As part of our annual tradition, we don’t just visit national parks, but we also camp in them! Or as close to them if camping is not allowed within the park. When looking for a campsite, we had five to choose from all with different sizes and amenities. When we first started planning this trip, we were initially going to accommodate a larger group, which meant needing to book group campsites. However, due to schedules and goals for this to be a mini-reunion, we decided the limit of six to a regular tent site was sufficient.
Big Meadows Campground
With our criteria, we settled on Big Meadows Campground. This is the largest campground with full amenities and situated in the center of the park. Site bookings open up six months in advance so we were ready when April rolled around. We settled on tent site #29 which is a walk in site close to a water source and just far enough away from the bathrooms. Unfortunately the water source did not work, but the bathroom sinks were available for water fill up. We got there at dark and had time to pitch the tent and build a small fire before crawling into the tent. Just as we settled in, the wind starting howling and the rain began. It was a sleepless night and we slept in until 9 a.m. Never have we ever slept in that “late” on a camping trip! Despite the weather we woke up to a beautiful campsite surrounded by trees. After four nights I can say this is one of my favorite campsites. The location felt secluded but close to the necessities. Campers were quiet. And the bathrooms were always clean (and warm).
Ranger Programs
During past trips, we surprisingly had never gone to a ranger program. And boy, have we missed out! We hit up programs in the Big Meadows Area, Skyland, and Camp Rapidan. These programs are free and the rangers are friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommend. Our second night we went to the “Star Party” and listened to Ranger Meagan discuss the constellations. It was a cloudy night, but we were still able to see a few. Just as she had finished her spiel the clouds parted and she was able to show us more and point out the Milky Way. The next night we went to Ranger Jonah’s presentation on bears in Shenandoah. There was a group of girls behind us cackling the whole time. During the presentation it was somewhat annoying, but at the end there was the funny realization that they were all rangers! The next day we hiked to Camp Rapidan in time for a presentation on Hoover’s getaway camp and a tour of the Brown House. I wouldn’t have known Shenandoah had so much history.
