Shenandoah Skyline Drive (Shenandoah National Park, Virginia)

 

The next piece of drive takes the 105 miles of the Shenandoah Skyline, which is a direct continuation of the Blue Ridge Parkway and similar in many ways. As I understand it, this high elevation roadway was built as the jewel of Shenandoah National Park and intended to give visitors a birds-eye view of the valley's to the west, many decades prior to air travel becoming commonplace. Again my travels along this roadway will include stops at various trailheads and overlooks, but I will try to keep this post restricted to the drive and views itself.

Making my way north, I take time to pull over a few times and take in the view from the overlooks. It really is stunning and unlike further south, most of this country has farms dotted in and among the lush deciduous forests. It's also worth noting that the further north I travel, the more the trees are progressing towards their fall colors.

Having flown around the nation quite a lot over the years, seeing the miles laid out before me like this is not a totally new experience (though it is still a memorable one), but I can only imagine what these views must have been like for those driving this road a century or so ago, when it likely would have been the highest elevation they had ever been to.

Near the northern terminus, I pull over at a particularly scenic overlook as the sign starts its descent toward the western horizon. A bus filled with young ladies dressed in Amish-looking attire also stops here and they walk over to the stone retaining wall to take in the view. I can overhear them and they are not speaking English. I'm not exactly sure what I'm witnessing here, but judging from their excitement, they are really enjoying their trip and the views. Good for them.

Finally reaching the end of the Skyline Drive, I head off to my next adventure, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. For now, I'm going to find a hotel and get some sleep. The drive was really a great experience, but I will note that it seems a bit busier than the Blue Ridge Parkway. Perhaps that is a function of the time of day or the day of the week. I'm not sure.