Shenandoah National Park-- 7 & 8
Friday morning was still pretty cloudy and threatening rain but we decided to head into Shenandoah for one last hike anyway. We picked a trail that led us out of the park and to two of the cabins that people hiking the Appalachian trail can stay in; it was an easy enough hike but pretty overgrown in places. We had the whole trail (and both cabins!) to ourselves.
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| It kept getting warmer and cloudier |
It only took us an hour or so to hike but the other three passengers in the car made it known that they wanted nothing more to do with hiking. We decided to check out another cavern and headed to Grand Caverns. Good thing too because it started raining in earnest on our way out and got real foggy too.
I'll admit my first thought was "another cavern; what could be so different from the one we just saw!"... BUT it was really neat and since Grand Caverns is a guided tour we learned a lot about the cavern and the area. Grand Caverns is the longest continuous cavern tour in the region and it was so neat to see evidence dating all the way back to the civil war!
After our tour it was nearly 2:30 and everyone was hungry. We ended up at Romano's Italian Bistro and had a really delicious meal-- we could tell the bread was made fresh!
The sun was shining after our late lunch but we headed to the house and started packing up our stuff and getting ready to leave bright and early the next morning (though my husband and I REALLY wanted to squeeze in one last trail).
My husband and I relaxed in the hot tub a bit and around 6 we decided to take one last drive up to skyline drive and see some of the pretty views since it was one of the only clear days we had had. We stopped for ice cream at Kline's and then headed home.
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| view from the hot tub |
We were up around 5 the next morning and on the road by 6. We stopped for breakfast and lunch and made it back to our house by 5. Alec headed off to a graduation party and Ian went to pick up dinner for everyone while I worked on making up our grocery list for the morning (really I could have just written "everything" on the list!). It was a wonderful vacation even if the weather did not cooperate for most of it.
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Beautiful area for sure!
ReplyDeleteIt really was.
DeleteThose caverns are amazing and what a great end to your trip!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thank you! I was so happy to see the sun come out.
DeleteThe views from your cabin are incredible! Such a pretty area. I'd love to visit that national park! Thanks for sharing your trip. I'm sure it was great to be home!!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome... but yeah, it sure was!
DeleteYour photos are incredible! Seriously! You saw some beautiful nature.
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks! We really did.
DeleteThe rainy pictures look almost like the ones I took in Oregon!
ReplyDeleteI thought the same thing when I saw your rainy photos!
DeleteWhat a great hike! The rain made everything look so pretty and the fog looks so spooky. The cavern really is amazing!
ReplyDeleteIt really does; while I am not a huge fan of hiking in the drizzly mist it does make for some incredible photos.
DeleteYour photos are beautiful, what an incredible view from the hot tub!
ReplyDeleteRuth@playworkeatrepeat
Aw, thank you!
DeleteYour pictures are amazing, Joanne!
ReplyDeleteThanks!!
DeleteLooks so lush!
ReplyDeleteIt was very lush.
DeleteThe "other 3 passangers in the car" LOL.
ReplyDeleteAnd I've had that thinking about cave. And everything really. Sometimes when we go on tours of houses, I think, what could be so different? And then we love it,
XOXO
Jodie
Right?! I rarely regret going to check something out and yet I still often think that.
DeleteI love your detail photos from the trail! My daughter and I are now trying to see all the National Parks, we have seen 4 this year already. :)
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you! I hope to see them all one day too (well, maybe not the ones where you have to pack in and sleep overnight outside) and am impressed you've seen 4 in one year; that's fabulous!
DeleteWhat a beautiful trip! I love the caverns. I haven't been to any in years!! My son Eli wants to visit every national park on a road trip one day - they even mentioned that at his graduation!
ReplyDeleteAw, thanks!
DeleteYour first pictures remind me very much of the Oregon Coast. I don't think there are the beautiful caverns, though. What a lovely national park. I'm sure it was a cool, refreshing change from the outdoor temperature. Your pictures are very glowy! :)
ReplyDeleteIt sure was! In fact I found myself wishing for pants.
DeleteBeautiful pictures on the trail, in the cavern and the views of the area. Thank you for your weekend coffee share.
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting!
DeleteI love caves and don't think we've been to that one. Several years ago, we went to Mammoth Cave and had to go down a very narrow and steep staircase. I was so claustrophobic by the time we'd gotten to the bottom I didn't really enjoy the rest of the tour. I will jot this one down...it looks wonderful. Thanks for sharing all these photos, Joanne!
ReplyDeletehttps://marshainthemiddle.com/
Yeah, I like a nice wide open cave/cavern that doesn't make me feel too claustrophobic.
DeleteThe caves look amazing! I really like the foggy pictures along the trail though. It looks like such a magical trip!
ReplyDeleteThank you! It was pretty great.
DeleteI love the mix of foggy photos and the stunning sunshine view. What a trip! I've never been to Virginia.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fab trip! You've captured it beautifully. The weather may have been a little wet, but it has really made the photos! They look awesome. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteYour photos of the trip are so wonderful. Shenandoah is gorgeous. #MMBC
ReplyDeleteIt is beautiful.
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