Shenandoah Mountains - Sky Line Drive

November 17, 2022

Tanners Ridge

Today, my girl Joni and I and our old lab jazzy took a 3 hr drive on Sky Line Drive that runs along the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. It sports an elevation of about 3500'.

Immediately to the east is the legendary Shenandoah Valley to the west is beautiful rural Virginia. To the west of the valley is the Appalachian Mountains. Scenic does not do the drive justice.


Wild Freedom!

To see such a lush landscape nestled between mountain ranges is a real treat. From Sky Line drive, about 3500 ' above sea level, the views are something else.

The slopping tree covered hills leading to the valley floor with its natural canopy of grasses and farm houses with another mountain range rising up beyond is spectacular.

You get views from both sides of the road, west and east. The road weaves in and around the Blue Ridge Mountains, offering pull offs - scenic views from both sides of the road.

BTW, $30 for a day pass into Shenandoah Nation Park, unless you're a veteran and have a National Parks pass ;). We are camping in nearby Madison, VA at the Madison Vines RV resort. The Shenandoah Valley is about 30 miles west of our location.

This is an area I would like to live in. Its so beautiful and still has 4 seasons, only milder winters than in western NY.

We entered the Nation Park at the Swift Gap gas station, about the mid point and drove north to Thornton Gap.

Along the drive we stopped at about 15 scenic pull offs to take in the breathtaking valley below. Some of the stops also highlighted the mountains, plains, rivers and trees. Most of the drive was pretty slow, by choice and necessity. The road is very curvy with plenty of switch backing to avoid too much grade change.

On Lewis mountain, we took a little detour to check out one of the campgrounds. The campsites along Sky Line drive in the park are all first come first serve, costing $30 a night. No hookups, so be prepared if bringing a camper. Make sure your camper battery is charged, bring a generator and gas. We did see one gas station along the way. There are water and sewer stations along with public bathrooms and shower facilities, but they were closed.

We saw these two handsome fellas along the way.

We also came across the AT - the Appalachian Trail. It runs right down through the valley.

The Old Rag Mountain is very beautiful and hard to miss with its sheerness and height.

There is a tunnel up around Mary's Rock, which was fun to drive through. I guess sometimes the road engineers say "Nope, cant go that way or this way, so lets get the TNT and blast a whole right through this bitch".