Shenandoah Wildlife & Wildflowers

Thornton Gap Entrance Station Advisory

Due to a fire at the entrance gate, Thornton Gap - one of the park's busiest entrance stations - will be down to one lane, unable to facilitate cash sales (card only), and will not be high enough for RV's to enter through. Please plan accordingly.

You may also pre-purchase your park pass online at recreation.gov, which will make the overall entrance station experience go quicker.

Spring Operational Update

Lewis Mountain Cabins are now OPEN!

Skyland is currently closed, re-opening on April 7, 2023.

Big Meadows Lodge is currently closed, re-opening on April 21, 2023.

Where Virginia's Wild Things Are

Shenandoah National Park WildflowersShenandoah National Park covers Atlantic ecosystems that fill it with a vibrant array of plants and wildlife. Wildlife encounters can surprise you at any given moment at Shenandoah. It may be white-tailed deer and fawn prancing across a meadow, a flock of chestnut-sided warblers feasting on berries, or a black bear ambling across a forest clearing.

Park animals regularly cross Skyline Drive in their daily travels. Please stay watchful for them when driving through the park, as they may dart across your path without warning. Driving at Shenandoah's 35 mph posted speed limit will allow you to take it all in while staying safe on the road.

Shenandoah National Park WildlifeHowever cute and charming animals appear they are wild and should never be approached or fed. A great way to safely engage with Shenandoah wildlife is through the national park's Ranger Programs, offered in spring, summer and fall. For more information, click here.

A camera with a good zoom lens or a pair of binoculars is also a safe way to experience wildlife close up, but at a safe distance.

Some 850 species of wildflowers blanket Shenandoah National Park, providing a beautiful and varied display all year long. From spring's flashy trillium and azalea to summer's fields of columbine and autumn's goldenrod, asters and wild sunflowers, Shenandoah wildflowers show off in every season.

Once you start to explore Shenandoah National Park's scenic wonders, chances are you'll want to spend more time to take it all in. Accommodations are conveniently located along Skyline Drive at the following mile markers:

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