“The best way to see Shenandoah”
Skyline Drive is a 105-mile (169-km) road that runs the entire length of the National Park Service's Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, generally along the ridge of the mountains. The scenic drive is particularly popular in the fall when the leaves are changing colors. Annually, over two million people visit the Skyline Drive, which has been designated a National Scenic Byway. The road takes a winding path along the mountaintops of the Blue Ridge Mountains east of the Shenandoah River. There are nearly seventy-five overlooks throughout the drive, providing views of the surrounding valleys. During the drive (especially in early morning and late evening) wildlife can be seen on the road; Shenandoah National Park has one of the densest populations of black bears documented within the U.S. Numerous trails can be accessed along the drive, including a portion of the Appalachian Trail, which follows the road's path. Biking and horseback riding are other recreational activities that are allowed on the road. The southern end of the Skyline Drive is located in Rockfish Gap, where it connects to the northern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway, a free-access road that continues southward along the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Reviews
Take Skyline drive till you it branches off and goes to Luray Caverns. Try and finish the caverns before 4 pm because the roads through the forest have no street lights or gas stations.. continue down as far as you can go on Blue Ridge Parkway. It's one of the most scenic drives on the east coast !
North access: 38.906346,-78.199893 ;
South access: 38.032974,-78.859007 ; Middle access: 38.660699,-78.320515 ;
Excellent views! Try to time your trip so that you aren't driving after dark, and watch out for deer. We drove around dusk and we wish we would have started just a half hour earlier so we could have seen the views in the daytime as well as at sunset. I also have a feeling this view would be great at sunrise, as many of the overlooks face east!
Breathtaking! The overlooks offer incredible views. The admission is also only $15 for 3 days. The drive is beautiful and relaxing. There are also campsites throughout Skyline Drive and we found one restaurant, and a general store near a campsite. Also from Skyline there is access to many waterfalls, mountains, and hiking trails of various skill level. One beginner hike we took was from Skyline drive to Stoneyman Mountain that I would recommend.
Drove through this once, I'm only 19 and it was one of the best rides I've ever done
This 105 mile drive has an incredible 75 overlooks, each as breathtaking as the last. Fall is a great time to take the drive, but it's just as pretty in the spring/summer. Plus the speed limit is a lazy 35 MPH, so it's a great relaxing drive.
Amazing at sunset highly suggest taking a drive through.
Beautiful drive through the mountains. Loved it.
Beautiful drive, tons of places to stop and take it all in. Only drove a northern portion then hopped back on the highway. One of the favorite parts of our roadtrip
What a beautiful, beautiful place, been there many many times and never can get enough of the beauty
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Skyline Drive
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- Sun - Sat: 12:00 am - 11:59 pm
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