Life Outside Fall 2018 - 29

OH, SHENANDOAH
Imagine a hot, cloudless
afternoon. Scattered throughout
a large picnic ground, families
are arranging decorations in
pavilions to celebrate reunions
and birthdays, hammocks and
blankets are slung for kids to
swing, nap, or play on, charcoal
grills are being lit, and the smell of
burgers and hot dogs and roasting
corn fills the air. Along the edge
of the parking lot, fathers inflate
pool floats; a Volvo station wagon
with a canoe on top pulls up
to unload. It's summertime at
Shenandoah River State Park and
the picnic area is ready for you to
join in on the fun.
One of the newest state parks,
Shenandoah State Park was
established in 1999. Offering over
24 miles of horseback, hiking and
cycling trails, a campground, cabins,and a new zipline feature, the
park offers plenty for adventuring
families. The best feature, however, is the prime Shenandoah River
access that the park provides.
While kayak or canoe rentals
are not offered at the park itself,
there are several river access
points and a car-top boat launch.
Outfitters located nearby also use
the park as a put-in for river trips.
For those less inclined to bring a
boat, floating the river in an inner
tube or pool float is a worthy
way to spend a lazy afternoon.
Near the picnic area, the water
is extremely shallow and one
can wade far out to the middle
to swim, play, or float. Given the
park's easy access to Washington
D.C. and Northern Virginia, it's no
wonder that it's become a melting
pot of family get-togethers.
Before lighting the charcoal, be
sure to visit Culler's Overlook (you

can drive to it or hike along the
Overlook Trail from the Visitor's
Center). The overlook offers what
can easily be considered the most
beautiful view of the river in all of
Virginia, with Massanutten Mountain and the Shenandoah National
Park framing the meandering
river. Another must-stop is at the
beautiful, LEED-certified visitor's
center. Inside, you'll find displays
of local flora and fauna, and
outside lies a peaceful stormwater
garden oasis of native flowers.
Back at the picnic area, one of
the most striking elements of the
park is its level of diversity. On
any given Saturday, you'll find
people from all over the world
grilling, picnicking, swimming
and playing. Different radios play
different songs, many in different languages, and each picnic
spread is unique. But everyone
is gathered together to play and
celebrate the outdoors and the
river. In an outdoor industry often
bereft of diversity, Shenandoah
State Park certainly serves as a
unique gathering place for people
from all walks of life.
Though the folk song "Oh
Shenandoah" wasn't written
about Virginia, it's hard not to
hum it while hiking the trails or
wading in the water. Although
there's not a plethora of amenities
or features in the park, the river
and the trails speak for themselves, and offer themselves. If
you love flowy singletrack, then
the 14 miles of multi-use trails are
just the ticket. If you just want to
lazily float in the river and grill up
a fantastic lunch, then the picnic
area is bar-none. It's easy to spend
an afternoon at Shenandoah exploring the cool and rolling river.

SHENANDOAH RIVER
Ziplining gives an entirely
different (and fun!) view of
the state park.

LifeOutsideMag.com // Fall 2018

29
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Life Outside Fall 2018

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