Date: April 22, 2008

Native flowers will be in the spotlight during Shenandoah National Park’s 22nd annual Wildflower Weekend, May 10 and 11, 2008. Visitors will have a chance to meet woodland beauties such as wild geranium, trillium, jack-in-the-pulpit, and many others on a variety of naturalist-led hikes.

There will be two feature programs this year, both presented by trail hiker and author Leonard M. Adkins. Mr. Adkins, a self described “Habitual Hiker”, recently completed his fifth thru-hike of the 2,176-mile Appalachian Trail. Mr. Adkins will share memories of his hikes from Maine to Georgia and his encounters with wildflowers in Shenandoah through two multi-media presentations in the Byrd Visitor Center Auditorium located at MP 51 on Skyline Drive.

Hikes include Millers Head, Mill Prong, Pocosin Mission, Gravel Springs-Bluff Trail, Appalachian Trail, Passamaquoddy, and South River Falls trails. There will also be bird walks, a children’s program, a journaling activity, and more. The complete program schedule is available t the park’s website: www.nps.gov/shen.

Programs are free, and there is no registration required. There is a $15-per-car entrance fee to the park, good for seven days. For more information about Wildflower Weekend, call the park at 540-999-3283.