~ Shenandoah Vacation Packages- National Park Info

The Shenandoah Valley National Park: A Vacation Paradise

The famous Shenandoah National Park is situated along a beautiful section of the Blue Ridge Mountains (which are in turn part of the Appalachian Range of the eastern United States). The Blue Ridge Mountains run between Pennsylvania and Georgia. The Shenandoah River runs through the Shenandoah Valley to the west. The river has helped to carve out the beautiful landscape that makes the park what it is today.

The unique and stunning beauty of this area of Virginia led the federal government to protect the area by authorizing a national park designation on May 22, 1926. The Shenandoah National Park came into full operation on December 26, 1935. The Park territory covers nearly 200,000 acres. 80,000 of this is designated as protected wilderness habitat. A rich and diverse history lies behind the Shenandoah National Park of today.

One of the most popular attractions in the Shenandoah Park area is the Skyline Drive- which road (that runs for more than 100 miles) that winds through the mountains and the full expanse of the national park itself. This popular drive offers breathtaking vistas of the amazingly picturesque landscape-both to the east and to the west.

The Shenandoah National Park is also great for those who like to get around on foot in order to experience the wonder of the area up close and personal. Over 500 miles of trails are located in the area that makes up the park. Over 100 miles of this trail territory is part of the famed Appalachian Trail. Some Shenandoah trails wind along a ridge crest, and others ascend to higher altitudes; offering spectacular, panoramic views of the entire park.

Being a national park of such immense geographic magnitude, it's not surprising that the area is home to a great multitude of animals species. Particularly common in the area are black bears (stars of thousands upon thousands of Shenandoah National Park postcards), deer, and wild turkeys. In the spring and summer months, brilliantly colored wildflowers flourish in the open sections along the Skyline Drive.

Beyond the spectacular natural beauty of the area, the Shenandoah National Park also still contains remnants of previous human populations. This area was first explored in the 18th century. Eventually it became part of an important corridor for western expansion. This area also saw numerous civil war battles when southern troops used this route to march north. Throughout the park you can still see the stone foundations of original buildings from long ago. In addition, old-time cemeteries are also littered throughout the area. Many of the graves belong to veterans of the Civil War itself. Visiting these sites gives you a sense of the rich and diverse history of the area.

It's easy to see why the Shenandoah National Park and this entire area of Virginia has become such a popular vacation destination for tourists from throughout the United States. The spectacular natural scenery found in the Park is almost unparalleled- offering vistas similar to that of the Smoky Mountains further to the south. The park offers vacationers the opportunity to explore the area by car, or for the more adventurous- on foot. And monuments from the era of the Civil War and before help to add a human quality to the history of the Shenandoah Valley area as well. Few vacation destinations in North America offer such a wide variety of recreational appeal.