Beginner Friendly
Shenandoah National Park
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Trip length
- 2–3 days
- Budget
- $150–$600
- per person · excl. airfare
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
HikingBackpacking
Park entrance: $30 (Entrance - Private Vehicle) · source: NPS
Just 75 miles from the bustle of Washington, D.C., Shenandoah National Park is a land bursting with cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, fields of wildflowers, and quiet wooded hollows. With over 200,000 acres of protected lands that are haven to deer, songbirds, and black bear, there's so much to explore...and your journey begins right here!
Highlights
- Skyline Drive overlooks
- Appalachian Trail miles
- Waterfall hollows
Photos
Photos via Wikimedia Commons under their respective licences.
Map
Trails (10)· Easy–Moderate
- View →Rapidan Fire RoadRepresentative5.6 mi0 ft gainModerate~1.9 h
- View →Appalachian TrailRepresentative4.9 mi0 ft gainEasy~1.6 h
- View →Nicholson Hollow TrailRepresentative5.5 mi0 ft gainModerate~1.8 h
- View →Corbin Mountain TrailRepresentative4.2 mi0 ft gainModerate~1.4 h
- View →Rose River Fire RoadRepresentative4.4 mi0 ft gainModerate~1.5 h
- View →Staunton River TrailRepresentative3.8 mi0 ft gainModerate~1.3 h
- View →Red Gate Fire RoadRepresentative3.9 mi0 ft gainModerate~1.3 h
- View →Slaughter TrailRepresentative3.8 mi0 ft gainModerate~1.3 h
- View →Powell Mountain TrailRepresentative3.5 mi0 ft gainModerate~1.2 h
- View →Jones Mountain TrailRepresentative3.5 mi0 ft gainModerate~1.2 h
Getting there
- CHO Charlottesville-Albemarle · 24 mi
- SHD Shenandoah Valley · 28 mi
- IAD Washington Dulles Intl · 63 mi
Straight-line distances to nearby airports. Airfare and drive times are not included.
Permits & access
Reservation required
Free backcountry permit for overnight — confirm current rules on the official site.
Official permit & conditions ↗Last verified 7/24/2026