Some lingering thoughts about Shenandoah:

• I most definitely will go back. While we saw a fair bit, and it was a smashing success for a first endeavor, there’s also a lot we didn’t see.
• I still need to explore the southern half of Skyline Drive. I’m pretty sure the middle part (basically between Skyland and Big Meadows) is the “best” part, as it’s the highest elevation and has the most majestic views. But I’d like to be able to say I’ve driven the entire length.
• We weren’t able to view the Night Sky due to cloudiness. I’m a sucker for some stars, so when I return I’ll hope for clearer evenings.
• There’s a lot more hiking to do. We did two fairly easy trails, which were challenging enough for us as novices. We also had a relatively short timeline, and committing to a 4-5 hour hike was not in our time or fitness budgets. With some planning, though, I could see Old Rag as a goal.
• BUG SPRAY IS YOUR FRIEND. We were not swarmed by bugs that I was aware of. I never noticed a bite. But man oh man was I surprised by how eaten up I was when I left! The ankles were the worst, and itched for days.
• Springtime is probably amazing. The blooming of everything is bound to be impressive. And as our trip was in late summer, before the leaves started to change, we also didn’t see the fall colors. So maybe I need to go back twice more.
• Any amount of time is a great amount of time to spend at Shenandoah. You could have a taste of it in an afternoon, or you could go whole hog and spend weeks and still not be able to see it all. There’s something for everyone, every level of fitness and every time frame. I’m very very pleased that we chose to come here first.

Here are some outtake photos – things I loved but didn’t fit the theme of the other posts.

So that’s it – the first park visit is a wrap! I’m very happy with the way it all went, and unending gratitude that I got to share this experience with my mom and that she was so excited to join me.

I don’t know where I’m going next, but I’m sure it’s going to be amazing.