Shenandoah National Park

About Shenandoah

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!

From the National Park Service.

Entrance fees

Park annual pass

Provides unlimited entry for one year to the pass holder and passengers in the same vehicle, not to exceed 4 total adults. Children under 16 are admitted for free and are not included in this total. Purchase online or at any of our entrance stations.

Reservations

NPS lists no entry reservation for this park as of October 26, 2026. Campgrounds and tours may still need booking.

Weather and seasons

Shenandoah National Park has four very distinct seasons. Spring typically brings mild temperatures, rain, and wildflowers. Summer brings lush green forests, but can be hot and very humid. Fall follows with cooler temperatures and spectacular fall foliage. Winter can bring snow and ice. The park spans roughly 100 miles, which means that weather can vary greatly depending on your location. The mountain is usually 10°F cooler than the valley below. Always check the forecast, dress in layers, and be prepared.

Hours

Shenandoah National Park is always open. However, portions of Skyline Drive, the only public road through the Park, are periodically closed during inclement weather. Visitors can still enter the Park on foot to hike, even when the Skyline Drive is closed. Campgrounds, services, and facilities have separate hours; please see descriptions of those facilities elsewhere on our website.

Getting there

Shenandoah National Park is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, west of Washington, D.C. It stretches 105 miles and has four entrances: Front Royal (northern entrance), Thornton Gap, Swift Run Gap, and Rockfish Gap (southern entrance to Shenandoah and the northern entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway). The physical address listed is to the administrative offices, not the Park itself. GPS can be unreliable for navigating to the Park, so we encourage you to check out our website for more info.

Campgrounds

• Big Meadows CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov
• Lewis Mountain CampgroundFirst come, first served
• Loft Mountain CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov
• Mathews Arm CampgroundBook on Recreation.gov

Webcams

• Big Meadows
• The Shenandoah Valley Webcam (live video)
• Big Meadows Live (live video)
• Mountain View Cam

Visitor centers

• Dickey Ridge Visitor Center
• Harry F. Byrd Sr. Visitor Center

Alerts

• Park Closure: Active Closure
• Caution: Emergency Phone Line Unavailable
• Information: Infrastructure Improvements to Old Rag Trailhead
• Information: Shenandoah National Park Moved to Fully Cashless Fee Collection
• Caution: Parking at Boundary Access Areas
• Information: Get Skyline Drive Status Updates
• Information: Ticket Required to Hike Old Rag

As of October 26, 2026. Current alerts on nps.gov

Sources

Shenandoah National Park fees on nps.gov. Prices, park information and photos from the NPS Data API, checked October 26, 2026. Photos credited to the National Park Service.