Story of the Forest

An easy walk through the woods from Byrd Visitor Center past the Big Meadows air quality station.

Stays on the map
Distance
1.8 mi
round trip
Elevation gain
290 ft
Hiking time
1 hr 30 min
NPS estimate, no breaks
Difficulty
Easiest
NPS scale

No pets on this trail

Shenandoah prohibits pets on this route. Service animals are welcome. NPS pet rules

Park entrance pass only

$30 per vehicle, good for 7 days, or an annual pass. NPS fees

Where to stay, by the drive

Rank on the map

Ordered by drive time to the parking area, then by how close the stay is to this area and how complete and current its listing is. How ranking works.

Fog and red blueberry over Big Meadows in fall.
Unclaimed Dogs welcome

Rock Spring Cabin (PATC)

Primitive hike-in cabin inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 48

7min drive

2.9 mi by road · 2.9 mi straight

Exterior of Big Meadows Lodge.
Unclaimed

Big Meadows Lodge

Lodge rooms and cabins inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 51

7min drive

1.3 mi by road · 0.8 mi straight

Sunrise over Big Meadows.
Unclaimed

Big Meadows Campground

National park campground (reservation only) · Skyline Drive, mile 51

6min drive

1.1 mi by road · 0.7 mi straight

Evening light on the rocks of Bearfence Mountain.
Unclaimed Dogs welcome

Pocosin Cabin (PATC)

Primitive hike-in cabin inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 59.8

20min drive

8.7 mi by road · 8 mi straight

Moss phlox on the rocks at Crescent Rock Overlook in spring.
Unclaimed

Lewis Mountain Cabins

Rustic cabins inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 57.5

15min drive

6.7 mi by road · 6 mi straight

Evening light on the rocks of Bearfence Mountain.
Unclaimed

Lewis Mountain Campground

National park campground (first-come, first-served) · Skyline Drive, mile 57.5

16min drive

6.7 mi by road · 6.1 mi straight

Exterior of the Skyland dining room and taproom.
Unclaimed

Skyland

Lodge rooms and cabins inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 41.7

21min drive

9 mi by road · 6 mi straight

Late fall panorama from Pinnacles Overlook on Skyline Drive, with Old Rag Mountain in the distance.
Unclaimed Dogs welcome

Corbin Cabin (PATC)

Primitive hike-in cabin inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 37.8

29min drive

13.1 mi by road · 7.7 mi straight

Main Street in Sperryville, Virginia, in October.
Unclaimed

Hopkins Ordinary

Bed and breakfast with a brewery · Sperryville

58min drive

26.9 mi by road · 14.9 mi straight

Aerial view of Luray, Virginia.
Unclaimed

The Mimslyn Inn

Historic inn · Luray

1 hrdrive

29.8 mi by road · 10.2 mi straight

16 more beyond 60 minutes
The Big Run watershed from Big Run Overlook, South District.
Unclaimed

Massanutten Resort

Resort lodging · McGaheysville

1 hr 1 mindrive

30.4 mi by road · 19.3 mi straight

Fall color in Mathews Arm Campground.
Unclaimed Dogs welcome

Range View Cabin (PATC)

Primitive hike-in cabin inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 22

1 hr 4 mindrive

29 mi by road · 17.3 mi straight

Lower Doyles River Falls.
Unclaimed Dogs welcome

Doyles River Cabin (PATC)

Primitive hike-in cabin inside the park · Skyline Drive, mile 81.1

1 hr 5 mindrive

30 mi by road · 22.8 mi straight

Fall color in Mathews Arm Campground.
Unclaimed

Mathews Arm Campground

National park campground · Skyline Drive, mile 22.2

1 hr 6 mindrive

29.5 mi by road · 18.6 mi straight

Loft Mountain Wayside on Skyline Drive.
Unclaimed

Loft Mountain Campground

National park campground · Skyline Drive, mile 79.5

1 hr 8 mindrive

29.9 mi by road · 22.6 mi straight

The Downtown Mall in Charlottesville.
Unclaimed

Boar's Head Resort

Resort · Charlottesville

1 hr 20 mindrive

46.5 mi by road · 32.9 mi straight

Fields toward the Blue Ridge from Route 231 near Etlan, Madison County.
Unclaimed Some pet-friendly units

Graves Mountain Farm & Lodges

Lodge rooms, cabins, farmhouses and campground · Syria

1 hr 21 mindrive

46.4 mi by road · 6.3 mi straight

The Downtown Mall in Charlottesville.
Unclaimed

Keswick Hall

Resort hotel · Keswick

1 hr 30 mindrive

51.5 mi by road · 34.8 mi straight

West Beverley Street in Staunton.
Unclaimed

Hotel 24 South

Historic hotel · Staunton

1 hr 32 mindrive

57.9 mi by road · 42.8 mi straight

West Beverley Street in Staunton.
Unclaimed

Blackburn Inn

Inn and conference center · Staunton

1 hr 33 mindrive

57.9 mi by road · 42.8 mi straight

Panorama across a field toward Old Rag from Route 231 near Etlan.
Host verified Dogs welcome

Birch's Library

Cabin, 1865 homestead · Syria

1 hr 41 mindrive

51.4 mi by road · 5.4 mi straight

Downtown Middleburg, Virginia.
Unclaimed

Salamander Middleburg

Resort and spa · Middleburg

2 hr 7 mindrive

67.2 mi by road · 48.9 mi straight

Sources

Enter opens the page. Shift+Enter shows it on the map.