and steep ascent. The effort was undeniably worth it, as each step brought us closer to the simply stunning scenery waiting at the mountain's summit.

Driving to our next stop, Big Meadows Lodge at Milepost 51 on Skyline Drive, we crossed paths with two friendly guys hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT). The AT's prominent presence in Shenandoah draws hikers globally, with the park encompassing a 101-mile segment of the trail. They adopted a distinctive section-hiking strategy, taking two weeks off in spring and fall, consistently resuming their journey where they had last left off. Instead of taking off 6-8 months to complete it, why not section hike it? Though it would take much longer to complete, it's a thought. Several trails we explored intersected with this iconic trail, and seeing the white blazes that mark the A.T. fueled my aspirations of completing the entire trail one day.

Another hike we did was the Stony Man trail, which covers a mere 1.6 miles round trip with a 340-foot elevation gain. This short, easy hike will take you to some of the best views in this park. As an added bonus, it's perfect for catching the sunset without a long walk back to your car in the dark. After our leisurely exploration of the Stony Man trail and enjoying its stunning views, we decided not to stay for the sunset as dinner was calling our names.