Shenandoah National Park - Winter in Shenandoah (U.S. National Park Service)

A scenic winter view with Old Rag Mountain in the background and trees and foothills in the foreground.

NPS photo

Shenandoah National Park is always open. However, the lodging and food services, campgrounds, and visitor centers are closed from December – March. Portions of Skyline Drive, the only public road through the park, are periodically closed during inclement weather and at night during deer hunting season. Click here for Skyline Drive's status. Visitors can still enter the park on foot for hiking or backcountry camping even when Skyline Drive is closed. Click here for tips to help you enjoy Shenandoah National Park in the winter months. Click here for winter safety tips.

Visitor Facilities Along Skyline Drive
December through March, from north to south. See park map (pdf, 480 kb).

MILE	SITE	FACILITY
4.6	Dickey Ridge Visitor Center	flush restroom
24.1	Elkwallow Picnic Grounds	picnicking, pit toilets, and water
31.5	Thornton Gap Entrance Station	water only
31.6	Panorama Backcountry Camping Permit Station	flush restroom
35.1	Pinnacles Picnic Grounds	picnicking, pit toilets, and water
51	Byrd Visitor Center	flush restroom
62.7	South River Picnic Grounds	picnicking, pit toilets
65.5	Swift Run Entrance Station	water only
79.5	Loft Mountain Wayside	porta-toilets only

Tracks in the snow lead up a hill and into the forest...

NPS photo

Winter Experiences

Experience the quiet solitude of winter in Shenandoah National Park.

As the leaves fall from the trees and cooler temperatures improve visibility, valleys below and mountains beyond are more spectacular than ever.

You'll also have a better chance of seeing woodland animals like deer, squirrels, and turkeys as they forage for food. Foxes and bobcats are also active through winter. Snow in the mountains makes it fun and easy to see who's out and about. Look for tracks of mice, rabbits, and other animals.

Listen and look for Shenandoah's winter birdlife. Chickadees, nuthatches, and a host of woodpeckers will be searching for seeds and berries or peeking under bark for hard-to-find insects.

A crisp, winter visit is just one more way to experience Shenandoah.

Ice storms leave behind a magical world of scenery and often a path of destruction.

NPS photo

Winter Safety

Be Prepared!

Winter in Shenandoah is unpredictable. Temperatures are usually 10 to 20^oF cooler than in the valley and weather conditions can change quickly. What comes down as rain in the valley can be ice and snow on the mountain.

Park Emergency Number:
(800) 732-0911

No visitor facilities are staffed on the mountain from December until late March. Although Skyline Drive is normally open 24 hours a day, severe weather may necessitate closure at any time. Skyline Drive is also closed from dusk to dawn during deer hunting season, mid-November to early January.

Be sure your gas tank is full before you enter the park.
Have warm clothing and/or blankets in case your vehicle becomes disabled. You may have to wait for assistance.
Cell phones do not work from many areas in the park. Leave an itinerary with someone at home.

Telephones are located along Skyline Drive at the following locations. Emergency phones connect directly to park emergency services.

MILE	LOCATION	PHONE TYPE
0.6	Front Royal Entrance Station	emergency phone
4.6	Dickey Ridge Visitor Center	pay phones at visitor center and restroom
22.1	Piney River Maintenance Area	emergency phone
24.1	Elkwallow Wayside	pay phone at gas station
31.5	Panorama Backcountry Camping Permit Station	pay phone
51.2	Big Meadows Gas Station	pay phone
57.6	Lewis Mountain Campstore	pay phone at campstore (not accessible by car in winter, short walk from Skyline Drive)
65.5	Swift Run Gap Entrance Station	pay phone
79.5	Loft Mountain Information Center	emergency phone

There are also emergency phones at two popular access points along the park boundary:

Old Rag Parking Area on VA Rt. 600, near Nethers, VA
White Oak Canyon Boundary Trailhead on VA Rt. 600, near Syria, VA

If you plan to hike, wear layers and take a flashlight and a map. Even on mild days, be prepared for unpredictable weather changes. Bring more water and food than you think you will need.

Be sure to observe the 35 mph speed limit. Even when the pavement appears to be dry, there may be icy patches on shaded curves.