• Visitors bask in a golden sunset at Dickey Ridge Visitor Center in Shenandoah National Park

    Shenandoah

    National Park Virginia

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  • Vehicle Fuel Available at Big Meadows ONLY!

    Vehicle fuel is only available at Big Meadows (mile 52). Gas service has been discontinued at the Loft and Elkwallow areas.

  • Attention Hikers!

    There has been an outbreak of Norovirus among Appalachian Trail (A.T.) hikers. For information about how to protect yourself click here. More »

Work Continues on Smith Run Fire

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Date: February 24, 2011

Today firefighters cut down hazardous trees along Skyline Drive and the Appalachian Trail within the Smith Run Fire burn area. Shenandoah National Park firefighters and the Asheville Interagency Hotshots will continue to work the fire to secure the perimeter. The fire's perimeter has not changed; the total acreage remains at approximately 2,000 acres. The fire is currently 80% contained.

Smoke and fire maybe visible from local communities as some leaves and dead trees continue to burn. Current and forecasted rains are not expected to extinguish the fire.

For safety reasons, the following closures are still in place as a result of the fire: Skyline Drive between Front Royal and Rt. 211 (Thornton Gap); Mt. Marshall Trail from Skyline Drive to the intersection at the Bluff Trail; Appalachian Trail between Compton Gap and the Browntown Trail; Lands Run Gap Fire Road; and the Jenkins Gap Trail.

Did You Know?

o The leathery grape fern, one of the rare plants in Big Meadows, has a fertile frond bearing small grapelike clusters of spore cases.

Shenandoah National Park has 431 rare plant populations representing 66 rare plant species. The highest concentration of these is in the park’s Big Meadows area