By Daniel Schreiber
It’s hardly a secret that Shenandoah National Park is a prime place for viewing fall foliage.  Unfortunately, the breathtaking views can be accompanied by breathtaking traffic. What has remained a secret is springtime in the park.  It is no less beautiful and far less crowded. Long after the multi-colored splendor of autumn has faded and the park has hibernated for the winter, the forest springs back to life with a wide array of flowers, ferns and the phosphorescent green of budding leaves. The streams and waterfalls are fuller and are laced with moss-covered rocks.

Though some groundcover and small flowering plants begin to arrive earlier, it is the emergence of the Trillium in early May that announces the arrival of spring color to the Shenandoah region. By mid-May, these tri-pedaled pink and white flowers dot the forested hillsides in and around Shenandoah National Park and in some locations they virtually cover the forest floor. One such spot is located outside the park, in nearby Linden, Virginia. In Linden’s G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area lies the Trillium Trail, a short loop trail famous for it profligate display of the species. Also keep an eye out for May-apples, Lady’s Slipper and Geraniums. The unfurling Interrupted Ferns and Hellebores can be seen inhabiting the lower-lying wetter areas just off the trail. After a detour to the Trillium Trail, head over to the park itself where more rites of spring are on display.

Easy to Navigate
Shenandoah National Park could not be easier to navigate. There is only one road, Skyline Drive, which traverses the ridge line of the Blue Ridge Mountains for 105 miles from I-64 at Rockfish Gap (the northern tip of the Blue Ridge Parkway) to Front Royal, Virginia. Concrete mile posts mark each mile from start to finish. Though all of Skyline Drive has its visual treats, the most popular and dramatic vistas and hikes occur in the Central District between Swift Run Gap (mile 65) and Thornton Gap (mile 30.5). All overlooks, parking lots and trailheads are adjacent to the road. Almost all trails lead down from the road and ridge into one of the many drainage basins, resulting in spectacular hikes along numerous streams and waterfalls. During May, the green spring leaves, fern-laced ground cover, moss-covered rocks and relatively high water levels make for dramatic waterscapes. If you catch one of the early morning spring fogs, the mist and water and forest take on an otherworldly feeling, as if you have been transported back to a more primordial time.

Scenic Hikes
It is virtually impossible to pick an unscenic hike in the Park, but some trail highlights heading north from Swift Run Gap include South River Falls (mile 62.5), Mill Prong (mile 53), Lewis Falls (mile 51.5), Dark Hollow Falls (mile 50.5), Cedar Run (mile 45.5), Limberlost (mile 43) and White Oak Canyon (mile 42.5). With the exception of Limberlost, each of these trails follows a stream -- sometimes called a run -- as it snakes its way down through the forest and at times plunges into impressive waterfalls. The trails range in length from 1.3 to 4.6 miles round trip. Many trails intersect and can be combined for the more ambitious.

The most impressive falls are the Upper Falls in White Oak Canyon (86 feet), Dark Hollow Falls (70 feet) and the South River Falls (83 feet). Though the White Oak Canyon trail takes you to some big falls, a Woolly Adelgid infestation along the trail has killed many trees, somewhat diminishing the hike’s visual appeal, though mainly at the trail’s start.

The Mill Prong trail (4 miles round trip) ends at the Rapidan Camp, the summer retreat of President Herbert Hoover. The camp’s main structures are still standing and provide a culturally interesting destination and turnaround point for this hike.  The Limberlost trail, the easiest hike at 1.3 miles on a wide gravel path, is known for its elaborate display of mountain laurel blooms in June.

Trailheads
Keep in mind that most of the hikes descend considerably from the trailheads.  As you lose yourself in the sites and sounds of the forest on the relatively effortless way down, remember that you must return up.  Be realistic about your turnaround point and your pace to ensure that your time in the park is rejuvenating and not debilitating.

Though there are not many spots in the park to find concentrated fields of wildflowers, there are an impressive 862 species. The most prolific include Violets and Bloodroot (March-April), Trillium, Lady Slippers and Geraniums (April-May), Columbine, Milkweed, Daisies and Lilies (June-July) and as the summer nears it end, Black Cohosh, Goldenrod and Woodland Sunflowers. In June, wild Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel bloom throughout the Park, adding an additional and dramatic splash of color.

Big Meadow
One noteworthy spot in the park is the Big Meadow (mile 51), a large open field in the middle of the forest and adjacent to Skyline Drive. Though wildflowers are not plentiful here, the meadow is made up of a variety of colorful grasses. The mixture of green and red grasses interlaced with walking paths creates a soft, impressionistic scene that likely would have inspired Monet.  As dusk arrives, white tail deer seem to materialize out of nowhere as they feed on the newly emerged grasses.

If you have the opportunity to visit Shenandoah National Park during peak fall foliage, do so.  It will be crowded, but it is beautiful.  Just don’t forget to come back in the spring.  The crowds are gone and a new kind of beauty awaits.  One you can appreciate in relative peace and quiet while you share in the season’s renewal.