Oh Shenandoah!

As I planned our spring adventures trip, I knew that exploring the magnificent Shenandoah National Park was a must. The one hundred north-to-south miles of this national park with its sweeping vistas were awe inspiring. The joy of hiking the Appalachian Trail for a few miles was a delight. Oh Shenandoah, I’m glad we came to hear you and see you!

Our first day visiting the national park was a failed attempt. The ranger at the entry gate gave us a curious look, like “why are you here?” After a mile of driving in dense fog, we understood, turned around, and returned to our campground. A couple of days later, with a forecast for partly sunny skies and warmer temperatures, we traveled about 50 miles into the park from the southern entrance, stopping at numerous vistas to snap a photo or two … or thirty. We realized we were a bit too early to see the full glory of these views as the trees were not leafed out yet, especially on the west side of the mountains. The east side was much greener. We thanked God for his magnificent creation!

Parking near trailheads was a challenge, but we found a spot to hike the Blackrock Summit which a ranger had recommended. The picture explains its name. A curious formation of rocks seemed to hold the summit in place. In truth, we meandered more than hiked on this easier section of the Appalachian Trail.

On a grey, rainy day, we ventured to the Michie Tavern near Monticello. Built in 1784, this famed gathering place welcomed patriots for refreshment and rest. Just look at the logs in the walls, standing for 241 years. If those walls could talk…imagine the conversations that took place in this hallowed tavern in the early decades of our country’s history! We enjoyed a late lunch of southern fare. The fried chicken was outstanding!

When visiting the north end of the park, we tackled Mary’s Rock trail, also part of the AT. Although only covering one mile in distance, we conquered a 620-foot elevation gain. We were quite thankful to have our trekking poles with us, as the path was laden with rocks. Every so often, I stopped to look up and out as most of the time, I was concentrating on where to place my feet. We re-traced our steps down the trail, congratulated ourselves, and declared this was a true hike… at least for two retired adventurers.

In my next post, I’ll share the privilege of honoring some of  our country’s founding fathers when we visited Monticello—the estate of Thomas Jefferson, Highlands—the estate of James Monroe, and Mount Vernon—the estate of George Washington. Hope you’ll come along for the historical ride!