Spring in Shenandoah National Park 2021
30th June 2021
Was it worth it to someone from New Hampshire to drive all the way down to Virginia for a hiking and photography trip in spring?
Is there any other time when the urge to get outside and explore takes stronger hold than spring? I live in New England where the winters are long and it is easy to feel cooped up, especially this past year with a COVID winter. Once I start smelling the damp scent of melted ground I want to flee outside. But the reality of the mountains in New England in April is mushy feet deep snow, mud, and wild swings in temperatures.
So this April, I decided I could not wait any longer and headed south on a week long road trip to where spring was already advanced: the mountains of Virginia. The plan was to visit family and then explore some of the highlights of the Appalachian Trail across the entire length of Virginia, going as far south as the Grayson Highlands and as far north as Shenandoah National Park. In total, I logged at least 30 hours of driving in only a week's time.
You might be wondering: Was it worth it to someone from New Hampshire to drive all the way down to Virginia for a hiking and photography trip in spring?
In short: yes! Here are three things that I really enjoyed about visiting Shenandoah National Park in spring that made the trip worthwhile.
1. Dramatic Weather
I definitely got my real spring weather as hoped. A lot of the time I had temps in the 60's and 70's but at various points on my trip the I experienced a range from 90 degrees to 32 degrees.
This clash between air masses produced some dramatic weather and skies.
Shenandoah has many easily accessible viewpoints along Skyline Drive and short hikes to summits that make sitting out bad weather for good light to break out more tolerable than other places where long hikes and commitment are required.
A gap in a storm clouds allowed crepuscular rays of light to break through one evening.
The pattern of light breaking through changed quickly. Moments later the light concentrated into a single beam to strike a farm in the valley below.
A storm system rolling in from the west, as visible from the summit of Bearfence Mountain. This hike is short, 1.2 miles total, but has some tough scrambling that I wouldn't want to be on in the rain. Upon seeing this storm approach, I hiked down and drove back to a viewpoint that would be better to wait out the heavy winds and rain.
The storm hit and engulfed the ridge in rain, fog, and 40 mph wind gusts. I mostly waited it out in my car and ate dinner.
Suddenly, right at sunset the storm cleared revealing this glimpse of 4049' Hawksbill Mountain, the highest peak in the park.
Later than evening I captured the remaining storm clouds over Old Rag summit after sunset.
2. Forests in Transition
Late April was a great time to experience the full spectrum of trees emerging from winter dormancy, to spring budding, to full leaf out. There was also a great carpet of wildflowers throughout much of the forest at this time too.
At higher elevations, where most of the Appalachian Trail was in Shenandoah and throughout my trip in Virginia to points south, the leaves were not yet on the trees at all. This was great because it allowed me to have constant views when there would be none after leaf out.
At mid elevations, buds and leaves were in various stages of emerging in the mountains.
A lone pine tree stands above a deciduous forest coming back to life for spring.
A flowering tree with a backdrop of spring green.
The lowest of elevations had a full coat of vibrant green.
At the base of the mountains, the Shenandoah Valley farmlands were already fully green and looking more like early summer.
The forest floor was covered in wildflowers. Each bend along the Appalachian Trail yielded a new surprise!
There was a different kind of trillium down here. In New England, we only have painted trillium and red trillium (aka wake robbins).
The deer also loved all of the fresh vegetation. Deer are abundant and easy to spot in Shenandoah. Use care while driving!
3. Interesting hikes on the Appalachian Trail starting from points along Skyline Drive
The Appalachian Trail continually crisscrosses Skyline Drive making it easy to hop on for a quick hike to rocky summits or just go as far through the forested terrain as you want.
AT at the start of the trail up Calf Mountain
I passed a family at the southern most entrance station. They caught up to me after I finished a hike on the Appalachian Trail up Calf Mountain in Shenandoah National Park. This image captured the multisport potential of biking and hiking in Shenandoah National Park owing to the existence of Skyline Drive.
Blackrock Mountain
Talus field on Blackrock Mountain
Little Stony Man and Stony Man Mountain
A worthwhile trip indeed!
Comments
By goodol: Thank you for sharing this trip with us! What a stunning one! We plan to go there during May. By John Welch: Thank you! May would be a great time, the trees should be freshly leafed out. As you can see they were mostly still bare at higher elevations even in late april. By Shanee: Gorgeous photos -- I am looking forward to our trip this April and was interested in what we'd see, seems like we're in for a great time. Thanks for sharing.