Blog of an Average Person: Shenandoah National Park Trip

I have read two books about hiking the National Scenic Trails, A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson and Wild by Cheryl Strayed. Each time I read a book like this, I immediately want to make the trip myself. As wonderful as that sounds, it currently is not possible for me to attempt it. For one, I do not think it feasible to disappear from my life for six months. While I could consider quitting my job for an experience like that, I do not think I can walk away from my family responsibilities as easily. Second, I have to admit that I am not in National Scenic Trails hiking shape, and I am not brave (or stupid) enough to just go without some knowledge and preparation. While 2000+ miles of hiking might be out of my reach for the moment, there is nothing stopping me from hiking on a much smaller scale. To that end, I planned a small day trip to Shenandoah National Park at the end of July.

In true Ella fashion, my trip started by going completely off-kilter. My plan was to drive to the North Entrance of the park, getting there close to the 9:00 when the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center opened. I would look at the displays in the visitor center and hopefully get a chance to the see the short film that they have there. Then, I would hike the Fox Hollow Trail which starts near the visitor center. Afterwards, I would drive down Skyline Drive for 25 miles or so, stopping at the various overlooks along the route. When I arrived at the Elkwallow Wayside, which is a little grocery store/eatery, I would stop for some lunch. Finally, I would drive back to the North Entrance and proceed home. I figured I would be completely done by mid-afternoon.

Instead I started late because I ran some errands prior to leaving. I made a stop at Walmart to buy a small hiking backpack so I could carry a few supplies with me (ten hiking essentials here http://www.wta.org/hiking-info/basics/hiking-101-part-2-selecting-clothing-and-gear, although I only had eight). Then, I went to the bank to withdraw money from the ATM but got delayed when my bank card was rejected due to inactivity. As directed by iPhone maps, I arrived at the Thornton Gap entrance, even though I swear the North Entrance was closer to me. To accommodate the new location, I decided to just flip my schedule around. I drove up Skyline drive 25 miles, stopping at all the overlooks on the right side of the road along the way. Once I arrived at Dickey Ridge Visitor Center, I went in quickly, but opted out of looking at the displays or watching the movie. Instead I headed over the Fox Hollow Trail, because it was already past noon and pretty hot outside. Afterward my hike, I sat on some benches outside Dickey’s Ridge Visitor Center, ate some peanut butter crackers, and waited for my energy to return. Finally, I drove back to the Thornton Gap Entrance, stopping at some of the overlooks on the other side of Skyline Drive. I did briefly consider stopping at Elkwallow Wayside before heading home, but decided I was too hot, tired, and not hungry. I did not get home until around 5:00.

Despite the misadventures, I had a really nice first outing for my new hiking hobby. My trip can be broken into two big sections, driving Skyline Drive and the stop to actually hike. The big tourist draw to Shenandoah National Park is Skyline Drive. You proceed at a relaxing 35 mph along a twisty road that winds its way through the mountains. The wildflowers and trees are allowed to grow right up to the road edges, enveloping you in a peaceful green canopy. Every mile or so there is an overlook, supposedly 75 in total, but I only stopped at a few. Some of the overlooks have a small display that provides some park history or points of interest. Every overlook has spectacular views, none quite the same as the others. I stopped at almost all the ones between Thornton Gap Entrance and Dickey Ridge Visitor Center, only skipping one due to construction and a few at the end due to an approaching storm. I had one interesting encounter with another person during my drive. A woman asked me to take a picture of her playing her cello at one of the overlooks. In return, she took a couple of me. I took pictures at every stop I made, so I shared some of my favorites below.

The whole point of this trip was to hike, and so I hiked the Fox Hollow Trail. I have not gone hiking in the woods in several years, and I have not done much ever as a solo hiker. As such, I thought it would be prudent to start out very, very easy to make sure I reacted to the situation well. I wanted to know I was physically capable of hiking on unpaved paths, and emotionally ready to be on my own in the wilderness. I picked an extremely easy path at Shenandoah. Fox Hollow Trail is just over 1 mile long, designated as easy by the park, in very close proximity to Dickey Ridge Visitor Center, and popular among visitors. I am glad I started with this one, solely due to the afternoon heat in which I hiked. I had plenty of water with me, but I was hot and exhausted even after just that one mile. I was physically very capable of the hike that I took. Mentally, I felt calm walking through the forest mostly on my own. I saw 4 people coming in the opposite direction at the very start of my hike, and nobody the remainder of the time. I can definitely do this in the future.

The Fox Hollow Trail is a pretty little loop that goes down a slight hill from the road and then back up again. It covers area that was previously farmland owned by the Fox family. In addition to the wildlife, Fox Hollow Trail offers several points of interest to the hiker. There are huge rockpiles that were created by the farmers as they plowed fields. Next is a little cemetery for the Fox family, showing a few old tombstones in a little enclosed area. Further down the path there is supposedly a millstone very obviously along the path, but I never saw it. Before you head back to the visitor center, you will cross a little stream (it will not even wet your feet) and pass by a large old sycamore tree that has been there for a hundred years. I took a few photographs during my hike which I included below.

Overall, I had a very pleasant time. My plan is to continue to incorporate hiking into my routines. Shenandoah has over 500 hiking trails according to the park literature, so it offers many opportunities for me to have new adventures over the next year or so. My next trip though is likely to be in Pennsylvania. I am making a trip to central PA to visit some family at the end of August. My hope is to stop in the Gettysburg area for a day or two on the way home, which offers some hiking opportunities as well as history lessons. With a little perseverance, I can increase the length and difficulty of my hikes over time. Maybe someday I will even tackle part of the Appalachian Trail.

Trip Spending Total: $33.63 – Park entrance fee $20.00, Fox Hollow Trail guide $1.05, souvenirs for me and baby T $12.58.

See you next week!