Shenandoah Activities

Meals So Good, They’re Considered Events

Shenandoah Seasonings Culinary events to be exact. We can’t think of a better way to settle for your weekend stay. Savor every bite of a four-course dinner with Virginia wine pairings as you plan out how to satisfy your appetite for adventure over the days to come.

2013 Culinary Events at Skyland Resort

Vintner Dinner Schedule Coming Soon

Cost Includes:

• Friday night lodging
• Four-course dinner with Virginia wine pairings
• Etched Shenandoah wine glass
• Saturday morning breakfast
• All applicable gratuities & surcharges

Cooking Demos

Discover Culinary Secrets in Shenandoah!

Join our Executive Chef and Sous Chefs at Skyland Resort as they reveal secrets of their favorite recipes, including Curry and Apple Chicken Salad, Turkey Pot Pie, Hand Crafted Pasta, Chocolate Chip Scones and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Learn the alchemy behind the cooking, then pull up a chair and taste the magic. Don’t worry if you can’t commit the recipe to memory. You’ll receive a recipe card so you can impress your family and friends at home.

Cost: $10.00 per person
When: Tuesdays, May 7 through November 14 at 3:00 p.m.
Where: Skyland Resort

Final Details Coming Soon
Call 877-847-1919 to make reservations.

Disclaimer: All 2013 events are subject to review and approval by the National Park Service.

High Ground Bluegrass Band

Take four experienced, professional musicians from different backgrounds, mix well and what do you get? A red hot contemporary bluegrass band! With four different lead singers, all with the ability to sing any harmony part, their performances keep you on the edge of your seat. Each song has it’s own distinct sound.

Charlie Maddox

Charlie is a native of the Shenandoah Valley where his family has lived for over 200 years.  This deep connection with the heritage of this region he has maintained and explored through his love for the history and performance of traditional music.  His programs focus on the traditional music of the Appalachian Region and the music of the British Isles, the primary source for pre-1920s Appalachian song and dance among English speaking peoples.  Charlie strives to engage the imagination of guests of all ages by an earnest invitation to participate in singing the refrains of songs and to accompany him by playing various primitive folk instruments.  He performs with the following instruments: hammer dulcimer, lap dulcimer, banjo and guitar; and, occasionally, the jaws harp, mouth bow, bones, limberjack, washboard, and washtub.

Resi Linton

Resi sings with tracks and performs country, bluegrass, top 40, disco, jazz, swing, standards and some originals.

Debbie Zinn and Natural Grass

This band plays easy Listening, contemporary songs, sing-a-longs, bluegrass, country, classic rock. Debbie also plays acoustic guitar. 

Mark "T"

Mark "T" started playing guitar at the age of eight, initiating a life and career that never strayed too far from his musical roots. He went on to Rutgers University where he studied music theory and classical guitar. Determined to broaden his musical scope, Mark’s list of accomplished instruments include the acoustic and electric guitar, bass, keyboard and mandolin.
He joined the Just For Play Country Dance Band in 1981 and had the honor of performing with several national recording artists including the Oak Ridge Boys, Brenda Lee, Marty Haggard, and Jon Anderson. He's been part of studio projects, commercials and various bands and music projects.

Later life took him in different directions and his music career went on hold for nearly 15 years. In 2009 Mark returned to public performance and released his first solo project "A Child of Lir" in March of 2011. The collection of original songs, traditional arrangements and signature cover pieces promises to pave the way for a new chapter in Mark’s musical career.

Mike McCray:

After years of playing various styles of music in several different bands, Mike McCray decided to go solo with his own type of music.  For lack of a better term, it can be called contemporary folk, but with influences ranging from traditional American to swing, and from bluegrass to rock, his is not your normal coffee-house folk.  An educator, historian, writer and farmer, Mike uses the songs he has collected and composed to tell stories that make you think, laugh, remember and learn.

Richard Follett

Richard performs easy-on-the-ears acoustic folk music. His song list includes familiar tunes from the 1920’s to the present as well as his original compositions, which offer insightful lyrics and  inviting melodies you will want to hear over and over again.  Rich is a public school teacher whose program is punctuated with interesting anecdotes and true stories from his classroom experiences. One of Rich’s CDs received the following review from Amazon.com: “Rich Follett's melodies are not only soothing to listen to, his lyrics speak right to your heart with feelings only he seems to be able to put to words. His voice is like velvet, and people just want to stop and hear it.”

Larry Taylor

A seasoned veteran to the stage, Larry offers acoustic entertainment for audiences of all ages and a fun evening filled with old favorites as well as current tunes.

Shenandoah Valley Cloggers

The Shenandoah Valley Cloggers Inc., formed in 1984, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of Appalachian clogging, a distinctive form of American folk dance, which encompasses many different traditions of step dances with Scottish, English, Dutch and German roots. To entertain a variety of ages, the troupe’s music includes everything from bluegrass, to country, to pop, to old time rock ‘n’ roll. Since 1984, the troupe has been performing Tuesday evenings from April through October at Skyland Resort in Shenandoah National Park. In addition to performing more than 30 shows a year, the Cloggers also perform at the Page County Heritage Festival in October, Luray’s Festival of Spring in May and have danced at the Homestead in Hot Springs, for PanAm Tours in Washington, D.C, at an Eastern U.S Trade Show representing Virginia at Stone Mountain, Ga., and aboard the USS Shenandoah in Norfolk. In 2002, the troupe’s performance at Skyland Resort was nationally broadcast on the NBC morning program, the Today Show. The troupe is made up of 14 dancers, ranging in age from mid-20s to late 60s, all focused on their love of clogging and the enjoyment of entertaining.

Hi-Horse Cloggers

The Hi-Horse Cloggers of Stanardsville, Virginia, is a non-profit organization founded in 1985. The Hi-Horse Cloggers has steadily grown from 6 members to the current 32 members, ranging in ages from 6 to 67. The traditional style of clogging is promoted by the Hi-Horse Cloggers through their performances and teaching. Although this style of clogging is slowly giving way to a more modern dance method, some of which is included in their performances, they are striving to keep the traditional style alive as it is part of our American heritage.

Lee Blanton

Lee started performing while aboard the USS Nassau in the mid 1980's.  He moved to the Shenandoah Valley and played Bluegrass for years before returning to solo performing.  Now starting the 15th year performing at Skyland Resort and Big Meadows Lodge, he provides a genre of music considered to be Americana Folk or Folk Roots.  Songs range from late 1800's folk ballads and 1930's Blues with covers of Johnny Cash, Neil Young and Dylan in the mix.

SunnySide Band

SunnySide began in September 2007, playing their first gig at Humpback Rocks Old Settlers Museum on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  With their passions in playing the old-time mountain music, this trio is a harmony of beautiful sound.  SunnySide is dedicated to keeping the old-time mountain roots alive.  They do more than just play their acoustic instruments and sing words.  They strum each note with the heart of the natives; they sing each story through the eyes of its past, and they live each moment through the spirit of the mountains.  SunnySide is old-time mountain music.

Hollowbound Bluegrass

The band was formed in 2003 by Brian Taylor.  Band members include Bob "Doc" Chappell who met Brian in 2003 when he was Superintendent of Schools in Rappahannock County. Bob does vocals, and plays violin, guitar and bass. Brian Taylor, a graduate of Virginia Tech, put bluegrass on the back burner until coming back to Rappahannock County where "Doc" Chappell and he began to play bluegrass again on an regular basis. Brian does vocals, and plays guitar, upright bass, mandolin, banjo and dobro. Alex Davis Taylor, Brian's wife, and the newest addition to the group, is also a Virginia Tech graduate and does vocals and plays upright bass and mandolin. 

Flat Top Fred

Meet Doug Worley and Chuck Wilson, known collectively as FLAT TOP FRED. Straight out of the Shenandoah Valley, the varying influences and musical styles these two blend, make for an acoustic experience like no other. Performing familiar songs from the past 50 years including rock, country, blues and standards, FLAT TOP FRED provide the soundtrack to an entertaining evening filled with smiles, sing-a-longs and fond memories of forgotten favorites. The two combined, offer up more than 25 years of experience as professional entertainers and perform regularly throughout the valley and beyond.  

More hiking information is available from the National Park Service website 

For the complete picture of the very old and the brand new, Shenandoah is best viewed from all the various perspectives—at a distance, and up close.  Take a casual stroll or challenge yourself on an advanced trail. There are all kinds of hikes for first timers and experienced trailblazers alike.

Self-Guided Trail Hiking

Put your inner guide to work outdoors.

You might be looking for a short, easy-going self-guided hike. Or you may be making your way through 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail that runs through Shenandoah. Either way, what better way is there for you to get in touch with yourself? Wind your way through miles of hiking trails. Trail maps are available at entrance stations or Visitor Centers, and guide booklets can be found at trailheads and the Visitor Centers.

Appalachian Trail hikers are invited to stop at camp stores and waysides for groceries and supplies, enjoy a meal at one of our restaurants, or take a break from the trail and spend the night at Skyland Resort or Big Meadows Lodge.

Shenandoah Mountain Guided Hikes

Get to know the mountain from top to bottom.

2013 scheduled hikes pending review and approval by National Park Service.  

Twilight Hikes

Amble through the 'big meadow' with your guide as the sun sets beyond the mountain painting the heavens red, yellow, pink and gold.  As night sets in, a billion star lights turn on to illuminate the sky in more ways than one.  Have the stars guide and enthrall you as they did natives years ago.  You'll arrive at a destination that cannot be measured by longitude and latitude. 

Saturdays departing from Big Meadows Lodge.  2013 schedule pending review and approval by National Park Service.

Exploring Shenandoah on a guided Ranger program is a fun way for visitors of any age to explore the wonders of Shenandoah. Many of the programs, like Birds of Prey, offer the entire family a fun and exciting way to learn about the park together. Visit the National Park Service’s website for more details. Programs are offered in spring, summer, and fall.

In case you were wondering, this quirky phrase is a little trick budding astronomers use to memorize the planets and their order from the sun. It may come in handy for you, too, when you join amateur astronomers Jim Richberg and Frank Green at the Big Meadows area (mile 51.3) to view the heavens through large telescopes.

Want to see the craters on the moon? The rings of Saturn? The eye of the storm on Jupiter? Depending on the time of year, celestial objects viewed can vary from a quarter moon to the planets, distant galaxies, star clusters, nebulae and double stars! At Shenandoah, you’re far from city lights, so the viewing is spectacular. All you need to do is bring a blanket or lawn chair and your curiosity—this monthly activity is free!

Have you figured out how the phrase works yet? M=Mercury, V=Venus, E=Earth, M=Mars, J=Jupiter, S=Saturn, U=Uranus and N=Neptune. (A little pizza beforehand at one of our restaurants isn’t a bad idea, either!)

Fridays - May 31 at 8:00 p.m.

              June 28, July 26 at 8:30 p.m.

              August 23 at 8:00 p.m.

              September 27 at 7:30 p.m.

Program will be cancelled in event of inclement weather. Reservations not required and event is free.
Call Big Meadows Lodge on the day of event for program status at 540.999.2222.

Disclaimer: 2013 Dates pending National Park Services approval.

The experience begins as soon as you enter Shenandoah National Park and wind your way along Skyline Drive, the scenic roadway that traverses the crest of the Blue Ridge. Where it goes from there is based on your own personal adventure itinerary. The best way to get a handle on all things Shenandoah is to stop at one of the NPS Visitor Centers. There you can find out about all the points of interest that await you. You'll also find backcountry permits, Junior Ranger information and passport cancellations at the visitor centers. Dates/times of operation vary, so check the overlook or park bulletin boards for current hours.

• Historic Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (mile 4.6)
• Byrd Visitor Center (Milepost 51)

Redefine what it means to take a joyride.

Gorgeous! Incredible! Amazing! Spectacular! Exhaust your list of adjectives on one-hundred-and-five miles of the sights and sounds from Skyline Drive, the national scenic byway that traverses the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains through Shenandoah National Park.

The road is 105 miles, but the vistas seem to go on forever. Soak in the tapestry of crimson, gold, salmon and bronze hues in autumn; pink, green and white in spring and summer. And of course, the blues of the ridge all year long. No doubt Skyline Drive may be a road, yet in and of itself, but it is a destination as well.

Milepost markers on Skyline Drive will help you identify your surroundings along the way, including 75 overlooks to pull over and enjoy the panoramic views.

Park Newspaper
Pick up the park visitor guide, the Shenandoah Overlook, for seasonal park information. Get your free copy at any entrance station, visitor center, park campground or our DNC Parks & Resorts concession facilities. For your convenience, clink on this NPS link to locate a map of the park.

Disclaimer: All fees subject to change pending National Park Service approval.

The Shenandoah Mountain. The Shenandoah Mountain Climbing Staff.  Two reasons why students travel from all over to “learn the ropes” and climb with them. The Shenandoah Mountain Guides' climbing program is one of the most respected in the East. The instructors average 15 years of experience teaching others how to climb. They are full-time teachers and guides as well as certified EMTs. They teach rock climbing at regional colleges, universities and national institutions, and they certify instructors for various youth organizations.

The climbing programs at Shenandoah are not extraordinarily physically demanding, but they can be psychologically challenging. For instance, Little Stony Man Cliffs is designed to be a highly effective introductory through intermediate learning program in rock climbing and rappelling.

All required gear is provided. It is recommended that participants bring a camera to capture the experience!

Rock Climbing & Rappelling 2013 dates coming soon! 

Disclaimer: Dates and details pending review and approval by National Park Service.

An encounter with wildlife can occur at any given moment at Shenandoah. It may be deer prancing across a meadow, or a wild turkey scampering across the road, or a black bear foraging for berries in the woods. A host of creatures call Shenandoah home. Many regularly cross Skyline Drive in their daily travels. Please watch carefully for these animals that may dart across your path without warning. Driving at 35 mph is the posted speed limit that will allow you to safely navigate during a chance encounter. For a closer look, be sure to pull completely off Skyline Drive, but stay in your vehicle for safety. Also, please remember, it is unlawful to feed the wildlife.