Day 54 – Skyline Drive through Shenandoah Valley Part 3

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Day 54 of a Year Long Road Trip Along America’s Scenic Byways

Shenandoah National Park

I woke up to what I’d call Texas snow. Oh, there’s a snowflake…5 seconds later, oh, there’s another one!  Lucky for me, it was light and nothing stuck.  I would have liked to take a few pictures of snow dusted mountains later in the day, but at the same time I wanted to depart when planned.  The ranger at Shenandoah National Park told me, depending on how much it snows, they have all campers wait until the roads are plowed and then the campers are directed to the safest exit which might not be in the chosen direction.

With no time to waste, I drove VANilla to our hike in the Skyland Area, the highest point of Shenandoah National Park.  The deer were out in mass this morning.  I saw at least twenty doe and three bucks on the way to the trailhead.

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The dogs and I hiked the Millers Head Trail, a 1.6 mile out and back walk for a scenic view.  Today we enjoyed several scenic views of the tree covered hills as the overlooks were fog free unlike the last few days. It’s hard to believe at one time this region was largely deforested by farmers, loggers, and hunters. When the clouds rolled in, however, I didn’t really make out the eye, nose, mustache, and beard of the Stony Man Mountain.

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Mary’s Rock Tunnel

As we continued through the park along Skyline Drive, approved for construction by President Herbert Hoover to spur growth, we passed through Mary’s Rock Tunnel. Mary’s Rock Tunnel, a 600-foot-long corridor carved through granite is the only tunnel on the drive through Shenandoah National Park along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Old Chapel

From Shenandoah National Park, we made our way to Berryville, Virginia, where my cousin Katherine lives. I passed by a cemetery and old church which looked like a good place for a geocache to be stashed.  Since I still hadn’t recorded one in Virginia, I checked the geocaching app. A cache called “Old Chapel” was nearby. Yep, it was a bison tube was hanging in a bush across from the chapel. 

The Old Chapel, dating back to 1790, turned out to be a historic site too.  Lord Fairfax worshipped here and Governor Edmund Randolph and Colonel Nathaniel Burwell are laid to rest in the surrounding cemetery.

Berryville, Virginia

After a visit to the chapel, I arrived at Katherine’s house, home to eight dogs and a barn full of seven horses.  I’m looking forward to riding in the morning!  Hopefully this time I won’t get bucked off. ETB

Map of My Road Trip Across the USA

For a summary about my road trip across the USA, click HERE. For the interactive map, see the below link.

Other Articles About Virginia You May Like

• Day 51 – Virginia’s James River Plantations
• Day 52 – Skyline Drive Through Shenandoah Valley
• Day 53 – Skyline Drive Through Shenandoah Valley Part2
• Day 62 – Blue Ridge Parkway (Virginia)
• Day 63 – Blue Ridge Parkway (Virginia Part 2)
• A Long Weekend in Washington DC

Shop

Check out the photographic note cards and key chains at my shop.  Each card has a travel story associated with it.  20% of proceeds are donated to charity.

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