If you have the chance to visit and you are wondering what not to miss in Shenandoah National Park, this post is for you! This Shenandoah National Park itinerary includes a scenic drive, an epic hike, gorgeous trail walks, and more through this magical piece of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Even better, it’s a very pet friendly and family friendly national park.
For another family-friendly national park trip, visit our other post on Acadia National Park!
What to Know Before you Go to Shenandoah National Park
Entrance Passes
Most people visit Shenandoah National Park in a private vehicle. In that case, the entrance pass will cost $30. For walk-up entry or bicycle visitors, expect to pay $15 per person. If you plan to visit more than one national park in the next 12 months, we highly recommend the annual America the Beautiful pass for $80.
How Long to Visit Shenandoah National Park
How many days do you need at Shenandoah National Park? On our trip, we did 3 days, and it was perfect. However, anywhere from 2-4 days would allow you the ability to see the best of the park. Shenandoah National Park is even worth driving through if you’re passing through the state nearby. With 2-4 days, you will be able to take in the gorgeous mountains and nature and also enjoy some of the great activities in the foothills (hello wineries!).
Skyline Drive
Can you drive through Shenandoah National Park? YES! And it is one of the best things to do. The Skyline Drive is a 105-mile public road running along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains through the entirety of Shenandoah National Park. In fact, just over 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail criss-crosses Skyline Drive.
It takes about 3 hours and 10 minutes to drive the length of Skyline Drive. This scenic byway has 4 access points: Front Royal, Thornton Gap, Swift Run Gap, and Rockfish Gap. There are 2 visitor’s centers: Dickey Ridge Visitor center on the northern end and Harry F Byrd Visitor center in the center of the park.
People coming from Baltimore and D.C. tend to gravitate towards the north end of the park through the Front Royal access point. Conversely, those coming from the south near Blacksburg/Roanoke or Charlottesville, the Rockfish Gap access point will be the best bet. After Rockfish Gap, you can continue on the Blue Ridge Parkway going further south.
Best Time to Visit Shenandoah National Park
Shenandoah National Park has absolutely breathtaking fall foliage. For that reason, it is also at it’s peak level of crowding in the fall. Truthfully, Shenandoah can be visited ANY time of year. We went in August, and luckily because of the elevation, it’s less hot than down in the foothills!
In the spring and summer, everything is in bloom and is so green! In the winter, the views are beautiful and wildlife viewing is more likely due to the calm. Also, while most mountainous parks in the Western United States close many of their roads in winter, Skyline Drive is open year-round, except for temporary closures for snowy/icy conditions.
Are Dogs Allowed?
This is my favorite question! Why? Because most national parks are not pet-friendly. Lucky for me, and maybe you, Shenandoah National Park allows leashed dogs on a fair number of trails (though not all)! We brought my furry best friend Archie with us on our visit to Shenandoah, and it was a dream. Make sure to check trail rules before you bring your pup!
Our Shenandoah National Park Itinerary
Since I, Lindsay, was living in North Carolina at the time, I opted to make my home-base for this trip near Charlottesville, VA.
Thirfty Tip: The drive from Charlottesville to Rockfish Gap was a mere 30 minutes, and there are many more affordable lodging options in Charlottesville than staying in the quaint inns and beautiful cabins closer to the park that come at a higher cost.
Shenandoah National Park Itinerary: Day 1
Skyline Drive + Hikes with My Dog
On Day 1 of our Shenandoah National Park itinerary, we entered the park via Rockfish Gap and drove the 20 miles north to begin our hike to Blackrock Summit. Afterwards, we drove further north to hike to Doyles River Falls.
- Blackrock Summit via Trayfoot Mountain: at mile 84.4 on Skyline Drive
- 1.1 mile loop, very easy
- 45 minutes – 1 hour
- Pet & family friendly
- Beautiful summit views of the Blue Ridge Mountains
- Doyles River Falls: at mile 81.1 on Skyline Drive
- 3.4 mile out & back, moderate hike
- 2-3 hour hike time
- Pet & family friendly
- Great hike through the woods to two unique waterfalls
Both hikes were fantastic for me, my husband, and our dog, Archie. After these two hikes, we enjoyed driving back down Skyline Drive and stopping at the various overlooks for the views and to snap photos. On our way back to Charlottesville, we stopped at Blue Mountain Brewery for beer and some of the BEST pizza. The views here are gorgeous and the patio is spacious and pet friendly.
Shenandoah National Park Itinerary: Day 2
The Famous Old Rag Mountain Hike
On Day 2 of our Shenandoah National Park itinerary, we set out to do the most famous hike in Shenandoah National Park, Old Rag. My husband and I love to challenge ourselves with long and difficult hikes when we can, so we didn’t want to miss this one.
Important Notes
Note: Currently, a day pass for Old Rag is required. When we went, they did not have this system in place, and the hike was PACKED! I would imagine this reservation system has helped alleviate the traffic on the mountain.
Note: Visit recreation.gov to purchase your Old Rag Day-Use Ticket. Tickets are $1.00 per person, up to 4 can be purchased at a time. They can be purchased up to 30 days in advance.
Note: Unfortunately, Old Rag is not pet-friendly. The hike involves many rock scrambles that wouldn’t be appropriate for a furry friend.
Instead, we made accommodations for our dog at the Charlottesville Dogtopia doggy day care for the day, so that he could have a blast with other pups while we did our hike.
The Hike!
Then, we drove the hour north to the start of the Old Rag Mountain Loop. This hike was INCREDIBLE. It was challenging in the best way and is well worth the effort.
- Old Rag Mountain Loop: NOT accessible from Skyline Drive
- Parking: Old Rag Parking (Ranger Station) on google maps
- 9.3 miles, challenging
- 6-8 hour hiking time
- So much fun for those who like a challenge, EPIC views from above.
Thrifty Tip: Pack your lunch to enjoy on the summit! You’ve earned it. What is better (and cheaper?) than a brown-bag lunch at the top of a mountain?
Truly, no Shenandoah National Park Itinerary is complete without a hike to Old Rag Summit, if you’re able.
After the hike, we picked up our tired pup, showered at our airbnb, and headed out for some burgers at Citizen Burger Bar in Charlottesville.
Note: If you want a shorter, more accessible, and/or pet-friendly hike, I would recommend Hawksbill Loop or Hawksbill Summit.
- Hawksbill Loop Trail: at mile 45.5 on Skyline Drive
- 2.7 mile loop, moderate
- 2-3 hour hiking time
- Highest peak in Shenandoah National Park, offering a 360 view
- Hawksbill Summit: at mile 46.5 on Skyline Drive
- 1.6 mile out & back, moderate
- 1.5 hour hiking time
Shenandoah National Park Itinerary: Day 3
Chimney Rock, Veritas, & Bold Rock Cidery
On Day 3 of our Shenandoah National Park itinerary, we woke up early and headed to the famed Bodo’s Bagels in Charlottesville for made-from-scratch delicious breakfast bagels. Cheap and delicious!
Then, we headed back into the park to hike Chimney Rock, another beautiful trail in the southern part of the park.
- Chimney Rock: at mile 90 on Skyline Drive
- 3.2 miles out and back, moderate
- 1.5-2 hours hiking time
- Pet friendly
Note: For those not traveling with a dog, a great hike to hit would be Dark Hallow and Rose River falls. We didn’t do this one because we didn’t want to leave our dog two days in a row.
- Dark Hallow and Rose River Falls: at mile 49.4 on Skyline Drive
- 5.5 mile loop, challenging
- 3-3.5 hours hiking time
- Combines two of the most popular waterfalls right off Skyline Drive
On our way back, we stopped at Veritas Vineyards and Winery. This winery is absolutely beautiful! We shared a fantastic bottle of white wine and an amazing charcuterie board. And we love charcuterie boards. This was the only little splurge we had on our trip.
Since we were staying in the Charlottesville area, our last stop was Bold Rock Cidery at Carter Mountain. This place is GORGEOUS, too! I’m a big cider girl, so we sampled a bunch of ciders and also ate apple cider donuts. After Veritas and Bold Rock snacks, we didn’t feel the need for a real dinner!
That concluded our amazing Shenandoah National Park itinerary. There are so many additional hikes in Shenandoah, including many up in the most northern section of the park that we were too far from us to cover.
Our Shenandoah National Park Itinerary Budget
| Gas | $40.00 per person |
| Lodging | $344 per person |
| Food/Drink | $100 per person |
| Activities* | $20 per person |
| TOTAL: | $504 per person |
Ways to Save
Below is a list of the top 4 ways to save on a Shenandoah National Park Itinerary
- As I mentioned above, lodging can be quite pricey if you’re looking for that cabin in the woods experience. We stayed 30 minutes away from the southern entrance of the park in Charlottesville, VA.
- Even still, lodging in Charlottesville can be pricey too. The cheapest way to see Shenandoah would be to camp! Shenandoah has 5 campgrounds and a standard site costs $30 per night.
- If you’re flying into the area, make sure to compare flight prices between Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
- Keep food expenditures to a minimum! There are many popular and beautiful places to eat inside Shenandoah National Park such as the Pollock Dining Room and the Spottswood Dining Room, but we skipped these to make things more economical. Definitely hit those if you have room in your budget.
Will any of this make it onto your Shenandoah National Park itinerary? Let us know in the comments!
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