Once upon a time on a sunny, hot summer day, not a cloud in the sky, my boyfriend and I went to Lurray Caverns in Virginia, also accompanied by my boyfriend’s best friend. On our way home we decided to drive the Skyline Trail if I recall the name correctly. Upon our journey through the Appalachian Mountains, we decided to take a stroll through the woods in hopes of seeing the “waterfall” displayed on the trail head. And, to be frank, we didn’t necessarily pay attention to where we were going on our walk. About a mile or two into our stroll we encountered a large boulder with a stream that flowed over and almost covering the entire thing. We were positive we reached the waterfall. After staying there and taking in the beauty for around twenty minutes or so, we then decided to head back to the car, which our friend had decided to stay in because he felt sick. And yep! You guessed it! We got lost. We didn’t have proper shoes on. Had absolutely no water. And obviously, no cell phone reception. We walked down multiple extensions of the trail we were on until we had both accepted there was no hope. But we didn’t give up. We kept walking in hopes to see our sick friend once more. Eventually our hopes came true. Except we didn’t make it back to our car. We made it back to another trail head about a mile down the road from our original location. At this head, an elderly man of about 60-70 told us we went in the complete opposite direction of the waterfall. We didn’t desire to risk getting lost again so we walked the mile up the road. We came across the glow of the sun peeking through the trees just as our car came into view. The relief flooded our bodies with euphoria and we broke out into a full sprint, desperate for a sip of water. And after 2 hours of stressfully walking through Shenandoah, we had never been more excited to get in a car. One thing I have to say though is that the entire time, we were taking in the beauty of Mother Nature and I couldn’t have asked for a more wholesome experience.
Sincerely,
Shenandoah National Park
Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia, Shenandoah features rolling tree-lined hills, wooded hollows, spectacular waterfalls and a diversity of wildlife, all easily accessible from the scenic Skyline Drive. The park preserves a remarkable slice of southern Appalachian natural history and beauty with a dazzling array of recreational opportunities.
State(s): Virginia
Established: 1935
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