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An upcoming feature in Destinations Travel Magazine http://www.destinationstravelmagazine.com will highlight this route.
In 1931 and as part of a massive public works program designed to put an out-of-work nation back on the job, President Herbert Hoover authorized the construction of a road along the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The resulting 105-mile byway took nine long years to build, but it is now the centerpiece of the Shenandoah National Park–and a spectacular Sunday Drive. With expansive scenic views in all directions (and nearly 75 paved overlooks from which to enjoy those views), Skyline Drive is a road-tripper’s dream. But it is also far more than just a road with a nice view. As it winds through the park, the drive curves among 500-plus miles of hiking trails (including a long portion of the Appalachian Trail, which it roughly parallels), through verdant forests that blaze with color each fall, as well as by bubbling streams and gushing snow-fed waterfalls. Wildlife sightings of everything from deer to birds to bears are common, and in fact those that overnight in the park’s campgrounds or lodges routinely see grazing deer. Finally, when it comes time to come down off the Blue Ridge Mountains and explore the nearby valleys and towns, attractions ranging from wineries to quaint B and Bs to the world-famous Luray Caverns await those who explore the wide valleys spread out far below lofty Skyline Drive.
