Park Unit 116: Shenandoah National Park

We started this morning on Sky Drive through Shenandoah National Park - a lush, green mountain retreat! The overlooks are stunning and there are over 70 throughout the park. We stopped at the Dickey Ridge Visitor's Center at the northern-most end of the park to get our stamps, then traveled south. We stopped to hike the Stony Man trail which goes to the second highest point in the park. We especially enjoyed the trail guide that gave us interesting information throughout different sections of the trail.

View from Skyland Drive

Stony Man Trail

Overlook from the end of Stony Man Trail

Appalachian Trail Marker on Stony Man Trail

View from the Terrace at Big Meadows Lodge

We continued south to the Big Meadow area where we are staying at the Lodge. We have three little rooms in the main lodge which are rustic and peaceful. The lodge was built in 1939 by the Civilian Conservation Corps and has that wonderful feel of the CCC national-park architecture. The main common room and terrace overlook gorgeous views of the mountain and valley below.

View right outside of one of our rooms

Filling up the balloon

We headed south on the skyline drive with more beautiful "tunnels" of trees and overlooks. Late afternoon, we made our way out of the park to Woodstock, VA where John had arranged for a hot air balloon ride in the Shenandoah Valley for Jason's birthday. We ended up with the weather being perfect - a warm clear night with enough clouds to make a lovely sunset. It was a great adventure!

Ready for lift-off

It took a while to set up the balloon and fill it, then we waited a bit for the wind to be just right - then take-off!

Enjoying the ride!

Heading over the corn fields

Full moon over the fields as we headed home

We drove home after dark on the skyline drive, which had it's own beauty at night - and laughed the whole way back to the lodge. So lucky to be together as a family!