Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of the summit, take a short hike up the Little Stony Man Trail, which leads past cliffs com-
posed of greenstone, a gray-green rock formed during ancient volcanic eruptions. At night
the lights of Luray and other nearby towns twinkle below in the distance.
7.
Skyland
In 1894 George Freeman Pollock, a pioneer conservationist who was later instrumental
in establishing Shenandoah National Park, also founded a rustic resort in the Blue Ridge
Mountains that he loved so deeply. He called it Skyland—a reminder of its lofty location
near the highest point on the Skyline Drive. Today this popular lodge provides peerless
viewsofthevalleybelowandthemountainsbeyond.Inadditiontovariedaccommodations
(ranging from quaint cabins to modern suites), Skyland offers horseback riding, and the
StonyManNatureTrail,a1.6-mileround-tripthatascendstheslopesofStonyManMoun-
tain. Leading visitors on a self-guided hike, the scenic trail passes a wide assortment of the
100 or so types of trees found in Shenandoah National Park.
Step back in time by visiting Massanutten Lodge, the recently renovated former resid-
ence of Addie Pollock, wife of George Freeman Pollock.
8.
Whiteoak Canyon
Near the south entrance to Skyland resort is a 4.6-mile round-trip hike that leads to the
firstfallinWhiteoak Canyon,ashadymountain glenthathasbeencalled “thescenic gem”
of Shenandoah National Park. A meandering stream, towering oaks and hemlocks, giant
boulders,andasteepgorgewithsixwaterfalls(thetallestofwhichdrops86feet)makethis
a place of wild, idyllic beauty.
A nearby trail leads through part of Limberlost, a grove of stately hemlocks that are
centuries old. The trees, according to one tale, owe their lives to Addie Pollack, wife of
SkylandfounderGeorgePollock,whopaidloggers$10apiecetoleavethemstanding.With
its damp coolness, eerie stillness, and shimmering shafts of sunlight that filter through the
delicate foliage, Limberlost evokes the mood of a great Gothic cathedral. The Limberlost
Trail leads past an old apple orchard to the Crescent Rock Trail, which climbs 325 feet to
Crescent Rock Overlook.
9.
Crescent Rock Overlook
An easier way to reach Crescent Rock Overlook is to take Skyline Drive to mile 44.4.
As the drive continues south, Hawksbill Mountain, the highest point in the park, looms to
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