Shenandoah Wilderness

The 197,000 acres of Shenandoah National Park stretch for 80 miles along the Blue Ridge Mountains, which form the eastern boundary of the Appalachian Range. The valley to the west holds the Shenandoah River and lends its name to the park. Settlement began here in the early 1700s, and early settlers found rich soil and outstanding vistas from the Blue Ridge. All of what is now the Shenandoah Wilderness was once cleared and inhabited, farmed, logged and burned, so the area demonstrates the recuperative powers of natural processes in eastern deciduous Appalachian forest. The park was established in 1936, and the natural regeneration that followed encouraged the National Park Service to recommend and eventually designate 42% of the park as Wilderness. Deer, bears, and bobcats are protected in their Wilderness habitat, and chipmunks, groundhogs, squirrels, skunks, raccoons, and opossums are frequently seen. Approximately 200 species of birds have been identified in Shenandoah, with ruffed grouse, ravens, juncos, barred owls, and wild turkeys among the permanent residents. Timber rattlesnakes and copperheads are occasionally sighted but rarely pose a threat to humans. More than 500 miles of trails provide access to the park, including 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail; approximately 175 miles of trail traverse the Wilderness.