10/08/2026
Easy fall day trip from Washington DC!
Shenandoah National Park in the fall 🍂: here’s everything you need to know before you go.
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It’s in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, about 90 minutes from DC, and the park is open 24/7 year-round. Entrance is $30 per car and covers 7 days ($25 motorcycle, $15 on foot or bike, kids under 16 free).
The whole park runs on Skyline Drive — 105 miles with 75+ overlooks and a 35 mph speed limit. End to end is about 3 hours if you don’t stop, but you will. Four entrances: Front Royal, Thornton Gap, Swift Run Gap, Rockfish Gap.
Old Rag is the famous rock scramble hike, and it needs its own ticket March through November. $2 per person, and everyone needs one, even kids. Book on recreation.gov only — you can’t get it at the park. 400 tickets drop 30 days out at 10 am, 400 more drop 5 days out at 10am. You still need the park entrance pass on top, and save your ticket offline because there’s no cell service at the trailhead.
Peak fall color is usually the last week of October, near Front Royal. Go on a weekday if you can — October weekends mean long lines at the gates. Buy a park pass ahead of time to skip the line. Start early, pack layers, and get gas before you go since there’s only one gas station in the whole park.
Good to know: it’s one of the most dog-friendly national parks; dogs are allowed on most trails on a 6-ft leash.
Two lodges inside the park (Skyland and Big Meadows) if you want to stay over — both close for the season in November. No reservation needed to enter the park itself, just Old Rag.
Save this for your fall bucket list 🧡
