Shenandoah With Kids

Short hikes, big overlooks, and a road built for stopping.

By Chris Hayworth, Nestward

Shenandoah is one of the most family-forgiving national parks in the East. It's just 75 miles from Washington, D.C., the whole park strings along one scenic road, and you can trade a hard hike for a five-minute overlook without anyone melting down. The catch: the best short hikes still have real elevation, and the famous one (Old Rag) is the opposite of kid-friendly.

The one road you need to know: Skyline Drive

Skyline Drive runs 105 miles down the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains and is the only public road through the park. There are over 70 overlooks along it, which is the single best thing about visiting with kids. When energy runs low, you pull over, look at the view, and keep going. Mile markers count up from the Front Royal (north) entrance to Rockfish Gap (south).

• Four entrances: Front Royal (north), Thornton Gap, Swift Run Gap, and Rockfish Gap (south). Pick the one closest to where you're staying. You don't need to drive the whole length.
• Speed limit is 35 mph the whole way, and there are deer and black bear, so plan on the drive taking longer than the mileage suggests. That's a feature, not a bug, with kids in the back.
• Entrance fee is $30 per vehicle, good for seven days. An $55 annual park pass pays off fast if you're staying a while.

Easy hikes that earn a waterfall

Shenandoah's best kid payoff is a waterfall, and the trails to them are short. "Short" here means steep and back, though. You hike down to the falls, which means the tired-out return is uphill. Pace accordingly.

• Dark Hollow Falls: the park's most-visited waterfall, 70 feet tall, and the closest one to the road. It's a touch over a mile round trip, all downhill on the way in. Great for confident walkers; carry the youngest for the climb back.
• Rose River Falls and Doyles River Falls: slightly longer waterfall hikes for kids who've got a few miles in them and want a quieter trail.
• Stony Man: one of the gentlest summits in the park, with a big rocky view at the top for relatively little climbing. A good "first real summit" for kids.

When the legs are done: overlooks and the Junior Ranger badge

You do not need to hike to have a great day here. Some of the best stops are a few steps from the car.

• Hazel Mountain Overlook and Jeremys Run Overlook are easy pull-offs with sweeping views over the hollows, the kind of stop that resets a cranky afternoon.
• Pick up a Junior Ranger booklet at a visitor center. The activities turn overlooks and short walks into a scavenger hunt, and there's a badge at the end.
• The park has over 200 species of birds and a real chance at spotting deer and black bear from the road. Give bears plenty of space and never get between a cub and its mother.

One warning: skip Old Rag with young kids

Old Rag is Shenandoah's signature hike, and you'll see it everywhere. It is a very strenuous loop with real rock scrambles, it requires a day-use ticket booked in advance, and it is not the right call for most families with young children. If you have older, sure-footed teens who love climbing on rocks, it's a thrill. For everyone else, the waterfall hikes and Stony Man deliver the views without the risk. Chimney Rock on the Riprap trails is another scramble-y spot to admire from a photo rather than attempt with little ones.

Best time to go with a family

Shenandoah has four distinct seasons. Spring brings mild weather and wildflowers. Summer is lush but hot and humid. Start early and bring more water than you think. Fall foliage is spectacular and the single busiest time, so go midweek and early if you can. The mountain runs about 10°F cooler than the valley below, so pack a layer even in summer. Parts of Skyline Drive close in winter ice, though you can still walk in on foot.