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HarrisonburgRockingham CountyStauntonWaynesboroAugusta CountyFishersvilleShenandoah CountyPage CountyAll communitiesValley Guide
A national park, a national forest and two river forks, all inside an hour of the valley floor
The short answer
The Shenandoah Valley sits between two mountain ranges. Shenandoah National Park and its 105-mile Skyline Drive run the Blue Ridge to the east, the George Washington National Forest covers the Alleghenies to the west, and the Shenandoah River forks run between. Every city and county also runs its own parks and recreation department.
Valley Guide
The Valley is framed by public land. To the east, Shenandoah National Park follows the Blue Ridge crest. To the west, the George Washington National Forest covers the ridges toward West Virginia, and Massanutten Mountain splits the Valley in two in the north. In Rockingham County alone, one outdoors guide counts nearly 177,000 acres of public land between the park and the forest. Check closures before driving up: weather can shut Skyline Drive at any time.
Elkton, Waynesboro, Luray
More than 500 miles of trails, from the Old Rag scramble to short waterfall walks. Entrance fee is $30 per vehicle for seven days as of October 2026, and the park is cashless. Old Rag needs a $2 day-use ticket from March through November, with 800 released daily.
Swift Run, Thornton and Rockfish Gaps
The park's only public road runs 105 miles along the Blue Ridge crest, 35 mph in most places, about three hours end to end. Valley entrances are Swift Run Gap (mile 65.5), Thornton Gap near Luray (31.5) and Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro (104.6).
Along the Blue Ridge
Roughly 101 miles of the trail run through the national park, mostly within sight of Skyline Drive and maintained by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. Road crossings at the gaps make short sections easy to hike without a shuttle plan.
Waynesboro
The Parkway begins where Skyline Drive ends, at Rockfish Gap, and heads south. It is built for slow travel at 45 mph or less with no commercial traffic. Road construction can close sections, so the park posts daily status.
Western Valley, Fort Valley
Shenandoah County alone lists more than 178 miles of hiking paths. Elizabeth Furnace in Fort Valley has a stocked trout stream. Camp Roosevelt was the first Civilian Conservation Corps camp in the nation, and Wolf Gap starts the Big Schloss hike.
Rockingham County, near Elkton
A four-season resort with snow-making skiing and tubing in winter, two golf courses, an indoor waterpark and mountain biking the rest of the year. Check the resort for opening dates, which depend on temperatures.
Valley Guide
The Shenandoah River forms where the North and South Forks meet downstream at Front Royal, and both forks are paddled, floated and fished through the Valley. Water level decides everything. Local river guides treat the Luray gauge on the South Fork as the number to watch: it gets hard to canoe when the river is low and unsafe to launch when it is high. Swimming is not allowed or designated at several state park river stretches, so read the signs.
Page County
Runs through Page County past Luray, with canoe, kayak, raft and tube outfitters renting boats and running shuttles. The county reports about 20 public access points, including Alma Boat Landing off US 340 near Stanley, which got a new ramp and parking in a 2021 upgrade.
Woodstock, Shenandoah County
1,052 acres on the North Fork near Woodstock with about 12 miles of hiking and biking trails, two car-top launches and kayak rentals at Hollingsworth Access. Day use only: no camping and no swimming. Open 6 a.m. to dusk.
Bentonville, Warren County
A 1,619-acre park with 5.2 miles of South Fork shoreline, 25-plus miles of trails (14 open to horses), cabins and campsites. It sits in Warren County about 15 miles north of Luray, so it is a day trip from Page County rather than inside the Valley counties.
Rockingham County
A 36-acre state-owned fishing lake east of Harrisonburg, with a boat ramp, fishing pier, restrooms and a wildlife trail. Anglers catch bass, bluegill, crappie and catfish. Dam work is expected to start in spring 2027, so confirm access before a trip.
Rockingham County, GW National Forest
A national forest lake southwest of Harrisonburg reached by forest road from Bridgewater, with developed and primitive camping. Forest Service sites change seasonally, so confirm current status.
Valley Guide
Each locality runs its own parks and recreation department, and registration for leagues, pools and classes opens by season. City departments tend to have the most facilities per resident. County systems cover larger areas with fewer, bigger sites. Fees and residency pricing differ, so a city address does not automatically get a county discount, and the reverse is also true.
Harrisonburg
Twelve main parks plus trails and athletic complexes. Hillandale Park has 74 acres, 12 picnic shelters and a 1.3-mile path. Westover Park has the city pool, a skate park and disc golf. Rocktown Trails and Riven Rock Park (open April 14 to October 31) offer natural-surface riding and hiking.
Staunton
Staunton's 214-acre central park holds Lake Tams, a bandstand, ball fields, a skate park, a mini-train and an 18-hole golf course. The bandstand is the focus of summer concerts.
Staunton
A 148-acre Staunton park with looping hiking and mountain biking trails, a natural playground, disc golf, a pool and courts. The city bought the land in 1947 for Black residents who were excluded from Gypsy Hill, and 2025 historical markers tell that story.
Waynesboro
A paved shared-use path along the South River in Waynesboro, running from Loth Springs near the YMCA through Constitution Park. City pages describe lengths of roughly 1 to 2 miles as the trail extends, so check the current map.
Valley Guide
Virginia sells hunting and fishing licenses through the Department of Wildlife Resources, online through Go Outdoors Virginia or from license agents. National forest fishing needs a separate permit unless you are exempt by age. Spectators have college sports at James Madison University in Harrisonburg and a summer collegiate baseball circuit with hometown teams.
Statewide
A one-year resident license for anyone 16 or older was listed at $23, with multi-year options. A $4 National Forest permit is also required to fish in the forest unless exempt (residents under 16 or over 65). Confirm fees on the DWR site before buying.
DWR lakes and WMAs
Anyone 17 or older visiting a DWR public fishing lake or wildlife management area needs a $4 daily or $23 annual access permit unless they hold a valid hunting, freshwater fishing or trapping license or boat registration.
Across the Valley
A summer collegiate league whose 2026 season began May 29. Valley teams include the Harrisonburg Turks at Eagle Field, the Staunton Braves at John Moxie Stadium, the New Market Rebels at Rebel Park, the Waynesboro Generals and the Woodstock River Bandits.
Harrisonburg
Harrisonburg's city-owned public course. Staunton's Gypsy Hill Park also has an 18-hole course, and Massanutten Resort has two more.
Before you move
Shenandoah National Park stopped taking cash for entrance and campground fees on July 1, 2025. Automated entry stations were scheduled for fall 2026. Fee-free days are posted yearly, so a pass is worth comparing against single-visit fares if you go more than twice.
October color brings the heaviest traffic of the year to Skyline Drive and Old Rag. Arrive early, expect parking limits, and remember Old Rag tickets do not guarantee a parking space.
National forest campgrounds in the area expect food to be stored in bear-proof receptacles or vehicles. Hunting is prohibited in and around some forest recreation areas, so read posted notices.
Outfitters decide trip schedules by gauge readings. A rainy week can close a float, and a dry August can leave the South Fork too low for canoes.
Hunting seasons overlap the best hiking weather on public land. Wearing blaze orange on forest trails in fall is a common sense precaution.
As of October 2026, a private vehicle pays $30 for seven days, a motorcycle $25, and people on foot or bikes $15 each at 16 and older. An annual park pass costs $55. Payment is cashless, and a few fee-free days are set each year.
Yes, from March 1 through November 30. The NPS day-use ticket costs $2 and is on top of the park entrance fee. Eight hundred tickets are released daily, half 30 days ahead and half five days ahead. Tickets are for the day of arrival only.
Skyline Drive is 105 miles long with a 35 mph limit in most places, and the drive takes roughly three hours. It has four entrances. The three nearest the Valley are Swift Run Gap, Thornton Gap near Luray and Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro.
Yes. Anglers 16 and older need a Virginia freshwater fishing license, which the DWR lists at $23 for a year for residents. A separate National Forest permit applies on forest waters. Licenses are sold through Go Outdoors Virginia and at license agents.
No. The park lists swimming as hazardous and has no designated swimming areas. Visitors can paddle from two car-top launches, fish with a Virginia license and use about 12 miles of trails. The park has no camping.
This guide is a starting point for newcomers. Hours, programs, providers and boundaries change, so confirm details with the organization. A listing here is not an endorsement.