Welcome to the Shenandoah National Park Tour
Take a scenic drive through Virginia’s verdant wilderness with this self-guided tour. Stop to snap photos from breathtaking overlooks along Skyline Drive. Hike portions of the famous Appalachian Trail. Find out how this wild, remote place isn’t entirely what it seems. Plus, learn the history of Shenandoah National Park’s earliest inhabitants, from the Six Nations to the Iroquois Wars and beyond. This easy, picturesque drive is one you won’t soon forget!
About the Tour
Your tour of Shenandoah National Park begins at the northern end of the park, just outside Front Royal. From here, you’ll proceed south onto Skyline Drive and get your first good look at the Shenandoah Valley. The first trail you’ll reach is the Fox Hollow Trail, a great beginner hike with an intriguing history.
After passing the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center, you’ll arrive at the Signal Knob Overlook, offering not just some incredible views but also a glimpse into Appalachia’s Civil War history. As you continue south past a few more great overlook points, you’ll hear about Shenandoah’s tribes dating all the way back to the Ice Age!
Then you’ll get your first good look at the famous Appalachian Trail, where the nation’s most hardcore hikers test their mettle. Continuing, you’ll learn about the Iroquois Confederacy, the Iroquois Wars, and what happened when Europeans arrived in Shenandoah. After that, you’ll reach the Stony Man Mountain Trail, a perfect spot for inexperienced hikers or families to get in some steps. That’s followed closely by the Limberlost Trail, featuring educational brochures for younger travelers.
Up next is Crescent Rock Overlook, a phenomenal sunset spot. But don’t worry if the sun’s not set as you reach it—the views are still spectacular!
As you drive toward the next pair of great overlooks, you’ll hear how the park actually came to be, including how the Great Depression played an important role. At the Point Overlook, up next, you’ll find out all about the rich history of the deceptively humble town of Elkton. Then it’s on to the Bearfence Mountain Trail for the more adventurous and experienced hikers.
Beyond that is the South River Falls Trail, offering up-close views of a stunning 83-foot waterfall. Continuing on past another few overlooks where you’ll definitely want to snap some photos, you’ll get more details about the land’s history, including what made it so valuable during the Civil War. Then you’ll arrive at the Blackrock Summit Trail, offering the chance to hike just a small portion of the Appalachian Trail to see the fuss. You won’t be disappointed!
After a picture-perfect overlook of Crimora Lake, you’ll come to Calf Mountain Overlook, another beautiful spot to catch the sunset. Your tour will conclude just past here, at Rockfish Gap.
Starting Point Addresses:
Regular Tour: Front Royal Entrance Station, 17157 Skyline Dr, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
Reverse Tour: 130 Afton Cir, Afton, VA 22920
What You'll See
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Welcome to Shenandoah: North Skyline Drive
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Shenandoah Valley Overlook
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Fox Hollow Trail & Cemetery
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Dickey Ridge Visitor Center
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Signal Knob Overlook
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Skyline Drive
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Prehistoric Human Inhabitants
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Red, Yellow, and Orange
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A Celestial Bear Hunt
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Hogwallow Flats Overlook
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The Six Nations
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Range View Overlook
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The Appalachian Trail
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The Iroquois
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Hogback Overlook
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Lacrosse, the Little Brother of War
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Famous Iroquois
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The Iroquois Wars
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Neighbor Mountain Trail
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European Arrival in Shenandoah
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Early European Settlers
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The Iroquois Today
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Iroquois Mythology
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The Pleiades
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The Flying Head
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Stony Man Mountain Overlook And Trail
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Limberlost Trailhead
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Crescent Rock Overlook
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Cedar Run Trail
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Establishing the National Park
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Spitler Knoll Overlook
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Franklin Cliffs Overlook
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Dark Hollow Falls Trail and Falls
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Rapidan Camp
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Building the Park
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Wilderness By Design
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The Point Overlook
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Bearfence Mountain Trailhead
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Why "Blue Ridge"?
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The Oaks Overlook
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Miriam M. Sizer
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South River Falls Trail
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Segregation in Shenandoah
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Shenandoah and the Civil War
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Rockytop Overlook
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Frazier Discovery Trail
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Doyles River Cabin
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PATC Cabins
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Jones Run Falls Trailhead
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Blackrock Summit Trail
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Geology of Shenandoah
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Moonshine in Shenandoah
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Moormans River Overlook
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Crimora Lake Overlook
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Pocosin Mission
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Calf Mountain Overlook
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Rockfish Gap
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The Paul Revere of the South
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An Unbothered Jefferson
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Conclusion
Preview the Tour
Shenandoah Valley Overlook Audio Story
Dickey Ridge Visitor Center Audio Story
Skyline Drive Audio Story
The Appalachian Trail Audio Story
Tour FAQs
Shenandoah National Park is probably best known for the breathtaking Skyline Drive. This scenic route features countless amazing vistas overlooking the lush Appalachian mountains, as well as more than a few great hiking trails.
There’s really not a bad time to visit Shenandoah, but it’s hard to beat either the summer or the fall. From late spring to early summer, the mountains are drenched in green as far as the eye can see. In the fall, all that green turns to brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow.
Without a doubt! Shenandoah National Park is among the easiest national parks to visit and boasts some of America’s most gorgeous wilderness. Read more about this in our blog.
Shenandoah’s Skyline Drive starts by Front Royal, Virginia and ends near Afton, Virginia. Along the way it passes plenty of other small towns, like Luray and Sperryville. Read more about location in our blog post.
Shenandoah does get snow, but it’s a pretty manageable amount. The park averages between 9 and 27 inches of snow each year.
While there have been some mountain lion sightings in Shenandoah National Park, these are few and far between. In general, mountain lions aren’t known to spend much time in the park, especially around Skyline Drive.
Sightseeing, hiking, and picnicking are the main activities in Shenandoah National Park. With so much lush wilderness around, it’s a nature-lover’s dream!
Shenandoah National Park was one of President Herbert Hoover’s favorite vacation spots. He liked it so much he established a permanent camp here in 1929, which he called Rapidan Camp.
Some folks simply call Shenandoah Valley “the Big Valley.” Given that it stretches across about 200 miles, it makes sense! As for the park rangers, they often call this park “the Shennies.”
Shenandoah National Park is open 24/7, barring inclement weather. There may not be rangers on duty in the dead of night, but you can enter at any time!
Shenandoah National Park was created to preserve and protect one of the oldest landscapes on Earth. These mountains formed almost 500 million years ago and the park service couldn’t allow logging and mining to ruin them.
Pets are allowed into Shenandoah National Park, but should be kept on a leash near the road. Most trails allow dogs, but not all, so be sure to check trail signs before bringing your furry friends along.
Additional Information
Lifetime Validity
Changing travel date? No worries! All individual tours come with lifetime validity.
Works Offline
The tour works offline, so you do not need your phone network to enjoy the tour. However, we suggest you download the tour on WiFi at your home, hotel, visitor center, etc., before heading out for a completely immersive experience.
Not an Entry Ticket
This is not an entry ticket to any of the attractions along the way.
Not a Car Rental
We do not provide car rental services. You must arrange for a car yourself. Our self-guided driving audio tours will work in any car via an aux cable or Bluetooth.
How many tours should I buy?
Since this is a driving tour, we suggest you buy one tour per car for the best experience.
What do we do?
Simply put, Action Tour Guide is an audio guide, map, and tour book – all in one app! We are a GPS-enabled app-based tour that narrates information based on your location right on your phone. You can experience our driving and walking tours at your own pace and literally at any time of the day!
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