Winter in Shenandoah

NPS photo

 

Shenandoah National Park is always open. However, the lodging and food services, campgrounds, and visitor centers are closed from December - March. Portions of Skyline Drive, the only public road through the park, are periodically closed during inclement weather and at night during deer hunting season. Visitors can still enter the park on foot for hiking or backcountry camping even when Skyline Drive is closed. Click here for tips to help you enjoy Shenandoah National Park in the winter months. Click here for winter safety tips. Please call the park's recorded information line: [phone], 1, 1 for the most current Skyline Drive status.

Visitor Facilities Along Skyline Drive
December through March, from north to south. See park map (pdf, 480 kb).

MILE	SITE	FACILITY
4.6	Dickey Ridge Visitor Center	flush restroom; hydrant not frost-proof - will be turned off
24.1	Elkwallow Picnic Grounds	picnicking, vault toilets, frost-proof hydrant
31.5	Thornton Gap Entrance Station	water only; frost-proof hydrant
31.5	Panorama	flush restroom; frost-proof hydrant
35.1	Pinnacles Picnic Grounds	picnicking, vault toilets, frost-proof hydrant
51	Byrd Visitor Center	flush restroom; hydrant not frost-proof - will be turned off
62.7	South River Picnic Grounds	picnicking, vault toilets, frost-proof hydrant
65.5	Swift Run Entrance Station	water only, not potable
83.7	Dundo Picnic Grounds	picniking, vault toilets, frost-proof hydrant

---

 

NPS photo

Winter Experiences

Experience the quiet solitude of winter in Shenandoah National Park.

As the leaves fall from the trees and cooler temperatures improve visibility, valleys below and mountains beyond are more spectacular than ever.

You'll also have a better chance of seeing woodland animals like deer, squirrels, and turkeys as they forage for food. Foxes and bobcats are also active through winter. Snow in the mountains makes it fun and easy to see who's out and about. Look for tracks of mice, rabbits, and other animals.

Listen and look for Shenandoah's winter birdlife. Chickadees, nuthatches, and a host of woodpeckers will be searching for seeds and berries or peeking under bark for hard-to-find insects.

A crisp, winter visit is just one more way to experience Shenandoah.

---

 

NPS photo

Winter Safety

Be Prepared!

Winter in Shenandoah is unpredictable. Temperatures are usually 10 to 20^oF cooler than in the lowlands and weather conditions can change quickly. What comes down as rain below can be ice and snow on the mountain.

Park Emergency Number:
[phone]

No visitor facilities are staffed on the mountain from December until early April. Although Skyline Drive is normally open 24 hours a day, severe weather may necessitate closure at any time. Skyline Drive is also closed from dusk to dawn during deer hunting season, mid-November to early January.

• Be sure your gas tank is full before you enter the park.
  
• Have warm clothing and/or blankets in case your vehicle becomes disabled. You may have to wait for assistance.
  
• Cell phones do not work from many areas in the park. Leave an itinerary with someone at home.

Telephones are located along Skyline Drive at the following locations. Emergency phones connect directly to park emergency services.

MILE	LOCATION	PHONE TYPE
0.6	Front Royal Entrance Station	emergency phone
4.6	Dickey Ridge Restrooms	local/credit card/collect call only phone
22.2	Matthew's Arm Campground	emergency phone outside campground office
24.1	Elkwallow Wayside	pay phone
31.5	Thornton Gap Entrance Station	emergency phone
51.2	Big Meadows Campground	emergency phone outside campground office
57.6	Lewis Mountain Campground	emergency phone at self-registration kiosk (not accessible by car in winter, short walk from Skyline Drive.)
65.5	Swift Run Gap Entrance Station	pay phone
79.5	Loft Mountain Wayside	local/credit card/collect call only phone
104.9	Rockfish Gap Entrance Station	emergency phone

There are also emergency phones at two popular access points along the park boundary:

• Old Rag Parking Area on VA Rt. 600, near Nethers, VA
  
• White Oak Canyon Boundary Trailhead on VA Rt. 600, near Syria, VA

If you plan to hike, wear layers and take a flashlight and a map. Even on mild days, be prepared for unpredictable weather changes. Bring more water and food than you think you will need.

Althought the speed limit on Skyline Drive is 35 mph, weather conditions may require lower speeds. Even when the pavement appears to be dry, there may be icy patches on shaded curves.