Skyline Drive Reviews

Scenic drive through the Shenandoah National park. Skyline drive is 105 miles long. The speed limit is 35 MPH the entire way. Lots of places to pull over for amazing views. There is only one gas station along the route and it was closed for renovations while we were there. The price is also higher so get gas before you enter the park. There are quite a few places to stop and enjoy a picnic lunch. There are several visitors centers with lots of good information and gift shops. Some of them also have food and drinks. The drive is a great way for someone with limited mobility to be able to enjoy the Park. Many of the overlooks have a small plaque with facts or history of the area. Be careful of cyclists who are biking the drive also. We saw quite a few.

I’d recommend coming here during October to early November. The leaves changing color at this time of the year just adds much to the already breathtaking scenery. There are numerous scenic overlooks where one can enjoy the beauty of it all. We enjoyed our time driving through and taking many photos. It is worth the time.

What a lovely drive!! As another reviewer said, the only reason I didn’t give this five stars is because of the time of year. I thought early April was a good idea, especially since it was 82 degrees the previous day, but it snowed, hailed, and rained on the drive, and many of the trees were barren. Still, though, it was super relaxing and adventurous at the same time, and I’m hoping to go again when the weather’s nicer:)

Summer - GORGEOUS. Go with a real camera and lots of memory space. We spent a few days/nights here, camping and hiking. And just relaxing in nature.
The SUNSETS! Don't miss the sunsets - find the viewpoint you like best and just wait for it.
And the nights here were hypnotizingly beautiful. Incredibly clear skies.

Best nature drive with many hiking opportunities along the way and scenic vistas. Definitely a must-drive if you are in the area. Take time to soak nature any season. We hiked the Stoney Man Overlook with kids 6 and 12, we are enjoyed the hike and the overlook. But be sure to manage expectations as the weather and driving conditions impact the views and experiences along the drive.

This is one of America’s most famous drives for a reason. 105 miles of autumn foliage-viewing bliss. Tons of overlooks. Lots of people on the weekend, much less on Friday. Incredibly fun family vacation! Would absolutely love to do it again!

Driving Skyline Dr. through Shenandoah National Park in the evening is a different experience than driving it during the day. In the evening there are deer everywhere which is a joy to see. The sunset is amazing. On a clear night find a overlook to stop at and watch the sunset, you won’t be disappointed.

This was a beautiful drive with many breathtaking overlooks. Drove from Staunton, VA North. Highly recommend.

We left Washington, DC around 9AM and I made it to my flight leaving Dulles at 6:30PM. Managed to drive the whole drive. Was a little concerned about the time but it went by pretty fast and we were able to see the entire thing except for a short period of dense fog.

Lots of National Parks have scenic drives but I don't know of another park where that drive is such an important and integral part of the park. It probably is 80% of the roadways within Shenandoah National Park and it is the dominant attraction from end to end. Every overlook and hike we made came off this road which really makes this road a great leveler for every person who visits Shenandoah. You may be the most fit hiker that hikes every trail, but your experience will be very similar to the experience for the old, young and less mobile because this drive offers many of the same experiences.

The road goes from end to end but what will be most celebrated are the ridgeline views you get as you wind close to the summits. The dozens of overlooks on each side are amazing. Additionally, you don't have to hike anything to see amazing views and wildlife as we saw all of that from this road and at 35 MPH you can really see and experience all of it.

Our visit in May was simply amazing with the amount and variety of wildflowers. While I am sure the leaf change in fall is incredible, I can not fully describe how beautiful spring is as you wind along the road. Also realize while the valleys and hillsides may experience Spring in March and April, the ridges of Skyline will not experience it until May so our trip was great timing. Finally, each view of the valley and the mountains is different and this road offers some awesome views of sunset. Be sure to schedule a time to experience those as well for just another wonder on this amazing scenic road of the National Park system.

The Skyline Drive is an awesome 100+ mile National Parkway that runs the entire length of the Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We started at Front Royal (Mile 0) to Rockfish Gap at (Mile 105) and there was a Park Entrance fee. The end of the Skyline Drive is also where the Blue Ridge Parkway begins if you want to continue with the scenic drive. Unfortunately, we were unable to do so (due to road work) and made our way back to the highway to continue our journey. The road is well maintained and is an easy drive with many stunning views along the way.

I wish we had had time to stop along the way more. We got on the Skyline Drive around Luray and headed south. It was getting late and we stoped several times, but it was the sunset that was so amazing from up on the drive that was so spectacular.

Check the web site to be alerted to any road conditions and alerts before you go. The cost is $30.00 per vehicle to enter the Shenandoah National Park and drive along Skyline Drive. If you have an active bladder or have irritable bowel disorder (IBS), have a contingency plan. This is because a bathroom may not be readily available when you need it. Bring snacks, and plan to pack out your own trash. Cellular signal is non-existent here. Do you have a plan if you break down? Are your brakes working properly? Do you have the proper tools to change a flat tire should the situation arise? Fill up your gas tank.Bring binoculars and your camera. Bring meds and the Epi pen. Avoid distracted driving, as there are many sharp curves and bends. Be prepared to share the road with bicyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists, et cetera.

Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park is such a treasure. We went as the leaves were changing colors and it was spectacular. The park has tremendous views and hikes for all fitness and ability levels. And according to the log book at the visitor center, we were some of the only visitors who had not seen bears or other wildlife during our visit. (Hopefully next time.)

I broke the drive up into two days because I stopped to hike at a few places along the way. The vistas are magnificent and pictures don't do them justice. Some have complained the speed limit is only 35 MPH, but with the winding roads and beautiful views, it isn't a bad pace. It is a long ride that becomes redundant so you may want to cut it short.

In early April the trees were just starting to bud but the scenery was still beautiful. There are so many scenic views to pull over to, and many trails off the main road.

I had already purchased an 'america the beautiful pass'. We had decided to stay outside the park for 5days to explore the area, We decided to drive this in parts, did a couple of hikes, stopped at view points and... It is lovely, the national park staff are so friendly and the views are great but from just driving about the area- so many views in this area are also fantastic without the price of admission.

This is the best drive in the whole DMV area. Wish I’ve spent more time driving around and relaxing. Fall season is also the best time to visit. Forest was all yellow!

Four entrance stations to Shenandoah National Park allow for access to the park's main drive. Visitors with three days to visit have plenty of time for stops along the 105 mile drive. If time allows only one day to visit, I'd recommend the middle section between Thornton Gap and Swift Run Gap for high elevation views and many trails.

We didn't have the stamina for the more strenuous trails on our recent trip, but we did make the effort to walk the trail to Dark Hollow Falls. The park website and good trails websites provide information for many trails in the park.

We enjoyed a peaceful mid-week visit for stops at most of the overlooks. Many great views were available, but it was disappointing that the views of some overlooks are blocked by the growth of bushes and trees. Some cutting and trimming could restore the views.

Great views that can offer different views depending when you are driving. I personally found it nice when clouds were going through the valley. On a beautiful clear day you can see for miles. I love Skyline Drive and it is a perfect way to enjoy the Shenandoah Valley. It takes about three hours to do the whole thing. I haven't done the whole thing yet, but I hope to do so.

We drive from the south entrance to the Hwy 211 entrance. We stopped for two quick hikes - Blackrock Summit and Bearfence. Both offered stunning views!

Beautiful scenery. Just do not stay at Skyline Ranch Resort. It is an overpriced dump. Place is run down and poorly maintained.

We went here on a Friday for the 4th of July weekend. Our pass got us in the park for free. The whole Skyline drive is about 100 miles long. They have plenty of places to pull off and take pictures of the views. They also have plenty of hiking spots ranging from easy to difficult. Only one of the visitor centers was open, but other stops along the way for souvenirs, drinks, and gas were open only along the way also. They also are well known for their black bears, which I did not see on my trip. Since it was the holiday weekend, it was quite busy with lots of bicyclists and some of the more popular hikes were very crowded.

...I wanted to do the trails but the weather was not stable enough...so at least we had the drive through the Skyline drive...beautiful but not as overwhelming as I remember it to be from a couple of years ago...

Any time this is just amazing drive

You have 2 sections here the south n the north. Both with own mesmerizing views

At your own leisure go for a drive here with multiple views points to stop at and admire the natural beauty of the valley

I spent a good 3-4 hours just slowly driving the 35 mph on Skyline drive one day. It's one the greatest engineering feats I've ever seen. Well worth $30. There's so many spots to pull off and just be amazed by the views. There's even a gas station at one part I passed in case you need it with a visitor center nearby. I was by myself but I want to bring my family sometime in the future. Beware in winter they close it sometimes due to weather.

Tremendous drive through the Mountains !!!!!!!!!!! We love the waterfalls and the mountains with the fog blowing through the valleys. The rivers are surreal and the deer and bear are also available to see. have your camera ready !! Its approx. 105 miles long and traverses through the Shenandoah valley. Its an amazing trip w/ lots of places to pull over and take in the views !!

I think $30 to enter the park is way over priced since our tax dollars already payed for the park and maintenance. The road is nice and smooth. The 35 mph speed limit should be increased to 45 mph given how long the trip is to drive the entire park.

Traveled the lower section of Skyline drive in October 2019. Some lovely views, but some places no view due to clouds. Still a pleasant afternoon. Lots of places to pull over at viewpoints if you need a break.

We did the drive backwards starting in Waynesboro. We found the traffic was a lot less. Yes, some people drive it faster than they should we just pulled over and let them go. We wanted to savor each view stooping at the different pullouts for pictures enjoying the solitude. Several good hikes make for a fantastic day in the park. Beautiful park.

Skyline drive is a great way to experience a bit of the Shenandoah National Park. There are several scenic overlook areas and some great hiking trails as well. We saw various wildlife along the way. Windows down, 35 mph, it was a wonderful drive. We took a short hike on one of the trails. It was supposed to be longer but we took a wrong turn and circled back faster than expected.

Every few years we like to spend the day on Skyline Drive especially in October when the leaves are changing. It makes for an absolutely beautiful and peaceful day among nature with It's lovely trees, fresh mountain air and the wonderful wildlife. October is a great time to be able to spot the bears when they are out, fattening themselves up before hibernation.

There are many overlooks to stop at, hiking trails, waterfalls, camping grounds and picnic areas. It is crowed during weekends and during October. We waited in traffic for an hour just to get into the park but once your in the traffic isn't too bad.

Helpful tips & information:

* Start with a full tank of gas. Gas stations are very limited along the parkway.

*Bring your camera.

*Use the map you get when entering. It points out places such as public bathrooms, overlooks, hiking trails and restaurants.

*Purchase your park pass online. It will make your entrance into the park much faster, bypassing all those who have to stop and pay to enter!

*Wear comfortable walking shoes.

So I am not a big hiker and did not take any of the recommended hikes in the park. However, I did drive the entire road from north to south in the park and stopped at several overlooks. The park is beautiful-I did see deer and bears crossing the road too! So many overlooks to pull over and just enjoy the scenery. It took me about 6-7 hours to drive the whole road and I stopped many times along the way. Not much traffic but I did not visit at peak autumn-there was not much fall foliage during my trip (mid October) so I imagine that is the reason why the traffic was not bad at all. Some of the more popular trails were hard to park at as you get later in the day so I would suggest choosing your trails ahead of time and planning accordingly to visit early in the day as it seemed parking was challenging in some spots as the day wore on. I did drive the Blue Ridge parkway as well on my trip and although Shenandoah was beautiful, there were other spots on the parkway I enjoyed a little bit more.

Beautiful views with plenty of turn off spots to see from both sides. Even with a bit of rain the views were still majestic!

We spent 3 days hiking and enjoying the entire length of the park.
Several great hikes are available to enjoy. We hope to return another fall.

We had the opportunity to drive the skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park on days with just outstanding weather. The views from the road were wonderful and the many stops with scenic overlooks gave everyone a chance to get out of the car and see the beauty of the area.

It is worth having a national park admission card. If one has to pay for admission, it is good for about a week, so it was good value if you will be back to the park several times.

This was a very nice drive with a lot of spots to pull off and look at the scenery. We drove in at the entry near Harrisonburg VA; it was a little more than halfway from the beginning. There is a speed limit so you didn't have to worry much about dangerous drivers.

Some of the overlooks were overgrown and blocked the view. I was interested to learn that this road was built by the CCC during the depression; they did a great job with the materials and machinery of those times.

My only disappointment was the cost. It was $30 to enter no matter where you drove in. I think the drive was overpriced at that amount.

Green as far as the eye can see. A great ride on the Skyline Dr, virtually along the ridges with wonderful views. The park has a lot to offer. 90 viewpoints, campsites, clean toilets and countless beautiful hiking trails. The admission of $30/car is fully ok.

We drove Skyline Dr just from Luray to Front Royal. Beautiful views. Wish the trees had been turning.

We were able to take our top down on the car and enjoy a beautiful summer day drive. We have traveled here many many times over the years and this was one of our best! The road has been re-paved and is in fine shape. Looking forward to another trek through.

This was a great family drive. We visited in September of 2023 but I could not select that date when I wrote this. The drive was very pretty we stopped at all the look out points and had a great time. We did this on the drive home from a vacation and it was a nice interlude in the drive. The pictures don’t do it justice.

As good as they say. Well maintained road with lots of overlooks. Pretty busy on the weekend, but almost empty during the weekdays. Went to see the fall foliage, but it was a bad year for color. Enjoyed the drive anyway, and did hiking every day. Four days to drive 105 miles! The volunteer rangers were extremely helpful in recommending hikes and overlooks based on our experience levels. Great maps were given at no charge. Three great hikes through the forest. My favorite was the Rose River loop, with lots of cascades and a waterfall. WDownhill hike with an uphill return. I was pooped by time we made it back to the car. But I’m a senior, and no one else seemed the worse for wear. Also enjoyed Mary’s Rock Summit Trail which was very crowded on the weekend.

We stayed overnight in Front Royal and spent a fu;; day driving Skyline drive. There is beauty at every turn, We hiked to Iron Man and back which is a beautiful hike with excellent directions at the trailhead . Don't get too close to the edge though--a photo of you falling is not a good idea. If you have children with you be very careful at the edge.

I hiked the Corbin Cabin and Crusher Ridge Trails. They are before Skyland around mile maker 137 coming from Front Royal going south on Skyline Dive. These trails would be best in the fall. For The Crusher Ridge trail there are some great overlooks about a 15 minute hike off of the parking area. The whole trails is about 5 miles round trip and takes a long time. I did see a black bear, bring bear spray. Generally, bears want to stay away from humans. IF YOU ARE JUST DOING THE CORBIN CABIN TRAIL IT IS A LOOP BACK TO THE PARKING AREA, pay attention to what trail you are on or you could easily end up on the wrong trail.

We entered Shenandoah National Park at the Front Royal Entrance and departed via the Thornton Gap Entrance, a distance of about 32 miles of the 105-mile Skyline Drive that runs through the park. Shenandoah offers many scenic overlooks, camp grounds, trailheads for the beginner as well as the experienced hiker, visitor centers, restrooms and souvenir shops near the entrances, and the Appalachian Trail runs through the park. Scenic overlooks line the Skyline Drive. The Park is mostly forest-covered hills and mountains with wide valleys and some waterfalls. The flowers add to the beauty of the Skyline Drive. The speed limit is 35 mph on the two-lane road that is also shared with bicyclists. We arrived mid-morning and were glad we did as there was a back-up of cars waiting to enter via the Thornton Gap Entrance. It was a beautiful and enjoyable day.

You won’t be disappointed with a trip to Shenandoah National Park. There are many places to pull over and take in the wonderful views. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the fresh outdoors.

After visiting several times, and never really getting there for the leaf-peeping, I have to say this is one of the most beautiful drives in the country at any time of year (note it closes for part of winter). Views for the driver are better going southbound than northbound, in my opinion - just how things unwind as you are going up in elevation. There are easy hikes and hard hikes, long hikes and short hikes, or you can just do the scenic overlook pull-offs. I've visited the Skyland Restaurant as well and the food was excellent, as was the view. A great trip from DC - take I-66 out to Front Royal early morning - drive first section of Skyline, taking in views and some hikes along the way, exit at Thornton Gap and take 522/211 east/north back to I-66- along the way have a late lunch, visit wineries, breweries, distilleries and have another scenic drive in VA wine country.

Would only do this drive if you've never done a scenic drive. Park not maintained well. Overlooks pretty much show the same view when you can see over the overgrown grass & shrubbery. Had to stand on wall sometimes. Did a hike in the park. Found it difficult to find which trail to take as it intersected with other trails, however, the trail was in good shape.

Winding drive thru Shenandoah National Park is very scenic and worth the time to do once. Lots of overlooks to get out and enjoy the view.

Wonderful scenic drive. We did the portion from Thorton gap to Swiftrun with a stay at big Meadow Lodge. Going in September, we did not get the full effect of the fall leaves, but crowds were minimal on a weekday. All the pullovers were simply beautiful and it was a nice relaxing drive. Also saw a turkey and deer along the way. Highly recommend skyline Drive.

My daughter and I took a drive down Skyline Drive on route to Staunton Virginia. It was my daughter’s first trip on skyline drive, and she enjoyed it very much. The views are beautiful! The roads are very curvy, be careful!

Loved it, there’re lots of lookout along the drive to enjoy the scenery, many trails, we drove through mostly since kids prefer not to hike.

Nice drive. 35mph so slower than Blue Ridge Parkway. Leaves had not changed yet but we’re just starting October 10th.

Spending a relaxing day driving along Skyline Drive is an absolute must. The peaceful drive is loaded with stunning scenic views and overlooks on top of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Pack a picnic lunch as there are many sites to stop at with tables or you can choose to dine at one of the restaurants along the way. Some helpful tips:

*Start with a full tank of gas. There are very few stations along the way (without getting off the parkway)

*Take your camera!

*Use the map that's given to you when entering. It's very helpful when needing to know where places are such as bathrooms, hiking trails, campgrounds etc

*For those of you (like us) who have a National Parks Passport, there are stamp cancellation stations along the route. The two that we stopped at were Dickey's Ridge Visitors Center and the visitors center at Big Meadows. If you download the National Park's app "My Pasaport" the park is listed as Shenandoah NP. Bring up the parks page and click on cancellation locations. If you don't have a passport but would like one, we did notice that the visitors center at Big Meadows sells them.

*As of today, their website is showing an entrance fee of $25.00. It's not...it's $30.00 and they prefer exact change.

*Get in FREE...for those that don't know, if you have a child that's in 4th grade, you can print out a parks pass for them. The child along with, up to, 3 adults (or car load) can enter ANY national park free. We have one and the pass is good through August 2020. When you enter the park, the ranger will take their paper pass and issue the child a card. Keep in mind, this is a pass for the 4th grader not you so whenever you enter a park, that child has to be with you. Just Google "free 4th grade pass to national park" and you will see the link to the page.

*The leaves are slowly beginning to change but not close to peak. At the end of the month, you should be good.

Skyline Drive is a great way to meander lazily through the park and see old growth forest, and some lovely views along the way. This is a great option for those with accessibility concerns or who just want a taste of the park. It will take a full day to go from the northern most entrance to the southernmost, especially with stops to take in the views and overlooks. Keep an eye out for plentiful white tail deer, the more elusive ground hog, and bears. (We did spot one just a half mile north of Big Meadow visitor center trotting across the road!) If you land a summer shower on a hot day, the fog and mist makes it an even more enchanting drive.

There are dozens of overlooks to pull into to enjoy the view. There are also 500 miles worth of trails, so if you plan to hike, do prior research and get a guidebook in one of the visitor centers. It took us about 6 hours from start to finish, including time for a short (2 mile) hike to see Dark Hollow Falls. The pictures just do this park justice! Watch for deer at dusk.

The south part of the park is very quiet...a few pull off spots and one lodge area. The north area has more lodging and hikes. Also most of the waterfalls and historic buildings

Although there is not much color yet, the views are breathtaking. The park is well cared for and the viewpoints are well marked. Really enjoyed our drive and then an overnight in Waynesboro.

Skyline drive is a great drive, the speed limit is 35 miles per hour and there are lots of deer and other wildlife on it so it is a good speed for the area, plus you want to hit as many pull offs as you can and some come up fast on curves. Most of the pull offs are great but about 25% were very overgrown so there was no view. The road was in very good shape, they do a great job maintaining it. We drove the bottom part one day and the top on a second day so that we had plenty of time to see it.

We drove Skyline drive as part of a roadtrip so could only spend limited time. Unfortunately the view from every outlook was the same...not sure I'd recommend this on an overcast day. We did stop at the Big Meadow visitors center and got a recommendation for a short hike...there seems to be a hike to meet all needs. The staff are well informed about the park. The hike itself was no different than at home in Massachusettes but we did see several deer and a BEAR!!!
If you are hungry do not get lunch at the Wayside at the visitors center...way overpriced and under tasteful sandwiches...they have premade sandwiches and snacks taht would have been a much better value. 4 stalls in the bathroom and only 1 roll of TP was also dissappointing.

We have been on Skyline Drive many times and we still love it. The weather was clear so we got some great views. Traffic was light. Always worth it to drive a piece of the Skyline Drive.

I am from Virginia. We use to come to Front Royal and drive Skyline drive often. When did they start charging $30 per car? Seriously? In the fall it might be worth it, even with the traffic, but in June? Nope! We drove for about an hour then turned around. Several scenic overlooks... they all start looking the same.

My husband and I drove the Skyline Drive during our time in Shenandoah National Park. It's a beautiful roadway with plenty of overlooks and incredible views, as well as access to trails. Be careful of fog in bad weather, especially at night. What should have been a 30-minute drive took us over an hour because the fog was so dense and the road was so winding that we drove 5 mph to stay safe!

Took the skyline to the blue ridge mountain. Definitely should be on your bucket list. The most beautiful foliage you will see just check dates for best time of the fall season to go because can be foggy at times. Everyone you meet on the way is friendly and you will meet and speak to all kind of folks. Definitely recommend and hopefully will do it again but next time in spring.

It was a real pleasure to drive the Skyline Drive in Virginia in Autumn. Beautiful colors everywhere even though we were a little pre-peak.

Gorgeous view/drive. Spectacular photo ops. So serene. Worth every single second! Would go back in a heartbeat just to reset. Drove the entire 105 mile stretch just to say we did it!

My wife and I drove the entire length of Skyline Drive from its south entrance to its northern exit. The drive took a little longer than 3 hours. There were frequent turnouts which afforded fantastic views. The highest points are about 3000 feet and unlike similar drives in places like Colorado, I did not find the drive to be harrowing. This is another one of our national treasures which need to be protected and preserved for future generations. Beautiful drive.

Although the colors weren't in fully yet we enjoyed our visit. While the drive is not as breathtaking as the Blue Ridge Parkway or the Smoky Mountain National Park it had some spectacular views. We hiked up 3 trails with Hawksbill being our favorite. Worth the time to stop and explore.

We were able to see some really breathtaking views from the pull off areas. I will day, however that the government really needs to step up and do some trimming and grooming because things are getting a little out grown and it’s hard to see in some areas.

A gorgeous drive through fall foliage! So many spots for different overlook
pictures make this an exceptional park even if you can't hike it's many trails.
You can rent a campsite, stay at the lodge or eat dinner all within a short distance from the meadow.
Plan for a hike along the many trails for all skill levels. Make time for nearby
Luray Caverns and nearby quaint small towns with that 19th century feel just a short drive from the parks boundaries.

So bring your tent and roast those marshmallows on the campfire as your
family makes memories that will last a lifetime. Enjoy the wildlife from
bob cats to whitetail deer. Friendly rangers are there to assist and answer
all your questions. A return trip is needed to enjoy the miles of trails.

Pretty straightforward, a 105 mile drive through the park with a ton of pull offs to stop and enjoy the view, grab a map and stop at the visitor center to plan out which hikes you want to do and be on your way.

Shenandoah is the only major National Park I got to this year. We went in mid-November, after the fall colors and before the snow rolled in. Even with minimal leaves on the trees, the drive from the south entrance to the Harry F Byrd Visitor Center was excellent. We stopped at the majority of the pull-offs for pictures as my partner and I are avid photographers. We had a blast.

Be aware that some of the places are closed this time of year and bathrooms are a bit hard to come by. The Byrd Visitor Center was nice with a great view across Big Meadow. The bookstore was good, but also go to Big Meadows Wayside by the gas station, which has different items than the visitor center. There wasn't a great place to get a picture of an entrance sign. I got an ok shot of the sign at the Swift Run Gap entrance. The good sign appears to be at the north entrance, but we did not make it up that far.

On the plus side, traffic was very light since it is the off-season. It was very windy and cold. Hiking wasn't on the menu that day. We'll have to get back there in the summer sometime and hit some or the waterfall trails.

We had a great time though. I love a National Park.

Great drive. We started too late, even for a summer day. Wife is a souvenir collector, she loved the shops along the way. Try it.

My family and I took this drive the 3rd week of September and it was absolutely gorgeous, I highly recommend this drive if you visit the Shenandoah National Park, even if you only have a couple of hours, from Front Royal the drive to Skylodge, mile 40, is beautiful. I'm sure would be fabulous the last weeks of October due to the leaves changing, but I'm sure the traffic would be much heavier. We even saw a bear cub crossing the road, we only stopped for a moment since we didn't want to see Mama bear next, it was quite exciting! Ask the rangers for which overlooks are best to stop at and if there are any other points of interest. Unfortunately we didn't have time to go on any of the hiking trails but we are definitely going back to do that and hopefully stay at the lodge to enjoy the night sky and sunrise.

Go go go if you can! Awesome views. Driving and hiking. We did three separate hikes. All wonderful. Be mindful that pets are permitted.

We entered Skyline Drive at Swift Run Gap and traveled south to Rockfish Gap. There are numerous places to pull off and look at the scenery. We stopped to take a few pictures and to stretch our legs multiple times. The Shenandoah mountains are incredibly beautiful and this drive is one of the best places to view them. Though this drive is only about 44 miles long, it is slow when you are traveling 35 miles an hour. Pack water and snacks, especially if you plan to take any of the hikes off the main road.

The trip has been on the bucket list for decades and COVID forced a US trip, so we enjoyed the scenery, fall colors, and short hikes in the park. Missed the Fort Windham Rocks trailhead, but took the Stony Man Trail at Mile 41.7. Good parking, as easy trail up with a good lookout at the trail's end. Walked around the midpoint Byrd Visitors center.

If we had left Sterling VA earlier, we could have gotten in one more trail, but that is for next time.

We travelled south to north, & stopped lots of times to admire the views.
The speed limit is 35 & you can easily do the drive in a day.
I would suggest choosing your stopping points carefully - many are overgrown with trees but many are stunning.
June isn’t really the best time for the views, but it is beautifully green & we saw lots of wildlife - no bears though.
We stayed at Skyland (which was a mistake - see my review).
If we went back we would probably leave the park halfway & stay in Luray or nearby.
Take a picnic, the onsite facilities are expensive!
We were happy paying the $30 National Park fee as we know it goes towards upkeep & preservation of these beautiful places.
Glad we did the drive, but would come back at a different time of year.

Have been visiting SNP and Skyline Drive for decades. It's a peaceful and serene park. There are a variety of hikes from strolls, easy to difficult. On a clear day the views are spectacular, great area to search for birds and other critters.

Really beautiful park with plenty of good trails, camping grounds and activities. Highly recommend to all types: families, friends and young couples. We saw a bear crossing the road and it was beautiful.

We enjoyed the views on Skyline drive We also enjoyed pulling over at the overviews. Shenandoah is really impressive with the views.

Have been there to hike and enjoy the outdoors several times and found 2 new trails this year. Hightop Mountain trail, took about two hours including some time at the top to enjoy the view. Fraizer Discovery trail about a hour total with another amazing view.

We entered Skyline Drive in Virgina and stopped at many scenic spots along the way. Beautiful views of distant blue hazed mountains. There are several stops to picnic.

I only live two hours away from here. I don't care what time of year when I come, it's beautiful. I love Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park. Some of the look outs on the last trip are over grown and need to be maintained but there are so many stops that it really does not mess up your trip. We saw many wild life this trip which made it extra fun.

We drove all 104 miles and used most of the 4 hours we planned. Many scenic overlooks to enjoy the views. We were towing a small camper and it handled the road well. A little tough getting a parking spot at the visitor center but even that worked out ok. Worth the time if you have a nice day.

We drove from the north entrance down to the Byrd Visitor Center and a few miles beyond until we reached Highway 33 that took us back over to the interstate. This was a beautiful drive and it was not crowded when we went …. mid August on a Friday. There are hikes you can take and the visitor center rangers can help you with that. We saw bikers and motorcyclists on Skyline Drive. There are a number of overlooks to pull off to see some tremendous views on the right side of the road as well as the left. We hope to start at the southern end at some point and drive up to the point where we left off on this trip. There are restaurants, snacks, and lodging in this lovely park. Be sure to try the blackberry ice cream! If you like tours, try the Guide Along app and purchase the tour for Shenandoah National Park. The narrator tells you some history and describes the stops and overlooks to help you decide if you want to stop. We used that on our drive and found it interesting and helpful. You can also get a map at the entrance. Highly recommend visiting this park and driving Skyline Drive!

The Skyline Drive through the Shenandoah National Park is beautiful any time of the year, but especially in October when the trees change color. It is over 100 miles long and the speed limit is 35 mph, so plan on plenty of time for the drive. The parkway has many scenic overlooks. Along te way are two nice places to eat and stay.

I divided my time on the drive into three days, giving me time to stop and walk when I wanted to. There are plenty of walks branching off from the road, and they cater to most fitness levels. The views are completely stunning. I was lucky to have a wet day, a foggy day, and a clear day - each was magical. The visitor centre was also very good, sympathetically telling the history of how the park was 'returned to nature' / developed as an attraction. As an overseas visitor spending time in DC, this National Park was an absolute highlight of my trip. Simply stunning.

We drove the entire length of the Skyline Drive in VA on October 18, 2020. It was a beautiful and worthwhile experience. Top spots were the Range View Overlook (mile 17.1), the Point Overlook (mile 55.5), Rockytop Overlook (mile 78 ) and Turk Mountain Overlook (mile 93.5). It was a beautiful Sunday and there was a 90 minute wait to get in at the Front Royal Entrance and the picnic areas were packed. But, once on the open parkway -- no problems.

After getting a small breakfast, we decided to head to Shenandoah for a nice Sunday drive on Skyline. It was a beautiful day, great weather with some moving clouds. Made for some great views at all of the lookouts. Could even see Sugarloaf in MD from one of the lookouts. And we even saw a Bear cub scamper across the road. Didn’t have time to get a pic but it was cute, we weren’t sticking around to see if it’s mother was in the vicinity.

All in all it made for a great little excursion, lots of bikers going up and down the drive too.

We need to go back and drive the entire drive. The atmosphere is serene and the beauty is all around you! We entered in Virginia and only made it 1/2 way until we had to exit due to our late arrival and the wait at the restaurant for dinner. The view form the restaurant was also stunning. We had a great time and will spend more time on Skyline drive and do this again sometime!

An absolutely beautiful 105 mile drive running north and south through the Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park. There are four entrances to the park and it takes approximately3 hours to go through it. There are about 70 overlooks where you can stop with beautiful views to take wonderful pictures especially during the fall season. You might be able to see black bears, wild turkeys and deer during your drive. Make sure you visit their information center and view the short video about the area as well as their small gift shop which actually has some very nice items. Definitely worth the three hour drive.

We started the drive from the Norh at Front Royal and stopped at the Visitors Center. We spoke to a Ranger and she gave us advice of where to stop and where to hike with our Service Animals. She pointed out Scenic Spots and Waterfalls. She told us where we could have lunch or picnic. Getting the Rangers advice made a big difference of what we stopped to see and enjoy. Plan on more than 3 hours if you plan to stop and walk some of the trails. Some of the best scenery in the US.

On a foggy Rainey Friday started at 7 am on south side going north. Had the road basically to self first three hours. No one to pay. Heavier traffic seems to come north to south. Wildlife was amazing. Saw 6-8 deer. No bear. Lots of other animals. Long 100 mile stretch. Plenty of places to stop overlooks and resting. All ages and all physical abilities can enjoy. It’s just long. Allow at least 6 hours or more. We were robbed of overlooks. Hiked more.

Every year in September and October, throngs of visitors from DC metro and other states come to the Skyline drive for enjoying the fabulous fall colors. The peak would be last week of October for most years. Expect a big line at the entrance as money changes hands for the parking fee to be given to Uncle Sam. The fees have gone up a lot in the last 10 years. The drive, few hours long, rewards the visitors with red, crimson, gold, yellow, violet, pink, did I miss any other, colored leaves straight out of a giant dreamlike poster photograph. There are turnouts where one can stop and take as many pictures as one likes with an iphone or the most expensive DSLR available. Whats more, if you are ready to drive further south, Blue Ridge Parkway awaits with even more majestic views. Oh yes, there are restaurants on the way, so taking a break is easy too. Shenandoah mountain in Fall is rated a top attraction in the entire region. If you are going on weekends in October, arrive very early, as we were turned back by the rangers going around noon.

We covered the South Part for the drive. It is a beautiful mountain drive with lots of scenic views to look stop and look around

it is that kind of drive where you can immerse yourself into nature and enjoy the scenic views

The entire park is gorgeous. This drive is absolutely beautiful. There are several places to park for a picture. Breathtaking views! Worth every second spent there.

Amazing drive even during some haze. Found a beautiful small falls off Mile 9. About 3/4 of a mile each way. Park at Lands Run Parking. Worth the stop! Also don’t Miss Dark Hallow Falls at Mile 50, spectacular!

This is one of our favorite places to go! Luckily it’s a quick 40 minute drive from our house and it’s perfect for my son. There’s plenty of trails and overlooks for him to run free on. The views aren’t so bad either

My son and I spent 5 hours driving and hiking on and off of Sky Line Drive on Sunday, April 25th. While the views, park design and pretty much everything else was excellent, our precious time together was almost ruined by the 100 or so young motor heads who were marauding though the park in their low, high end sports cars. They were not there to hike or site see but rather to be as loud, obnoxious, intimidating and unsafe as possible: tail gating, speeding, laying rubber, passing in non passing zones. There was not a park ranger in site so they were free to just do their unrelenting marauding through the north section of the park. I called Shenendoah NP about this - left a very terse and specific voice message with them asking them to call me back and also e-mailed but I was ignored on both fronts. I'm shocked that they let them in in the first place, stunned there was no ranger presence and shocked that they ignored my contacts. Wow how so very disappointed!!!!

We traveled from Staunton visitor's center to Mt. Jackson. I believe there were 23 overlooks and we stopped at every one. I love that 35 m.p.h. speed limit. We encountered no wildlife. Enjoyed the gift shop/restaurant along the way. We had a national park card so this cost us nothing. Just nice not to be racing north on route 81.

Such a beautiful and peaceful drive. We saw a black bear cross the road right in front of us. There are lots of places to stop and take pictures. There are also plenty of stops for bathrooms, snacks, and souvenirs. Definitely worth going.

Either in segments or entirety, it is a drive like no other. Multiple overlooks with different views, if you're lucky, you might spot a bear or some deer or birds of prey. Road conditions are well maintained.

If planning on a few days do yourself a huge favor and stay in Luray or in Front Royal. Bring a cooler with food & your favorite drinks. To stay in either place on the Skyline Drive is very expensive & your not getting anywhere near what you paid for. We left a day earlier than planned. There are some very nice & clean looking places to stay in Luray, then do the drive. The drive itself is awesome & a very scenic place to visit. We started in Front Royal but went into Luray to find a good place to eat. Found a real good Mexican Restaurant near a shopping center where you can pickup more food, etc.

Although the views are pretty much all the same the whole way, the drive itself is beautiful and well done with the waysides which don’t open till late April or even May.

We drove from mile marker 1 to 50 before a storm hit which made driving off a little more challenging. To our benefit though we got amazing pictures of the clouds approaching the mountains before it hit. Wish we did some trials along the way but that will need to be saved for another time. We saw black bears and deer!

I was overwhelmed by the natural beauty of this drive. It is 105 miles with many overlooks. Many hiking trails to take advantage of.

Wow! No matter what you expect to see, it will be better. The overlooks are beautiful, hills are gorgeous, and we choose the best time possible, sunset. Overall an AMAZING surprise. We went to it thinking "eh, this might be fun" turned our perfect. Only regret is that we were in rental car instead of wife's convertible.

My wife and I (tourists from the UK) drove the middle and southern sections of the Skyline Drive in mid-May.
The positives:
Beautiful views. You can google images from some of the main lookout points and see for yourself. They are just as good in real life.
Speed limit of 35mph along the whole route. The whole route is within the Shenandoah National Park. So the road only attracts other people like you who just want to drive slowly and admire the views. Even the driver can catch the views, although you don't need to given there are so many good lookout points. You can just take your time without worrying about people tailgating you and wanting to get past.
Lots of great lookout points, every few miles. Most of them have plenty of parking.
The road is very good. It's super smooth, not some kind of pot holed mountain road. The mile markers are very clear, on the west side of the road.
The negatives:
It would have been nice to have a bit more nature info at the lookout points.
There are two main places to stop for hot food and drinks, both of them towards the middle of the park. The quality of the food is not up to much based on our experience.

We drove almost the entire length of the drive on different days in early July and most of the time there was a bad haze that caused less than stellar views. This is readily apparent in the photos people are posting. The haze isn't from wildfires it's just always polluted. It's one of the most polluted national parks in terms of air quality. For this reason, I doubt I would go again unless the air quality improves. The view was the best on the day with thick clouds where it had been raining and worst in the sunshine.

Wonderful during late October foliage. Don''t miss the experience. We traveled the whole way down to Cherokee. Magnificent

We came here for the fall colors and were amazed at the variety of hues. We started at the north end and did a few hiking trails along the way. We chose easier trails for our 5 yr old grandson. I think he was better at the trails than we were, so we had tons of fun. We had him doing the Junior Ranger booklet along the way. He loved answering the questions and doing the activities.

After a while, admittedly, the views begin to look alike, but they're all beautiful!
This is a great exercise in adoring while outdooring. The drive is simply a series of overlooks that promise breathtaking vistas peppered with visitor centers, camping grounds, and picnic grounds. I saw signs for a variety of restaurants, so if the climbing in and out of vehicles at every vista stokes your appetite, you'll have plenty of places to refill.
We entered at the Front Royal (North) Entrance Station and stopped in at the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center. I found the visitor center to be informative and it certainly made a case for visiting again when I have more time to explore.
Unfortunately, we exited at the Swift Run Gap Entrance Station, about two-thirds through the drive.
The good news is that means I have to go back again!

Skyline Drive is a 105-mile-long road that takes a winding north/south path along the mountaintops of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia east of the Shenandoah River from Front Royal to Rockfish Gap, serving as the only public road through Shenandoah National Park. Established in 1934, it is a two-lane road that features 75 overlooks providing spectacular views of the historic Shenandoah Valley to the west and the Piedmont to the east. For hikers, bikers, equestrians and campers, there are 500 miles of trails, including the famed Appalachian Trail. For tourists, there are campgrounds and two first-class resorts, Skyland and Big Meadows. Skyline Drive was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, became a National Scenic Byway in 2005 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2008. A park entrance fee is charged at the four access points to the drive--Front Royal, Thornton Gap, Swift Run Gap and Rockfish Gap. From Rockfish Gap, near Interstate 64, travelers can access the Blue Ridge Parkway and continue southward along the Blue Ridge Mountains. Truth be told, my wife and I have never driven the entire length of Skyline Drive. We always enter or exit at Thornton Gap, which intersects with U.S. Route 211, a convenient road that connects Interstate 81 with the famed Luray Caverns and our favorite vacation destination, the Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia, stretches to Manassas and Bull Run, the first major battle of the Civil War, and ends up in Washington DC. We always park at the Shenandoah Valley Overlook near Front Royal and marvel at the sweeping panorama of the Shenandoah Valley, the famed Bread Basket of the Confederacy, the sites of several Civil War battlefields, the historic Valley Pike highway and the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah River. Remember, you're standing atop Massanutten Mountain, which virtually splits the Shenandoah Valley in half and once served as a signal post for the Confederate Army during Stonewall Jackson's famed Valley campaign in 1862.

My son & I wanted to take in part of the Skyline drive on our way back from the excellent Luray Caverns to Washington DC. Finding an entry point halfway down the drive we were both shocked to be confronted with a very happy faced lady ranger sitting in a sort of toll booth who politely asked us for $30. Now, I obviously hadn't done my homework well it seems as I wasn't expecting to pay for the privilege of using this road. Call me mean if you wish, but I didn't feel up to paying and so we turned around and found another pleasant enough drive back to the Capital.

Great ride that goes down the backbone of Shenandoah National Park. I have been on several of these roads, including the Cascades, the Rockies, the Olympic Mountains, the Smokys, Tahoe, the Tetons, etc. While the Blue Ridge Mountains are nice, they don't have the same wow factor. I think if I would have gone when the colors were changing, it would have been a different story. It is definitely worth going at sunset, as you will see the mountains have a haze which has the effect of waves.

We drove the Skyline Drive at the tail end of a 3000 mile road trip with our two daughter who are 12 and 8. We were heading home a day early as we were not feeling well and we had a new puppy waiting for us at home. We planned to drop this from our itinerary and just head home as it would save us 3 hours of driving. At last minute we decided to tough it out as we don't know if we would ever get another chance. What a GREAT decision it was.

The weather was beautiful, sunny, warm and the air was crystal clear. It felt like there were pull offs with incredible views every mile of the 105 mile drive. Sometimes even more than that. Each view seemed better than the next and we kept stopping for every one for the first 30 miles until we just had to keep pushing on. We stopped at the Loft Mountain Wayside for a trip to the gift shop and the restrooms. While we did not eat there, they had a large cafeteria style dining area which looks impeccably clean and prices were reasonable.

The whole ride took us about 3 hours due to our frequent stops for photos and to enjoy the views. One regret is that we did not spend more time at Big Meadows as it was such a perfect day for a walk and to enjoy the peaceful breeze and beautiful expanse of meadow grasses and wildflowers.

We will definitely be back and will consider staying overnight in the park.

We got on skyline Drive at the south entrance Rockfish gap and stopped for lunch a big Meadows. We spent the night at Skyland and got off at the north entrance front Royal. We stopped at half of the overlooks and saw some deer, groundhogs, and rabbits along the way. There were lots of clean bathrooms, ranger programs talks and stations, Cafe’s gift shops and restaurants. They were campsites and picnic grounds we stayed at the Only hotel in the park.

This is a must-do when visiting Shenandoah National Park...

No, really, you MUST do it.

I mean, you literally can’t NOT do it... Skyline Dr runs the entire length of the park. Every destination within the park can only be reached from Skyline Dr (I think—there may be an exception or 2).

Luckily, it’s one of the best aspects of Shenandoah National Park. There are gorgeous views left and right constantly, with plenty of overlooks to stop and soak them in.

The trees weren’t quite as green and leafy as we hoped when we visited in the spring, but it was beautiful the whole way anyway.

Nice drive, good views but a bit disappointing to have power lines in most of the scenic overviews. With being so close to a major city, it’s nice but in comparison to the Smokey Mountains or any other national park there is nothing exceptional here.

Beautiful drive with so many beautiful places to pull off and enjoy the view. Lots of trailheads and parking along the ride, and it stretches a long ways. Definitely a must see for all nature and National Park lovers!

We pulled our tt from start to finish going south.Nice road well maintained. Easy drive and saw two bears at different places along road. Views from lookouts spectacular. Stay in two of the nps campgrounds and they were so so. Peaks of the Otter has a lodge and restaurant which was nice.

A must do Park, plan on all day and buy the TripAdvisor Self-Driving Audio Tour. We were not sure about the $15, but it was well with it, adding so much info and history.

Absolutely beautiful drive, especially in the Fall with the change of leaves color!
I am a novice hiker and went on the "easiest" ones. My favorite was Blackrock Summit.
Reaching the top led to a spectacular view!!
The time you decide to spend at the park will depend on the number of hikes you want to do.

Amazing views, tons of overlooks to see them in. Lots of rest areas and tons of places to go hiking and stretch out after all the driving

Beautiful! Stopped at nearly all the overlooks, one visitor center, Doyle's River Falls, Dark Hollow Falls. Even though hot, was still wonderful! The "moderate" hikes are a bit tough on the uphill return trips, if you're older/out of shape or have knees that aren't the best, but still worth it. would love to come back in the fall.

we drove about 80 of the 105 miles in the park and i have to say that after reading how this is 1 of the best drives in the country i was totally underwhelmed by it all. the views to the west were not very good most of the time since you were looking down at homes in the valley and after a while they all seemed to be the same. some of the overlooks were a bit overgrown so there was no view at all. the views to the east were better for the most part but still nothing to write home about. hazeltop overlook, the point overlook, rattlesnake point and thornton overlook were all nice but just nice.

there is a $30 entrance fee for cars but it is good for 7 consecutive days. a little tip if you do go, depending on where you are staying outside the park, the smart thing to do is enter the park at the opposite end. this way you wont get back to your hotel really late. there are 4 gates into the park, Front Royal Entrance Station near Rt. 66 and 340, Thornton Gap Entrance Station at Rt. 211, Swift Run Gap Entrance Station at Rt. 33 and Rockfish Gap Entrance Station at Rt. 64( top to bottom).

Right first of all give yourself plenty of time. We did 6 hours with just a 30 minute break for lunch and a 60 hike up to a viewing spot....and the roads were quiet so god only knows what its like in fall of holidays. Rammed I'm told. Views are absolutely stunning of the BRM and Shenandoah Valley and although it's basically the same view for the whole drive the changes of light make a huge difference. Loved it!!

We came from California to admire the beautiful Autumn foliage colors. From DC, we rented a car to drive here in search of leaves turning to brilliant yellow, brown or red shades. After two hours or so of leisurely drive, we reached the park entrance. In 2014 we took a more southerly route through Charlottesville. A $20 purchase of an annual senior pass served as admission. What a deal! The ranger suggested several scenic overlook spots. While there were many individual trees turning bright yellow, amber and red color, we hardly found large collage of fall color en masse. Perhaps we were here a bit too early. We managed to capture on our cameras the few we could find to memorialize this trip. Because of our time limit we actually covered only a very small portion of the park. Still a calming way to appreciate this enchanting natural phenomenon.

This drive was made for a different time, when driving speeds were much slower. The slower speed limit definitely helped me enjoy the views more and not get too scared around the tight bends in the road.

I’m trying to visit all the national parks. I’m not too much of a hiker, also my dog is prone to overheating so we decided to just drive part of skyline drive. We drove it about half way to the visitors center. It’s a nice drive. We started early and during the summer that seems to be ideal as we barely passed another car for hours. I imagine it would get very backed up in the fall during the color changes. We pulled off at some of the overlooks but honestly a lot of them are similar. It’s a nice drive but I don’t know if you’d need to do the whole thing unless you planned to do some hiking out to some of the bigger attractions.

Nothing better than an early fall morning in the Shenandoah National Park driving along the scenic Skyline Drive, Lots of overlooks to get out of the car and enjoy nature. Well worth a visit expecially if you are a hiker. They have many excellent trails to explore

Having Skyline Drive and the overlooks is a beautiful manner in which to experience a natural wonder. You can spend many hours or days along the drive or you can spend a few hours. It all depends on what you want to get out of the experience. Therefore, the best thing you can do is some planning before undertaking the drive.
The drive can be broken down into 3 segments. There are multiple, multiple outlooks. Go on line and see what some of best outlooks are for the segment you are traveling and mark these on the physical map. The physical map is very helpful to have the passenger read from because it's not as easy to see on a phone screen. Same thing with any hikes you would like to take. Investigate them ahead of time and take enough water with you.
If you are active military or a veteran with ID showing that status, you will not be charged the car entrance fee.

The views are magnificent!! And the drive is easy and can be a little slow... that just lets you take it all in especially this time of year ! Fall. There are plenty of places to stay and options but in the summer ,fall, fall weekends can get booked up quickly . It’s worth the trip and had fantastic hiking trails. Lots of thing to do here!

We drove most of the length of Skyline Drive at near-peak fall colors. From our accommodations outside Luray we entered the national park both at the north end as well as via Thornton Gap. We were never up early enough to savor the views at dawn but we had a couple of spectacular sunsets. Dining opportunities are few on Skyline. We had a late lunch at Skyland on one day. On the other we bought snacks and drinks at Elkwallow at the northern part of the drive.

Pay attention to the road. The spectacular fall colors and intermittent grand views between the trees are a distraction to many drivers. We were headed south and waiting to pull left into the Pinnacles Overlook when we were rear-ended by a car coming around the bend, the driver clearly not paying attention; it wasn’t like our minivan was hard to see. Fortunately it was a slow speed collision with minimal damage.

Not surprisingly west-facing overlooks filled up quickly in the late afternoon and I recommend planning accordingly to secure a parking spot.

Skyline Drive is the main (only?) artery and spinal cord of Shenandoah National Park; accommodations, camp sites, dining establishments, trailheads are essentially all accessed via this road.

Driving Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park was awesome. The multiple overlooks give lots of photo opportunities, just pull over and take pictures at one of the great overlook with views of the mountains. Hiking the 2 miles on Mary's Rock Trail to Mary's Rock Garden is worth it for the 360 degree view of the valley.

The 105 mile drive was on a ridgeline running north south. There were numerous pull offs to view the valleys east and west, some with interesting points about the views. Nevertheless, it was just a long winding road in a wood. After about a hour we were bored. There were 2 exit points and we took the second. It was a lovely day with almost no traffic. I could see this drive on a busy summer's day being a nightmare. There were several picnic areas.

Skyline Drive travels 105 miles (169k) along the ridgeline near the summit of the Shenandoah mountains offering numerous places to pullout to get beautiful, birds eye views to both the east and the west providing opportunities to witness spectacular sunrises and sunsets.

In addition to the scenic drive and pullouts, Skyline Drive provides access to numerous trials, long and short but most uphill to a view or downhill to a waterfall with, of course, uphill climb on the return.

Along Skyline drive one will also find Shenandoah’s visitor centers, Skyland which offers dining and lodging, several campgrounds and picnic areas. Driving early or late in the day, one is also likely to see wildlife that includes deer, wild turkeys and possibly a glimpse of a bear.

Simply spectacular in the fall whether rain or shine! Vibrant colors, tons of pull offs & very relaxing to meander the park and find your way along this gorgeous drive. We drove the entire drive from the south to the north spending a few days in the park staying at Big Meadows Lodge & Skyland Resort. Can’t wait to go again!

We spent 2 days enjoying Skyline Drive. So many incredible views from the many overlooks. We saw over a dozen deer during our drive. One came within 10 feet of our parked car. It was a little hazy which is typical for this time of the year.

We toured the north section and a small bit of the central portion. We do want to return when we can take our time hiking the trails. This trip was all driving.

I have reviewed Shenandoah NP and its lodgings in separate postings. I will limit this to Skyline Drive itself.

Skyline Drive runs for about 135 miles along the ridge of Shenandoah NP in a mostly north-south orientation. It is basically an extension of the Blue Ridge Parkway, which terminates at the southern end of the park. There are numerous pull-outs and overlooks along this road offering spectacular views to both the east and west. These can get really congested at sunrise and sunset, btw.

You can enter the park at the north or south end, and at a couple of highway crossings each roughly 30 - 35 miles from either end. However, those are the only entry points. When we visited they were re-paving Skyline Drive in a couple of spots in the southern half of the park. Each of these added around 20 minutes to the drive north. I do not know how often they do paving like this, but I can see why maintenance is required (weather + traffic load).

Some people seemed to plan a whole day around just driving through the park. That might be nice. You wouldn't have time to do any hiking, but you could pull off at overlooks and stop at a restaurant somewhere.

The scenery on the drive itself, especially in late October / early November, can be spectacular. This is definitely one of the more scenic drives in the U.S.

Skyline Drive was one of the highlights of our 6 week road trip. The highway is smooth and well maintained. There are lots of pull outs for photo ops. You can drive on it for as long as you have time and then exit off to rejoin the interstate when you need to.

Great place to visit on a nice fall day. Great sights and beautiful views. There is a fee to enter the park, stop along the way to sight see and take pics. Take a lunch if you wish or purchase food there.

We enjoy driving along Skyline Drive. The overlooks have breathtaking views. It can be busy at times so you need to be careful with traffic and those riding bikes, especially if it is foggy. We are not campers or hikers but there are plenty of camping rentals and trails to access. When we drove through all the campgrounds were full so you need to get there early to rent a site. There are places to stop to use restroom facilities, gift shops and camp stores. Due to COVID, masks are required when stopping at these areas, and some are not completely open.

Unable to visit parkway. It was closed because of rain, heavy fog, main expressway looked like if your driving thru a black tunnel, very, very dark riaf

It is a pretty long national park.
The skyline drive is a must-go place.
There are a lot of overlooks along the drive.
One could enjoy the nice view of the valley from the mountain.
It is convenient that each overlook is associated with a parking area, either large or small.

If arriving right after raining, the view is awesome!

In the camping grounds and picnic grounds, one could find restrooms and other necessary equipments.

Beautiful day. We started off with an early horseback ride from Skyland Stables and then a walk at limber trail. The scenery of the drive is always spectacular.

We drove the Southern portion of Skyline Drive. Very scenic gain and loss in elevation. Overlooks to park and walk Natures bounty. Refreshing to get away from people congestion. Tip: please take your trash with you including used toilet paper or bury accordingly. It's bad enough road ways are litter lined. Pleade respect the forests. Skyline Drive is meant to be a leisurely drive while soaking up scenic views of healthy the forests. Please be kind to others on the road as Skyline Drive is not meant as a race track or the check how your vehicle hugs the turns. Happy Explorations.

There are some amazing views and some cool hiking trails! The road is pretty winding so allow for plenty of time. There are also lots of over looks which is a plus. Make sure to watch out for wildlife we saw several deer.

Like all of National Parks, this one didn't disappoint! The scenic Skyline Drive is well maintained and has so many overlooks to enjoy along the way. The road is very curvey but safe. You can spend the entire day driving if you take every overlook stop.

We are from CA and do not have this type of greenery into August so we really enjoyed the drive. Liked all the lookouts especially for people who cannot or do not want to hike. Signage was good so you knew what areas were coming up on the drive. Overall we enjoyed the drive.

Let me preface this review. The last NP I visited was GNP. The Going To The Sun road was by far better than the Skyline Drive.

That is why I can only give this drive 3 stars. We went in July 2019. So every thing is just green. The views of the valley after a while is just the same.

Today’s adventure was in Shenandoah National Park on Skyline Drive in Virginia. This drive was so beautiful. The northern part was pretty much done with the color except yellow and the leaves were falling. Central and southern drive was pretty vivid with red, yellow, and orange. The views along the pull offs were breathtaking, although I feel like last week would have been the best for color. I noted there was no fishing in the park because of the drought conditions there were in. I didn’t see any deer or bears, they may have seen me, but I was happy they didn’t tag my vehicle. There was a wildfire in the northern area and some views were a tad obscured. I can’t tell you the number of times that I stopped at a pull off and said WOW!

Please respect and adhere to the 35 mph speed limit for people to take your time to enjoy the scenery and views. We had an impatient motorcyclist dangerously passing people. This is a leisure drive not a race course. Prepare for sudden stops as people wish to pull off and enjoy the overlooks. Don't follow too closely. We all pay to be in the park. So, we should be able to take our time to see it all. This drive is most beautiful when the leaves are changing but I'm sure other times are just as lovely.

Have driven the skyline a number of times. Always enjoyable. Always cooler than the lowlands. Was surprised to see icicles this early in the season.

We drove the entire 105 mile length from north to south. Twisting narrow road and deer require hyper vigilance—we did see a car totaled by accident with deer. Drive is through deciduous forest so you only see mountain/valley view by pulling off to overlooks. Nothing at mile 60 or mile 80 is much different from what you have seen earlier so you’re not missing anything by not driving end to end. We thought the north end was somewhat prettier than the south end.

Skyline Drive is a unique feature of Shenandoah National Park in that it runs the entire length of the park and features many scenic overlooks. It makes it very easy to navigate and find your way around. We started in Front Royal in the northern end of the park and drove to Big Meadows Lodge where we stayed. We went back and forth on Skyline Drive in search of hikes and other fun before exiting on the southern end. The end of Skyline Drive feeds right into the start of the Blue Ridge Parkway if you want to continue the scenic drive.

What an amazing day spent on Skyline Drive taking in the beautiful views! Had a picnic on our trip at a picnic area and saw a bear just before we exited on Rt 211. Many places to pull over and get awesome pics. Cannot wait to drive it again and go all the way north to south.

This is one of the best places to visit in the fall. The 105 mile road is filled with beautiful overlooks, waterfalls and hiking trails. It can be pretty crowded on weekends so plan accordingly.

One of America's great scenic drives! Will cost $30/car. 105 miles of breathtaking vistas and mountain views. Over 70 scenic overlooks to stop and take pictures. A number of visitor stations to stop for restrooms and/or snacks. Just a great time but have patience! We stopped at about 25 of the overlooks and it still took us almost four hours to complete the trip...there's a 35 mph speed limit throughout, so be ready for true Sunday driving! At about the halfway point there is an escape exit to get onto another highway, otherwise you're stuck on that road, or you can simply turn around.
Get the kids involved and have them be in charge of getting out of the car at each overlook to take the pictures and it will help to keep them engaged and happy.

A nice leisurely drive through the mountains. Enjoyed the peace and quiet at the overlook stops. Breath taking views and wildlife. Saw three bears, mom and two cubs. Speed limit is 35mph and should be adhered to especially on curves.

You can appreciate the different elevations, overlooks and places to stop, hike or just gaze around throughout the entire length of Skyline Drive. Have done it numerous times and have always enjoyed it.

Skyline Drive is the heart of Shenandoah National Park. The road runs the entire length of the park. It offers spectacular views of the valleys and mountains on either side of the park. I drove the entire road, end to end, and stopped at nearly every overlook. There are overlooks every few miles. All but a few give great views of the park and the surrounding area.

However, do be aware, the speed limit on Skyline drive is 35 miles an hour. The park services does patrol the road for speeders.

PROS
* Fantastic long scenic drive of 105 miles (168.98 kilometers)
* Famous and historic
* Many many observation panoramic lookout points along the way
* Many starting points for Shenandoah National Park hikes
* It goes past at least four recreation camping centers and information booths

CONS
* It can be long and monotonous (and mountainous) and winding
* Speed limit is 35 miles per hour- no passing ever
* There is a double yellow line throughout- no passing ever
* How can you do a left sided turnoff across the double yellow line?
* The overlook views are somewhat different on east versus west side, but on the same side, they start to llok frighteningly familiar and the same.

"I VISITED THIS PLACE"...
... as the way to get to my hikes in Shenandoah National Park. I did enjoy it and I stopped at many of the lookout points, although I didn't get out at each and every one of them. I also used the Skyline Drive to access the starting points of my several hikes that I did during the time that I was there. I also stopped at both Pinnacles, Skyland and Big Meadows.

Truth-be-told, driving from Thornton Gap to Big Meadows (28.9 miles, or 46.51004 kilometers) was certainly enough for me.

WAS IT WORTH THE PRICE? There is a USD$30 fee (for seniors USD$20) for the person and car for entry to national parks for the year. I think that that is reasonable.

ADVICES
* Come and enjoy the views and the hikes
* Be prepared to go slow and be careful if it gets boring
* No passing ever!!
* Apparently OK to cross double yellow line to access overlook or parking lot on the left side of the road

Visit this park several times each year. Been in all four seasons and never disappointed. The pull-offs for views are grand and you can take short or long hikes. Hiked in the snow and it is absolutely gorgeous.

The good, got in free due to the government shutdown, so saved $30. There was very little color change so far so that was a bit disappointing but nothing you can do about that. Big meadows and sky land were both not very busy at all so got in and out. We enjoyed ourselves.

what a wonderfull place for a drive. we were lucky enough to be there when the leaves were changing. slow easy drive with lots of great views.plenty of places to pull off and take pictures. if you do see any animals, stay in your car, don't feed them, and remember these are wild animals not pets .

This is arguably one of the best scenic drives in the country. It beautifully organizes and delineates the exploration of the Shenandoah National Park allowing for multiple stops in highlighted best locations with most impressive views. It is the spine of this National Park.
You can get a map of Skyline Drive in any of the Visitor Centers. Most popular hiking trails have their trailheads on Skyline Drive. It also allows for easy access to camping areas and lodges. We enjoyed Skyline drive some two dozen times in all four seasons and it is always fun.

We came here after getting off a Cruise in Baltimore. Hired a car before our late flight home. Drove to the bottom of the drive to drive its full length back towards Dullus Airport. We only managed a third of it due to a serious accident shutting the road for over 2 hours. The third we saw was great with wonderful views at nearly every corner so wish we could have done the full route

This delightful drive should not be hurried. Take at least a day or two. Get out at the overlooks and take in the scenery, hike some of the trails, stop at the visitor centers and talk with the rangers, and drive slow enough that you don't miss the wildlife.

The best times to drive the park are spring and fall in my opinion. I enjoy the spring as the trees start to leaf out and wildflowers start to bloom. The fall with the full palette of fall colors, is a thrill you won't want to miss. Weekdays are less crowded. The traffic on weekends can be bad.

On this most recent visit I was alarmed to see the extensive tree die off. The emerald ash borer and other pests, diseases, and the effects of climate change have resulted in a lot of dead trees. Can't help but be worried about the risk of widespread fires in this park soon. I am glad that I have gotten to see this park before it is forever changed by these factors.

The skyline offers an amazing view on the valley, with along the road small panels with interesting information on them.

Skyline part of the Shenandoah national park. Is a fee based park. As disabled veteran I just had to show my current VA compensation letter and I got all access pass for free entrance to all national parks. You must show your ID every time you use
it don't loan it to friends. Skyline drive is a great picture place. The tunnel is a great spot for pictures as with all scenic views parking is limited. There is only 1 gas station in the entire park thats at big meadows. Tip visit during the week when crowds are less. speed limit is only 35 and park rangers have radar for checking speed. It is a great experience highly recommended. At times fog can be a problem.

Easy to navigate, stunning scenery, quite curvy. Was difficult at first to see the mile markers. Got used to it after a while of driving around.

We did a portion of the Skyline Drive, entering at Swift Run Gap and exiting at Thornton Gap, a distance of about 33 miles. The complete drive is 105 miles but we entered nearest where we were staying (Massanutten, VA) and came out at Luray, VA. The America The Beautiful (senior) pass is accepted. Was fortunate to be in VA in Oct/Nov to see the fall colors which were all around.

The drive along the Blue Ridge mountains is easy - it is a 2 lane road with with a maximum speed limit of 35 mph. The elevation is not high and any elevation changes driving are not noticeable. There are plenty of places to pull off and view the scenery. With a little preplanning (I preprinted a map and noted different sites) one can plan for hikes of varying lengths, picnic areas, visitor centers, and horseback riding. We took a cooler and ate in a picnic area where we were visited by a deer in the distance. There are several places to park if hiking is what you're looking to do.

Skyland Stables is located in the park along this stretch of road. We enjoyed the 1 hour ride through the woods. We were lucky in our timing as they were getting ready to close for the season - we were there on Nov. 1.

Would definitely recommend taking the relaxing drive.

A long and beautiful road which offers a wide variety of panoramas but also departure points for hikes.
Drive slowly: wildlife is very close (numerous deer and deer, wild turkey, etc. on the road)

Friends, my wife and I took a day trip onto skyline drive. What a wonderful experience. The scenery and the views were majestic. We stopped and had a picnic lunch on top of one of the mountain picnic areas that overlooked the mountains and valleys. What a way to have lunch. Put this on your bucket list.

My wife and I made this trip and it was absolutely breath taking. It's impossible to fully describe everything you will see, I compare it to the Grand Canyon when I talk with others about how indescribably it is. You just have to see it. We saw the sunset from nearly the top as well, and that was just breathtaking.

Still a pleasant drive even in the off-season. Just bear in mind that some of the facilities aren’t open so the restrooms are relatively limited. If you’re coming down from the north, you may have to go from mile marker zero to mile marker 45 until you’re able to go to a restroom.

Always a beautiful drive. Wonderful pull-offs allow for great photo-ops. Mornings are especially beautiful with mist in the valleys.
And available accessible rest areas make this disability-friendly too.

Beautiful views from the many turnouts and lookouts in the park. Be cautious of the deer. We saw many people wanting to speed along, but the deer are everywhere here. Be sure to get out of the car and explore some wilderness. Stony Man and Hawksbill Mt. were some of our favorite hikes.

My sister and I stayed the night in Luray and then drove into the park the next morning. The entrance from there is just a short drive and then ventured along Skyline Drive. It is simply beautiful and lots of pull offs and overlooks to take it all in. We didn't get to drive the entire route as we were heading to Rocky Gap that night. I bet this area is even more stunning in the fall with the leaves changing colors. A definite drive to do!

Visiting Shenandoah National Park during its peak fall foliage season is an unforgettable and breathtaking experience. The park offers mesmerizing views and vibrant, colorful trees that inspire awe and a sense of peace in every visitor. Just an hour and a half drive from Northern Virginia, Shenandoah provides a tranquil escape where you can connect with nature. With 500 miles of trails, including 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail, there are numerous opportunities to discover waterfalls, scenic vistas, protected wilderness areas, and historic sites of significance in the serene Shenandoah Valley. It’s a place that nurtures the soul and reminds us of the beauty and resilience of the natural world.

It is a good drive. I wouldn't rate it as beautiful, pretty yes, but not beautiful. Nor striking, or incredible or any of the other superlatives. I'd leave those for some of the high mountain roads in Norway, or Yosemite, or Arches, or Jasper NP, or other places that really do warrant superlatives. And the haze / air pollution has done much to degrade the quality of the views over the years.

For the driver, it's twisty in places and the only place to see views are from the (full in peak period) off-road view points, so pretty much full concentration is required. And why can't drivers stick to the speed limits? Do you really want deer through your windscreen or raccoons under your wheels? We arrived late afternoon, as planned, and the road was really quiet though. I imagine it must be a bit of a choker on a National Holiday.

I was envious of the cyclists! Stuck in a car, I felt isolated from the nature, and the way to see this park is through your own efforts. If we hadn't run a bit of the Appalachian Trail from Skyland and back via the highway the next morning, we would have left feeling a bit flat.

Sorry to sound a bit negative. It is a really nice place, but save the superlatives.... I'd really encourage you to get out of the car, walk, and do one of the short trails to add a sense of fulfilment.

We started the drive at the bottom, rockfish gap entrance and drove up. Exited at swift run. This bottom portion had a few nice overlook areas but many were overgrown and couldn’t see much. I guess I was expecting some more breathtaking views, but maybe those are up higher on the drive that we didn’t get to? I would go back if I was going to do a hike, but not specifically to see any section of this part of skyline drive again.

We love Shenandoah, but AVOID FRONT ROYAL ENTRANCE on weekends in October. We waited TWO HOURS to get TWO MILES near the entrance. Traffic at a completely standstill. Completely infuriating and didn’t even end up getting to hike. The trails are also insanely crowded this time of year. Apparently the other entrances have less of a line. Maybe some signage would help ... there has to be a way to manage this better.

Every visit in the summer has been fine. Zero traffic. Zero issues with crowding on the trails in summer in my experience.

We took three days to complete the drive. Make sure to stop within each section and hike. It's the best way to truly see the wonders of the national park. There are more than 70 overlooks to pull over and enjoy the view. Watch out for deer and squirrels in the early morning hours!

This is part of the National Park so fees apply but the picture opportunities are endless. Lots of pull out places to stop with great overlooks. Some facilities along the way. The back road is under construction so slow going but you just have more time to view the mountains.

The park is a place I never drove before, I drove et 81 plenty of times so this time we took the side trip, the look outs are good but pretty much the view looks the same from each. We had a hazy day and it wasn’t at sunrise or sunset. My guess is sunset would be a nice tine to take the drive. Over all I am happy to get this park on my done list, we did not have any time for hiking and really exploring the nooks and crannies of the park

Skyline Drive is the backbone of Shenandoah National Park. Going anywhere in the park means going north or south on Skyline Drive. You will be tempted to pull off every half mile or so to checkout an overlook, and you absolutely should. The views are stunning and the overlooks allow you to take them in. The road itself is fun to drive, slow, but winding with many tight turns. Drive carefully and remember the weather at this altitude won't be the same as the weather in the valleys, there was cool fog every day we were there, but that just added an air of mystery and excitement to our trip. We appreciated the climate difference after weeks of high heat and humidity at sea level.

Also, be on the lookout for wildlife, we saw a mother bear with her two cubs crossing the road, along with a number of deer and raccoons.

A great place to visit in mid- October, when the leaves are green, red, and gold. We tackled Mary's Rock trail, a short (2.9 mi. RT) but (in many places) steep hike to the summit featuring spectacular views of the mountains and forests of Shenendoah National Park. My husband bounded up the trail while I creaked up behind, but I was glad I did it when I reached the top.

We drove the entire length of Skyline Drive in November. Most of the leaves had dropped off the trees but that allowed us to see the beautiful vistas and valleys. There were still a few trees with autumn color. We stopped at a picnic rest area to use the toilet and unfortunately there was no toilet paper. For the admission fee, the park should do a better job of servicing the toilets. We also stopped at the Skyland rest area and better signage to the restrooms is needed. Even though it was 60 degrees on the day we visited, we saw many large icicles on the rocks during our drive.

The visitor centers weren't open yet, but we knew that in advance. Restrooms and gift shops were open. We didn't go the full length, but stopped at plenty of scenic overlooks and got some great pictures. Some of the parking areas at trail heads had a lot of cars, but the road was pleasantly deserted, which was really nice. The moutain laurels were in bloom, and it was a relaxing way to spend part of the day. We have the Senior National Parks Pass, so we didn't feel obligated to spend the entire day there to get our money's worth, as it was free to enter.

The northern part of the blue ridge parkway and the only part that has a passing fee of 30$. Be aware that in the morning it is a limited visibility to the east side.

While visiting the area a nice place to visit is Skyline Drive. You can drive in from Front Royal and head to Thornton Gap (Sperryville or Luray is at this exit) in about an hour, including quick stops for pics. Do it on a nice day and it’s so beautiful up there! On this day, we started at Thornton Gap and drove to Front Royal, then hit Spelunker’s (a local fav) for lunch.

Traveling north from Florida, we planned a break in our trip to visit Shenandoah National Park. Just an FYI: we traveled south to north and noticed that the waterfalls and taprooms were on the mid to northern section of the drive if you don't have the time to drive the entire length. Although I had driven on Skyline Drive decades ago, I had forgotten the beautiful views, slow pace, and cool weather.
Enjoy!

Haven’t been on the BR Parkway in over 40 years and some things have changed but one thing that hasn’t is the scenery. It took us four hours to drive 40 miles while stopping at most every lookout point. Just a spectacular way to spend an afternoon. Weather was perfect!

A terrific, scenic road through Shenandoah National Park. Lots of places to pull over and view the Valley.

We drove the first two legs starting in the north at Front Royal. Very beautiful. Summer in Virginia results in a haze that is beautiful but does not lend to spectacular photos. Still a very pretty drive. We read horror stories about traffic but we went in at 8:00 am at the Front Royal gate and encountered just a handful of cars on the first leg of the drive. Second leg had more traffic but still very small number of cars. Many turn outs with views. Just be careful as some are right on curves. As long as everyone is abiding by the 35 mile an hour speed limit it is safe. The 2nd part isn’t as spectacular. Like driving a country road in NH or VT. But Big Meadows was stunning. The Visitor center has a small interesting exhibit explaining the history of the creation of the park. Only took about 3 hours even with many stops. Hoping to do the southern half someday.

We were traveling from DC down to Williamsburg so we decided to drive there via Slyline Drive. What a beautiful choice. The colors were not out yet but it was still outstanding.. I would love to see it in full Fall colors.

We had such a beautiful day driving on Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National park! It was a highlight of our trip!
We stayed in Ruckersville Virginia the night before and traveled about a half hour to Swift Gap Run Station entrance where you pay $30 per car to drive on Skyline Drive. This entrance is in the lower end of Skyline Drive so if you start there and you drive north to the end of Skyline Drive at the Front Royal Station entrance you have driven about 75% of Skyline Drive. The other 25% is south, below Swift Gap Run and goes to the Charlottesville area at Rock Fish Gap station entrance and runs into the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Driving on Skyline Drive was so beautiful, peaceful, and serene. There are multiple overlooks on either side of the road which is a two-lane highway. There are many twists and turns and you must be careful of wildlife that may be in the road because there will be large orange construction signs that say wildlife in road up ahead or to watch out for it. There’s also large orange construction signs that alert travelers to possible bears on the road or along the outlooks. A lot of the outlooks have stone walls to protect you from falling over the edge however keep in mind some of these stonewalls have snakes in them.
The views are sweeping and glorious. Cell service is kind of spotty here and there on Skyline Drive. And you may encounter some bugs as well during the summer months. From the Swift Gap Run station entrance to Front Royal station entrance and stopping at nearly every overlook it took seven hours to drive through but that’s also stopping for lunch at the midway point either in Big Meadows or Skylands layover areas.
There are placard’s at many of the overlooks that explain what you were looking at in the area that is surrounding you.
Stop at big Meadows layover point. There you will find restrooms, a museum about how skyline Drive was created and the ribbon-cutting for skyline Drive which was done by FDR. And you will see video footage and hear FDR at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. There is also a cute gift shop, there are decks that you can overlook Big Meadows which is this large expanse of Meadows that is different topography then what do you normally see with the Skyline Drive through the Mountains. They also have park ranger programs at different times and we caught on outside if this visitor center talking about bears. There is also campgrounds in the area, and there is a restaurant however the whole area where the restaurant was was under construction so we did not eat lunch there. However we went to Skylands rest area for lunch. Skyland’s has restrooms, beautiful overlook, a restaurant, a Starbucks coffee bar/bakery, a gift shop, and a little historic center to read about Skylands and how it was developed.
The restaurant there was fantastic with beautiful views of the mountains and the best salad we ever ate!
Along the journey on Skyline Drive you will also go through a tunnel, a short tunnel but that’s fun as well. There are various stops where you can use the restroom so that was never a problem when driving on Skyline Drive.
While making our way on Skyline Drive through to front Royal we also stopped at restrooms in an area right before the Dickey rest area. Keep in mind there are signs inside of the restroom about bears coming into the bathroom to rummage through garbage so there are instructions to throw away any food products at the bear proof garbage cans that are far away from the restrooms out in the parking area. However we did see a woman throwing banana peels in the bathroom which is not a good idea because the Bears will smell that and come in to the bathroom while you’re in there. Which is never a good thing. Bathrooms also have water saving flush toilets and there are instructions on how to flush the toilet properly.
We went to the Dickey rest area and there you will find bathrooms, sweeping views and also a gift shop and a mini museum. Once you’re at the this rest area then you are quite close to the Front Royal entrance of which we ended our day. Shenandoah National Park is a glorious American park that we are happy to return to in the near future!

views were much better, sweeping countryside. most of blue ridge parkway is steep winding roads with most views blocked by trees. skyline has unobstructed views for most of it. we liked the rolling green countryside dotted with farms better than forest views. traffic was low during this time of year (June), however any drivers we encountered were rushed and tailgating - and this is not some of the drivers - it was all of them. we were shocked that drivers would still be rude on this road. we were here on vacation to see the sights like everyone else and wanted to drive the speed limit to do this. we went exactly the speed limit and had the windows down and were just cruising happy. apparently we were the minority as everyone else wanted to go 20+miles over the speed limit so they could rush from one stop to the next. even at our speed limit pace we always caught up to the speeders at a future overlook, then all over again they would tailgate and speed past us to the next overlook. made no sense.

Stunningly beautiful road, luckily 35 mph speed limit with lots of view points and the chance to see local wildlife, bear, deer, turkey, so glad we had the opportunity to drive most, but not all, this road.

We were driving back from a weekend tubing trip down the James River and opted for a drive through the Shenandoah Mountains. I had heard about these in folk songs, but being from New England I doubted whether they could stand up - turns out they can! There were a lot of pull-offs which we were able to keep track of with our map we got at the entrance. We drove almost the entire length but bailed with about 30 miles left. We packed snacks and also stopped at a few of the rest areas along the way. We also walked down to say hi to the AT, but didn't have any time for a hike.

If this isnt on your bucket list, it should be! Lots of hiking and sightseeing. Early September it was quiet, weather was awesome.

If you are an outdoor enthusiast, love scenic areas, enjoy hiking, and being in the middle of the forest, this is the place you need to be. The drive is beautiful with numerous vistas and even more beautiful trails. The Appalachian Trail runs throughout the park and provides an added trail experience for those use to more conventional trails. Nice place to meet through hikers.

There are various, yet, limited locations to eat. However, they are well placed on the drive. Encourage you to get fuel before entering. Only gas on the drive is at the Big Meadows store.

Lodging is rustic and must be reserved well in advance in two locations and cabins. We stayed at Big Meadows and were satisfied. Computers were down so process was a bit slow.

This is a must see as a national park and well worth any travel required.

Grand views off of both sides of the ridge at plentiful pull offs. Views get repetitive After a few stops as you are looking at the same valleys from different angles. Plenty of hiking to augment the stops.

This was a wonderful stop in Western Virginia. The drive from mile post 65 to Front Royal was spectacular. Great overlooks and wonderful wildlife. Places to stop and camp, gift shops and restaurants.

My 7 year old daughter thoroughly loved Shenandoah National Park and our trip on the central district of Skyline Drive, and commented that it was more impressive to her than Arches National Park. That's some high praise!

My wife also loved the park, and I noticed her wiping away tears of joy when she first laid eyes on Mary's Rock Tunnel.

All in all it's a lovely drive with many scenic overlooks, and good infrastructure. I'm personally not so sure the scenery is on par with Arches, but Shenandoah is a special place that is very much worth visiting.

Went here on a Sunday and it was a great experience. First this is high mountain road that is managed by the National park service. Drive lines are narrow and should always be taken at slow speeds.

Now that safety key points are done, let me tell you how great the views are. Many overlooks so you’ll want to be selective.

We entered at swift run gap and headed north. This allowed us to see the many of the great trails. I recommend Rose River Falls loop (about 4 miles).

Take your time and enjoy the ride!

This is a great place to visit if your not in a hurry and you love great views from the mountains. We spent 2 days driving it and could have spent more time walking the trails, we really liked the trails that end at waterfalls.

Beautiful drive along the mountain ridge. Plenty of places to pulloff and admire the view. Went when the fall colors were just beginning and it was gorgeous! Plan on the driving the whole day there because you will want to stop several times.

Beautiful! Breathtaking views at every turn! We set aside one day to take the drive, so we did not do many of the sights, trails, etcetera. The entrance fee ($30 a car) gives you 7 days unlimited use. Our first trip to Shenandoah National Park and we loved it! Would love to come back to hike to some falls and maybe camp. The Skyland visitors center parking lot was being repaved and no room for anyone else to park, so we weren't able to stop there. Seemed busy enough for a weekday, but not overly crowded at all.

It was mostly overlooks for the drive. I didn’t notice a lot of trails but they were probably easy to find if we looked harder. My 5 year old was bored.

We enjoyed our drive, had fantastic views, saw the hikers happy as they can be coming out of the woods. No cellphone connection

It was a beautiful scenic route. $30.00 per vehicle to go through. Took about 3-4 hours all the way through. Plenty of rest stops along the way. Plenty of pull over sights for picture opportunities. A few picnic sites. So many trails. The camp sites were full capacity, but that’s not why we were there. Speed limit was 35mph. Seen 3 deer, squirrels but no bears 🙁. It was about 70 degree F. A little chilly for me in the Jeep with the top back.

This drive can be done in a few hours and should be done in sunny weather. This is one of the better drives we have done. You can also visit Luray Caverns nearby.

We travelled miles 0-42 of the Skyline Drive, and we stopped at most of the overlooks. Very beautiful! Worth the trip.

This is a beautiful drive. It takes 3 hours to drive the entire length. It costs $30 for a week’s pass or free if you have the Lifetime National Park Pass.
There are campgrounds, lodges and Visitor Centers, which may or may be open. So come prepared with snacks and drinks. Restrooms are also limited and may just porta potties.
There are lots of trails and scenic turnouts. The map they give you is quite detailed and helpful.
The drive is a two lane road with limited passing and 35 mph.

This park has many overlooks and places to enjoy “the Valley”. Start at Waynesboro if you are going to DC. Skyline will drop you off close to I-66. Fall weather is the best but busy!!

We took what trip advisor suggests takes three hours and made it three days. When we originally had that planned, I was skeptical. The first day we drove from Front Royal to Luray’s exit and took in the breathtaking views. The next day we came in from Luray and stayed at Skyland and experienced the beauties of a night there. We finished the drive the next day. The upper end of the park has more frequent views, but overall the entire drive was truly breathtaking. We saw all sorts of incredible animals including numerous bears. Just make sure your driver is mindful of the road. I would recommend this trip to anyone, especially those in need of handicap accessibility because of the pull offs and handicap spots.

We didn't know if we would see much in February but were in the area so thought we'd give it a try. The views are amazing and few other visitors made for enjoyable drive. Most of the restrooms were open but all the lodges and stores were closed.

I had no idea how wonderful the sights and sounds would be having hiked just a mile from Skyline drive. I am not a hiker at all but when my wife and daughter took off for the summit, I found a soft and beautiful trail that was just my pace but I found it a spiritual experience. It vastly exceeded my jaded expectations.

Great way to take in tons of views without the hikes. Plenty of areas to pull over to see the valley. Add in some 'moderate' hikes like Stony man or Dark Hollow Falls to get the full experience.

My husband and I just returned from hiking in the park. We entered the park at the Thorton entrance and took in all the sights and chose our hikes heading south on the skyline drive one day then did it to the north on another day. Entire drive is 105 miles, time will depend on how many overview areas you check out and how many hikes you do. Stop at the visitor center for information, restrooms or a snack, they even have gas there! Worth the drive to take in the views. Be prepared for very winding roads, south end is more curvy than north end.

105 miles through beautiful Shenandoah National Park, make sure you you have the time to savour everything on view. The speed limit is 35 mph, so it's 3 hours without stops, and there will be stops. It's tempting to stop at every parking place to enjoy the view, but you'd never make it to the end, so you have to be selective.
On the way, we saw deer, a groundhog, and the star of the show, a bear crossing the road... amazing. Worth the drive just for that moment.

This is a very pretty drive, especially in October. It’s cooler and the colors are starting to change. There are plenty of opportunities to stop at overlooks, park to hike or stop for a picnic. There is also at least two stores for treats and ample restrooms.

Make it better by buying the very affordable self-guided audio tour!

Nice scenic drive, 105 miles from top north (Front Royal) to bottom south by (Staunton). There are many pull outs where you can stop and take pictures or look around. They also have 4 - 5 places you can stop where they have gift shops & rest rooms. Along the drive there is about 4 camping areas. The one problem I would say is that some of the lookouts are over grown and need to be trimmed. I would have to say that the drive would be very beautiful in the fall with the leaves changing colors. In the summer I would say it’s just an average drive.

This is a must do! We entered on a weekday, Shenandoah National Park from Luray to Front Royal and traveled the 105 Mi trek by car in 5 hours. We downloaded a purchased $15 audio guide from Travelocity. It tracked our car movement and shared all kinds historical and geologic info in addition to the flora, fauna, trailhead details, etc. Dotted with scenic overlooks and some of the most beautiful Mountain View’s and forests you will ever see. We saw deer, hawks and 2 snakes. Temps are several degrees cooler so enjoy opening up the windows, load up on snacks and drinks and enjoy a relaxing Zen-filled day of natural pristine beauty! We plan do do a fall tour. If someone has an open-air Jeep, touring motorcycle/trike, make them drive it

It was beautiful. Watch out for the weather forecast.
Many lookout along the way. Pack a lunch and spend the day. Beautiful

I’ve been waiting for this trip for so long LOL. My boyfriend has probably talked about it a million times over the year and a half we have been together. Trees weren’t as pretty because we missed prime time. But we went on Veterans Day and it was free of charge! Check their website they have multiple days free of charge. Saw a black bear! Lots of places to pull off and see a view. Enjoy our pics.

This drive offers some of the best views on the East Coast, easily discernible why this is considered one of the premier National Parks. Not only can you see incredible views dozens of pull offs, or hit trails right off the road that would be a headliner anywhere else in the world by themselves, but you can grab a bit to eat, attend a ranger led program, or see geological marvels o’plenty. Your ticket is good for a week - plan more than a day here, and bring a way to carry water - you’ll need it.

We traveled from the south all the way up the park. The leaves were changing some but probably could use another week or two to be at their peak. We stopped at many of the pull offs but they were very crowded. The view was beautiful and not too hazy this trip. We did stop at one of the quaint shops and restaurants and got a hot dog and it was wonderful! We enjoyed the drive but as expected it was extremely crowded and parking was a problem. As we left traffic was backed up about a mile from the gate to get in. We did enjoy this trip and drove east to Williamsburg and Jamestown after our day drive.

On October 13th I want to take a road trip to enjoy the autumn colors, but the whole mountain path is different in the degree of autumn color, most of it is green, mountains green mainly. The heights are at their peak, but there are more yellow leaves. It's hard to see large areas of beautiful autumn scenery, all walking in different places of autumn color

The Skyline Drive is 105 miles from North to South exits so even if you drive straight through, at the max speed limit of 35mph, it will take 3 hours, without factoring in that there are some 75 odd viewing points. However, whilst there lots of stunning outlooks, IMO you won't fully experience the park or see a y if the waterfalls unless you get out for a hike or two.

One interesting and relatively easy option is the 4 mile return trail to President Hoover's Rapidan Camp which is really interesting. There is usually a ranger there to open up, I think, in the mornings April to October but best check at one of the visitor centres.

The Stony Man around the central area of the park is another easy 1.6 mile loop with not much effort to a great viewpoint, as is the Rose River 4. 5 mile circuit for waterfalls, including picturesque Dark Hollow Falls.

As a side note not much sign of the trees changing colour yet when we visited today.

My husband and I began our drove from north to south. Stopping at each overlook and picnic area to be able to take in everything. We were also able to do a couple short walks/hikes.
I highly recommend this drive for everyone.

Skyline Drive is 105 miles long. You literally drive 104.5 miles in the woods, with absolutely nothing to see. It’s woods no different then at your house. Yes there are overlooks, but like baby elephants, if you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all. We got 55 miles in and had to get off because it was so boring to just ride on a windy road at 35 miles per hour. Breath taking? Maybe if you live in a desert.

$30 for 7 consecutive day admission. Well worth it if you want to hike the trails. Dark Hollow & Swallow Falls are well worth the fee. But if your just going to stop off @ the lookout spots I would recommend the Blue Ridge Parkway prettier (& free)

Take your time! Plenty of overlooks, fresh air and beautiful scenery. The entry fee is $30, but an America the Beautiful pass gets you in for free. Lots of folks out bicycling up and down the hills. Make sure you have your camera.

What a beautiful area! Lots of hiking, beautiful views over the Virginia mountains. The temperature was in the upper '70's . The Mountain Laurel and other wildflowers were still blooming, the second week in July.

Beautiful! Loved this underrated National Park if you're in the area do it! There was a lot of people there when we went, it was a Saturday as well, we didn't do any of the hikes, just Skyline Drive.

Have taken the drive a handful of times and just didn't ring my bell this time. $30 entrance fee is exhorbant. Many of the pull offs were overgrown with no view and all were unkept with weeds overtaking the parking area and rock walls. With 80% of fees collected going directly to the upkeep of this park it's crazy how unkept this park is. There's so much development going in these days that many of the views were houses in the valleys. I realize this is beyond the control of the park but takes away from the experience. There might be way more to do here for hikers than drivers. For no money I'd much rather do the Blue Ridge Parkway or Cherohala Skyway.

Beautiful. Great views and hikes. Will definitely be back for a longer visit. Would be beautiful in the spring too. A lot 9f things to see and do

Day trip from DC for leaf peeping. I think we came just before the peak, but we weren't disappointed. Photos do not do it justice! My husband hates heights and was concerned about the road, but he felt comfortable driving the whole thing .

We went on a weekday and it was quite quiet. The scenery was lovely although hazy because of the humidity. Even still well worth going. We had lunch in the Skyline Restaurant which was ok.
We took several photos and had a short walk. You can spend lots of time or as we did part of a day.

We came in through the Front Royal entrance and drive about 35 miles to Thornton Gap and headed out to Luray. A beautiful drive with lots of opportunities to pull over and take in the different views. At one point we were so high we had a cloud pass through us!

Started at 12 & ended at 5. Look drive but beautiful . We only did 2 small hikes but stopped at all of the look outs. We loved it.

We had wanted to make this trip for a long time, and finally did it. We had hoped for slightly more blazing fall foliage, but whatever we did see (about 25%) was worth it. The weather can be iffy in Shenandoah, and there's no way to predict it. We started our drive from the Front Royal (northern) entrance, but that day, it was so foggy, we couldn't see a thing. The next day was clear and gorgeous, but quite cold. The wind was fierce. We drove all the way to the southern tip, stopping at every single overlook. Did one hike to a waterfall. Our 3rd half-day, we drove north again; this time, with a clear view. Beautiful blue ridge mountains. America the beautiful!

We drove the entire Skyline Drive from south to north, stopping at a few of the overlooks. This is definitely one of the most scenic drives I've taken as we've driven across this land. I could have sat for a long time at each overlook and taken in the beauty and the peacefulness--we actually saw several people doing just that. We enjoyed the drive very much and would highly recommend this scenic drive. I wish we had had the time to do some of the hikes as there appear to be several that are not too difficult, but which are quite spectacular. I did note several things.

1. While almost all of the overlooks are AMAZING, if you try to stop at too many of them they start to look the same. It also slows down your visit. I would suggest stopping periodically to get different views. There are several "lists of suggested overlooks" on line. We stopped at about 10 overlooks and spent considerable time enjoying each one.

2. Be sure when you visit to make sure the air quality is good. The air quality when we visited was poor...I imagine the views would have been much more spectacular if we had come on a different day.

3. We found the that the southern half of the drive was slightly more enjoyable than the northern half. The views were also slightly better. If it hadn't been our goal to do the whole 105 mile drive, we might have considered turning out at one of the two intermediate entrance stations. This might also help if your time to spend in the park is limited.

1st time here and views were great. Staying on skyline drive allowed us to travel 60 of the 100+ mile drive. Enjoyed the overlooks.

Skyline Drive is essentially the only road that traverses Shenandoah NP (minus small side roads that take you to lodging etc). We entered the southern entrance and by the end of our three night stay, had traversed the entire 105 mile length of it. The road is twisty and turny in many places with a speed limit of 35 MPH.

One word of warning: deer are everywhere so drive alert! A few times, one was standing in the middle of the road after we came around a curve. Other times they ran out in the road in front of cars or were munching grass right by the road. Coming from IL, I'm used to this, but it could be startling (and dangerous) for those who aren't. I recommend against driving after dark because of this. It can be impossible to see them.

Lots of beautiful overlooks on both the east and west side of the road plus a few lodges/waysides to stop at for food, restrooms, and gifts, as well as two visitor centers. If you are short on time, I'd probably enter one of the two middle entrances and drive that stretch that is the most popular and has many popular hikes there. If you're wanting to stay within the park, we stayed at Skyland Lodge and enjoyed it.

This last week in October was after the summer green and fall color and before the snow; drab. Numerous turnouts of different angles of same scenery. Speed limit is 35mph, and people drive slower than that. A dog can pee on every tree and go faster. Elevation is in the 2000-2500 foot level. Views from both sides of the road

A wonderful destination! We drove the 100 miles in 2 days with an overnight stay at Big Meadows in the lodge. My husband is a big biker and he did the first day on his bike. It rained the second day, so we took short hikes. It’s amazing that you can step on the Appalachian Trail and feel like you are really going somewhere! The mountain laurels are starting to bloom. You can see them best on the Limberlost trail.

Lovely drive, well maintained, slow roads, animals crossings, lots of overlooks. Go out at night to see valley lights and the Milky Way. Beautiful!

If you can go, then do so! It’s beautiful and peaceful and stunning.
There are lots of pull off areas to stop and take it all in.

Had a great time with family driving to the differents spot along the route. Drive does have trails for the avid hiking or smaller trails for the one whose does not. Advised make sure to have enough gas when starting the trail. Bathroom are in some parts of the drive. Fee to enter the park.

Skyline Drive will take you in and around Shenandoah National park. The road is well maintained and easy to navigate. Beautiful drive with stunning g views.

If you are nature lover , specially mountains, waterfalls and hiking. This is a must visit place. If you love driving through the green, mountainous , winding road, you will love it !!
Plan for a day and carry food and water with you and have great picnic in Summer and during Fall season enjoy the vista from many scenic overlook existing at various heights.
To visit waterfalls, be prepared to hike for at least one and half hour minimum and medium steep hike.
Best time will be just after rain , so that the water vapor, fog at distance will be washed down and you get the clear view of distance mountains and vista.

Gorgeous views! We could have stayed all day just to look at the beauty of nature. It was a little tough after a long ride to Luray.

I gave this an average review but only because of the season we went. I can see that in a season other than winter it would be amazing. We went in early April and it was winter still there. Even had a little snow. The overlooks were very pretty and we also saw lots of deer, The store was open and the employees were nice. There was no fee on the day we went.

I took advantage of the free entry day on the 11th (otherwise it's $30 per vehicle for seven days), and I traveled north to south. There were plenty of pull off areas that offered spectacular views. Too many for me to list here. During the drive, I saw some deer, a black bear, and squirrels. There's plenty of hiking to do - more than I had time for. The best view was from the Hawksbill hike, but it was uphill for ~30 minutes.

We drove through Skyline Drive in aw. The views were stunning. As we drove yp the mountain we noticed it raining in the village on one side and blue sky on the other. We saw some deer and squirrels. It was cold that day, but would consider returning to hike at some point. This is a must see if you enjoy stunning scenery.

Start to finish, you absolutely can't beat these views. The central district is the most popular at higher elevations and outstanding views. Doing night sky viewing along any vantage point, expecially at Big Meadows, is incredible.

The park service does a wonderful job maintaining and highlighting this "great American drive". When we visited they were improving the surface at one point, even though it did appear to need it, so you drive on a very curvy, but very smooth road. There are many, dozens, or turnouts and viewpoints, each worth stopping at. Many have interpretive signs about the park, the road, or the area. The turnouts also let you pull over when another driver is imagining Le Mans in their SUV. I don't know if anyone ever drives the full length of the road, simply because there are so many places to eat or picnic, hike, or take pictures along the way. The road is mentioned in all park literature and any guidebook you read in preparation. Even with all that, it lives up to the hype.

Skyline Drive is an extension of the Blue Ridge Parkway through Virginia. The view are amazing and alot of wildlife along the road to see.

drove the Skyline drive on Oct. 24 and the fall foliage is nearing its peak. gorgeous scenery and many places to pull off and take pictures.

Nice drive but plan on stopping for a hike or two. Can get cold at these high altitudes. Many beautiful overlooks.

Skyline Drive is a very nice scenic road, and with a 35 MPH speed limit, it's a relaxing drive. To be honest, while it's pretty, it does get a little monotonous after a while. It's basically the same scenery mile after mile. I had planned on driving the entire length, but ended up only driving the northern portion from Swift Run Gap to Front Royal, and that was plenty for me.

We started our drive at the Front Royal entrance. The ranger at the Visitor Center was helpful in identifying for us pet friendly hikes. Dogs are not allowed on certain trails. She told us about a hike that was just past the 9 mile marker at a turn off that could be easy to miss. There is a small parking area. The trail leads to a beautiful waterfall that was in full splendor due to recent rains. Lots to see and do in this stunning park!

We spent a great day on the skyland drive.
Relaxing at 30 Mph.
Beautiful vistas from the many lookout.
Stop wherever you want, plenty of trails to try out.
We saw some deer, sadly no bears today.
30 dollars per car

It is a nice road. I didn't understand why they charge 30$ for it when the blue ridge parkway at the south end has just the same views.

We got unlucky and planned our trip on a day that was a mess...rainy, wet, icy, fog, very low visibility and a tree was down. We just drove along and it was still unique. There were icicles along the way, misty weather, fog rolled hills.

We drove all the Skyline drive and stayed at B&B after.
Very enjoyable,though slow.
It was mid-October, but the colors were just starting to change.Still pretty, and we liked it more than the BRPW.

This is a beautiful drive and park. Although we love hiking and have done many of the trails, the scenic overlooks and drive are wonderful for those who may have mobility issues as there are fabulous vistas. It can get quite crowded in the autumn when the leaves are at their peak of color but if you go early in the morning it is usually okay. Try to go on a weekday. The entry is expensive so if you visit a lot of National Parks, get an annual pass.

On our drive back to TN, decided to get off the interstate for a bit and drove from Front Royal to Route 211 on the Skyline Drive. The scenery was beautiful and the west and east sides had quite different views. We didn’t stop at all the overlooks but did make a longer stop at Elkwallow picnic area to eat cinnamon rolls bought at Front Royal (Down Home Comfort Bakery). While there were some tables near the parking lot and can store, a little ways into the woods there was a quiet picnic area where we recharged a bit as didn’t have time for a hike.

Went the entire length of Skyline Drive. Views are tremendous. We went the week after Labor Day and the weather was excellent and the traffic was not heavy. You do need to pay attention to the road as it has many curves and inclines and it's easy to get distracted by the views, etc. If there is one suggestion it would be to have soda/snack vending at the most northerly information center. Other than that, an excellent way to spend the day.

What can I add to the more than 2,500 Trip Advisor reviews of this beautiful 105-mile drive atop the ridges of Shenandoah National Park? Perhaps a few tips.

TIPS:

* There's a hefty charge for entering the park. $30 for a single vehicle, $15 for cyclists or hikers. Consider an annual pass ($55) if you'll visit more than once. Eighty dollars gets you an annual pass good at all national parks and wildlife refuges; for seniors, that $80 buys a lifetime pass.

* Skyline Drive's 75 overlooks are great for those who aren't into hiking.

* Mileposts (numbered 0 to 105 from north to south) are missing or can be hard to find. Set your vehicle's trip odometer to 0 as you enter the park and it will serve as a crude milepost marker.

* This is a wonderful drive in the fall when the leaves are turning. The trick is timing it right. Leaves just turning in the valley can be past peak up on Skyline Drive. Also, go on a weekday to avoid "leaf jams."

* Speaking of travel times, the speed limit is 35 m.p.h. Skyland Resort at milepost 42 (42 miles from the park's northern entrance)? That a 90-minute drive if there's no traffic and you stop at a couple of overlooks.

I had my 10 yr old granddaughter and my 17 yr old nieces with me. We had a lot of fun. We saw a baby black bear cub in the middle of the road. It was absolutely adorable! We saw several deers. We also did a couple hikes. The views were amazing and we all thoroughly enjoyed our experience. We have decided to go back in the spring because it was cold. Even though it was cold, not one of the kids complained. That's how beautiful it was!

We drove from Charlottesville north and back to PA. Entered at Swift Run mile marker 65 and drove to Front Royal stopping many times including a longer stop at the visitor center near Big Meadows. Four of the top 5 overlooks are located in this stretch of Skyline Drive. It was a bit hazy but the views and smells were beautiful with lots of wildflowers. We completed the drive in 3 hours with the stopping. We saw many deer, baby deer, ground hogs, raccoon and a bear all along the road. Not bad for a quick trip on the way home. Next time we will plan some hikes and trails . It was a nice cool 74 degrees in the mountains on an otherwise 90 degree day.

We drove Skyline Drive, stopped at the overlooks, did some hiking. The views are amazing. We were there in November there was not much traffic. I can imagine during the summer its very busy.

I’ve been on Skyline drive countless times and every time I enjoy it like first time. A must do in Virginia, the Skyline Drive stretches 105 miles. I took my family yesterday, a Sunday in late October. I was hoping to see not too many people but to my surprise it took us 45 minutes to get to the entrance. But once on the drive it was so much fun. The fall foliage is so beautiful and the camera just doesn’t “see” what eyes see. This time, unfortunately, we didn’t see any wildlife but enjoyed every second.

Beautiful drive. Would need more than a day to cover all major attractions along the drive. Plenty of hike options and lookouts.

Skyline Drive is among my favorite scenic places to drive on the East Coast. Great scenic stops along the journey. Breathtaking photo opportunities.

Skyline Drive has tons of overlooks and is amazing at sunset! And it's the perfect time to see deer and other wildlife in the park. Take your time and enjoy the drive!

Visited before the leaves were out but the views were still great. I am sure it is even better when the leaves are out. Wasn’t too busy when we were there during the week but I can imagine holidays and summer weekends there being a lack of parking at trailheads.

We spent 2 days exploring Shenandoah National Park (October 13 - 14) to try to catch some fall foliage. Stopped at various overlooks and did some trails (Little Stony Man was our favorite!). We did not have the best weather. When we did Stony Man, all we saw was fog. Although, the fog sometimes made for great photos. When the weather did cooperate, we managed to get some awesome views.

We drove the whole Skyline-Drive from the south to Front-Royal. It is a pretty national park with beautiful views of wooded hills. We were fortunate because we saw a bear mom crossing the road with two tiny baby bears right in front of our car. Later, in the visitor centre a ranger told us that we just had a once-in-a-life-time-experience. She said visitors might occasionally see a bear, but tiny little bears with bear-mom usually never.
I was so excited that I only thought of my mobile phone when "Mama Bear" and baby bears disappeared back into the woods - I am glad my spouse didn't divorce me because of that.... So sorry, that I cannot share the experience with you.

We took a detour from the coast of North Carolina to go to Upstate NY just to be able to drive through Shenandoah on this Drive. Everywhere I looked for the top things to do in this National Park Skyline Drive was always in the top 3 and I know why ~ beautiful!.
You can enter Shenandoah in 4 different entrances that will lead you right onto Skyline Drive. We caught the Drive on the second entrance in the southern tip (Swift Run Gap) and drove right to the northern tip.

Wish we had time to actually hike a bit but just to be able to drive through was awe inspiring and we were able to stop at the Harry F. Byrd Visitor Center Small but cute. Restaurants was in a build right next door.

I can see this park being VERY busy during the fall month when the leaf foliage is in it's peak!

It was a beautiful day for a drive. Enjoyed the Skyline Drive. We drove from Rockfish Gap to 211. We exited to explore Luray Caverns and opted to drive back on 341 through the valleys that we viewed from Skyline. There is a fee to enter but the National Park Pass is an option and can be used throughout the year.

What an amazingly well maintained and engineered road, so many sweeping roadside pullouts to see wonderful vistas across the mountains and forest. Frankly you could drive the whole way and never get out of your car and still have a scenic view 90% of the way. But please, if you go get out of your car stand and listen to the breeze and the quiet stare off into the distance. On some days you'll be by yourself on these overlooks. We were able to get our kids out of the car and up on climbing rocks down on short hike paths meeting other great citizens having fun and taking pictures of each other. We did all this and still completed the ride and less time than the website suggests. The road is just that well maintained, you could be moving along quite well if there's not crowded roads. The hiking paths are so well marked and the overlooks are so well maintained. The national Park service has outdone itself.

As with many Americans, my wife and I love exploring the outdoors and time with each other. Shenandoah National Park offered spectacular views, where even in late fall there were colors still be be enjoyed. We took a two-hour hike in the woods taking in beautiful mountain streams and waterfalls, and of course the breath-taking vistas along the road.

However, we were extremely disappointed with the limited services of the Visitor’s Center. While staff were extremely helpful and friendly, it was as if we had been transported back to March 2020. Even with COVID measures in place such mandatory face masks, the displays and movie were closed citing health concerns and in support of “reducing the spread” of the virus.

Seriously??? CDC has confirmed COVID does not exist on surfaces, and if people are still uncomfortable being in closer proximity of other while watching a short educational film, they can skip it, rather than eliminating the experience for everyone else.

Let’s get back to living folks!

We traveled from NY on our way down to NC and stars in Luray for 3 days. Enjoyed our entire drive with many beautiful overlooks. We did 3 hikes too.

The drive is obviously very curvy, going up and down the mountain ranges, but offers some great scenery with lots of places to pull off to enjoy the view. The roads are smooth and very well marked. The signage is great giving you ample time to pull off on the overlooks or picnic areas. Our GPS announced most of the overlooks in the park as well. It's a great way to get back and forth in the park to various hiking trails. One of the better 'mountain roads' we have traveled.

Only downfall is, as others have mentioned, if you go the speed limit or slightly above it, it isn't good enough for some drivers who immediately tailgate you and ruin the experience. Almost got rear-ended stopping for a deer in the middle of the road as we came around a curve. Ended up using a lot of the overlook entrances just to let these people pass so they wouldn't ruin our experience.

Scenic drive with multiple turnouts and vistas..We drive the entire length north to south staying 2 nights at Skyland and stopping at the Meadows Byrd visitors center. Nice museum at Byrd, well worth spending time reading the exhibits, history and creation of the park.

A beautiful December day lead to a wonderful day driving and stopping off at many of the spectacular views along the Skyline Drive. Feeling that we could see forever, the bare trees and puffy clouds presented divine images to remember…and photograph.
Walking the Blackrock trail led to black rocks. We arrived just before sunset, climbed the massive rocks, and in awe watched the unfolding of the inspiring view. The view from the base of the rocks is quite different, so if possible, climb the rocks. The reward is great. We descended via the Appalachian Trail, which was good, too.

Take your time and stop at the overlooks and see butterflies, birds, deer, and lovely views. Convenient pull offs every few miles so you can let hurriers pass and enjoy the scenery. Great wildflowers.

Be warned...the Park police were pulling over speeders. If you want to go fast, take I81. If you want to go beautifully, take the Skyline.

Wife and I hiked on 5 different trails. It was an amazing time of year for the temperature and all. We did bearsfence, dark hollows, lil stony mtn, Mary’s rock and upper hawksbill trail head ( highest point).

Most paths very rocky. Could easily spend a week visiting all the ins and outs of the entire stretch of the park. Would really recommend to any person that likes to hike and be in the nature.

Entered through swift water entrance by 11 am had a small line. We already had a pass gem doing Old Rag the day before and wanted to do something a little less active. Views were gorgeous and going in fall the colors were gorgeous. We only did a small segment due to time but felt like we saw the best parts. As we were leaving around 2pm the line was half way up the road at the entrance near sperryville. GET THERE EARLY! trail parking lots that we passed on a Saturday were nearly overflowing. Winding road with the right music were just perfect.

A truly gorgeous place with beautiful views, and fascinating wildlife

The mountains are spectacular, and the skies are so beautifully blue. Nature shines in all its glory in this lovely spit.

Although there are cars and traffic, a feeling of peacefulness pervades the atmosphere.

Gentle deer can be seen as you drive by. Some are in groups, while other times only two or three are visible among the green fioliage.

Went to see falls and did moderate hike. 30.00 fee was steep for 7 days. Not sure why they would not sell a day pass.

Hike was nice and trees provided great shade during the hike. Falls we saw were not as nice as other places I have been in Virginia, but overall a nice day trip.