Rolling hills of deciduous forests, bucolic landscapes and cascading streams offer a picture-perfect backdrop for autumn hiking in Virginia. With the Shenandoah Valley and Virginia horse and wine country just a short drive away, NoVA residents can spend the entire day enjoying a great hike—and perhaps a glass or two of locally produced chardonnay—and still be back in time for dinner. Diverse topography and seemingly endless trails mean that casual and serious hikers alike have plenty of options from which to choose, from easy, kid-friendly strolls to lung-busting all-day treks. NoVA’s spectacular fall foliage is only on display for about a month, so pack a picnic lunch, bring out the hiking gear and head out to a nearby trail before winter sets in.
By Jisel Penilla
[Most of the hikes listed can be completed by adults in average to good shape. Unless otherwise noted, hikes are appropriate for most children over 8. Trails are pet-friendly unless otherwise noted.]
If you can’t make it to the mountains:
Prince William Forest South Valley-North Valley Out-and-Back Hike
Scott’s Run Nature Preserve Loop
If you can make it to the mountains:
Shenandoah National Park: The Basics
The hikes included below are accessible through the Thornton Gap Entrance Station. There is a $20 entrance fee to SNP. There are two visitor centers in the park. If you plan to spend more than a couple of hours at the park, the visitor centers are a good spot to pick up a trail map, enjoy a ranger program or view an exhibit. The Byrd Visitor Center is located at mile post 51 and is open daily 9 a.m-5 p.m. through Oct. 31 and on winter weekends 9:30 a.m-4 p.m. The Dickey Ridge Visitor Center is located at milepost 4.6 near the Front Royal entrance and is open 9 a.m-5 p.m. daily during spring, summer and fall. Ranger programs often leave from the visitor center; these are especially appealing for families with young children.
Those planning on camping should consider making reservations through recreation.gov. The closest campgrounds to the Northern Virginia suburbs are Matthews Arm (accessible through Thornton Gap), which is open through Oct. 25 and is located at milepost 22.2, and Big Meadows, which is open through Oct. 31 and located at milepost 51.
It’s not unusual to see black bears in SNP, even on busy trails. Black bears are generally shy and will run away from humans, but you will want to maintain a safe distance if you spot a bear. Back country campers will want to bring proper food storage equipment and a shovel for human waste. No bear injuries have been reported in SNP, but it’s always wise to use common sense and respect a bear’s space.
There are over 500 miles of trails at SNP, including just over 100 miles on the Appalachian Trail. Visitors may want to check out the SNP website or the SNP section of the Virginia Trail Guide blog at virginiatrailguide.com for more.
Dark Hollow and Rose River Loop
(October 2015)
