FIELD GUIDE / SUMMER 2026

Shenandoah National Park

Updated: · saving offline…

Refresh this guide

Conditions change. Follow signs and ranger orders.

Current conditions

Skyline Drive can close at any time due to weather, and cell service is unreliable in most of the park. From March 1 to November 30, visiting Old Rag requires an entrance pass plus a day-use ticket, and the main trailhead lot is closed through November 2026.

[ROAD] Skyline Drive can close

Weather can close Skyline Drive at any time. The park phone line is not updated for road status. Text SHENALERTS to 888777, or check current conditions.

[CELL] Do not depend on cell service

Cell service is not reliable in most of the park. Free public Wi-Fi is at Byrd Visitor Center, Big Meadows Lodge, and Skyland Dining Room. Open this guide before you leave town.

[GAS] One gas station in the park

The only gas pumps are at Big Meadows Wayside, mile 51. They can fail during power outages. Fill the tank in Front Royal, Luray, Elkton, or Waynesboro.

[$] Old Rag ticket and parking

From March 1 to November 30, Old Rag needs a day-use ticket plus an entrance pass. The main trailhead lot is closed from May 4 through November 2026. Use the overflow lots. Tickets do not reserve a parking space.

[BEAR] Stay back from bears

Black bears live in the park. Stay at least 150 feet away. Store food. Do not stop in the travel lane. Report a close encounter at 800-732-0911.

NPS conditions (large page)

Services by place

Major places list all five services. Seasonal services may be closed.

Front Royal / North Entrance ↑

Do this: Buy food, water, and fuel in Front Royal before you enter at mile 0.

  • Food: Yes in Front Royal.
  • Water, toilets: Yes in town.
  • Fuel: Yes in Front Royal. None on Skyline Drive near the entrance.
  • Signal: Usually good in town. Weak or unavailable on the Drive.

North entrance address is 21073 Skyline Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630. GPS can send you to the wrong place.

Dickey Ridge Visitor Center ↑

Do this: Use the restroom and ask about Drive status here. Carry food and water before you continue south.

  • Food: Park store only. No meals.
  • Water: Unknown. Carry water.
  • Toilets: Yes when the visitor center area is open.
  • Signal: Usually available at the visitor center. Unreliable on most trails.

Mile 4.6. Open May 1 to November 1, 2026. Closed when Skyline Drive is closed for severe weather.

Thornton Gap / Luray ↑

Do this: Use Luray for fuel and groceries. The entrance itself has no services.

  • Food, water, toilets: Yes in Luray.
  • Fuel: Yes in Luray. None at the entrance station.
  • Signal: Usually available in Luray. Unreliable on Skyline Drive.

Mile 31.5, on US 211 between Luray and Sperryville. Park headquarters is nearby in Luray.

Skyland ↑

Do this: Eat here if the dining room is open. There is no fuel. Charge an electric vehicle here if you need it.

  • Food: Seasonal dining and grab-and-go when open.
  • Water: Yes at lodging and dining when open.
  • Toilets: Yes at developed buildings when open.
  • Fuel: No. Next gas is Big Meadows Wayside, mile 51.
  • Signal: Free public Wi-Fi at Skyland Dining Room. Cell service is not reliable.

Miles 41.7 and 42.5. Lodging and dining are seasonal. One Level 2 J1772 charger and one Level 2 Tesla connector.

Big Meadows / Byrd Visitor Center ↑

Do this: This is the main service stop. Buy fuel here if you need it. Carry water before any waterfall hike.

  • Food: Seasonal wayside, lodge dining, and campstore when open.
  • Water: Yes at developed facilities when open.
  • Toilets: Yes at the visitor center and developed areas when open.
  • Fuel: Yes at Big Meadows Wayside, mile 51. Only gas station in the park.
  • Signal: Free public Wi-Fi at Byrd Visitor Center and Big Meadows Lodge. Cell service is not reliable.

Mile 51. Byrd Visitor Center is listed as year-round, but it closes when Skyline Drive closes for severe weather.

Other places

Report park conditions

Drive times

Summer estimates without long stops. Traffic, wildlife, weather, and road work can cause delays.

Front Royal to Thornton Gap

Front Royal Entrance (mile 0) → 5 mi → Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (mile 4.6) → Thornton Gap Entrance (mile 31.5)

Skyline Drive is the only public road through the park. Speed limit is 35 mph in most places. Buy fuel in Front Royal.

Thornton Gap to Big Meadows

Thornton Gap (mile 31.5) → Skyland (mile 41.7) → Big Meadows / Byrd Visitor Center (mile 51)

Big Meadows is near the center of the park. The only in-park fuel is at Big Meadows Wayside.

Big Meadows to Rockfish Gap

Big Meadows (mile 51) → Swift Run Gap (mile 65.5) → Loft Mountain (mile 79.5) → Rockfish Gap (mile 104.6)

The full Skyline Drive is 105 miles and takes about three hours on a clear day. Rockfish Gap also leads to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Sperryville to Old Rag

Sperryville → US 522 / 231 / 601 → Old Rag overflow parking

Old Rag is at the park boundary, not on Skyline Drive. Do not navigate only to Old Rag. Cell service is unreliable. Set the map before you leave town.

If Skyline Drive closes

Use US 340, US 211, US 33, or I-64 / US 250 to reach the next open entrance.

You may still enter on foot when the Drive is closed. Check current conditions before you leave.

Help

Emergency: call 911. Tell the dispatcher your location, direction of travel, vehicle, and problem.

Park information: 540-999-3500

Road text alerts: text SHENALERTS to 888777.

This independent guide is not the National Park Service and is not an emergency service.

Permits

Entrance pass

An entrance pass is required to enter, including on Skyline Drive and at boundary trailheads such as Old Rag and Whiteoak Canyon. The park does not accept cash. A private vehicle pass is $30 for seven days.

Official fees and passes

Old Rag day-use ticket

From March 1 to November 30, hikers on the Saddle, Ridge, and Ridge Access trails need a $2 day-use ticket plus an entrance pass. Buy the ticket online before you arrive. It does not reserve parking. 800 tickets are sold each day.

Official Old Rag ticket rules

Campgrounds

Overnight vehicle camping is allowed only in park campgrounds. Big Meadows is reservation only. Mathews Arm and Loft Mountain mix reservations and first-come sites. Lewis Mountain is first-come only. Sleeping in a vehicle outside a campsite is not allowed.

Official camping information

Backcountry camping

A backcountry permit from Recreation.gov is required to camp overnight outside developed campgrounds. Paper permits are no longer issued in the park.

Official backcountry camping

Pets

Pets must stay on a leash no longer than 6 feet. They are banned on several trails, including Fox Hollow, Dark Hollow Falls, Story of the Forest, Limberlost, Stony Man, Frazier Discovery, and the Old Rag Ridge and Saddle routes.

Official hiking basics

Short hikes

Distances are one way unless marked as a loop. Check trail closures.