12/30/2023 0 Comments Shenandoah national park predators![]() ![]() ![]() Thus, the National Park Service defines a pest as a species or disease that compromises park purposes or threatens visitors. While park staff members strive to protect these resources, they also recognize that at times those resources may pose visitor safety and health concerns and that the presence of non-native species and diseases may interfere with the protection of natives. The National Park Service is charged with preserving the naturally occurring native elements (wildlife, plant life, water, etc.) of our parks. Pests may be either native or non-native species. The mouse in your basement is a pest but that same mouse in an open meadow is not. For instance, ants in your kitchen would generally be considered a pest, at a picnic ground an annoyance but perhaps not a pest, and in the forest, another component of the natural scene. But what exactly is a "pest." Often what constitutes a "pest" is in the eye of the beholder. Just Shenandoah reminding me to humble myself.Park managers at Shenandoah National Park deal with pests just as homeowners, farmers, and business managers do. Confident as always, I ate it on one of the last steps before I made it to the road. When I could no longer feel my fingers, despite my gloves and hand warmers, I headed down the same way I went up. I love a good road photo surrounded by nature.īut what I truly loved, was feeling like I was the only person for miles on this mountain watching the sun rise. This hike is also one of the few hikes in all of Shenandoah National Park where you catch a glimpse of Skyline Drive from a bird’s-eye-view. I decided it was best to camp where I was and enjoy the start of the day from where I was. The summit was a bit further out, along a little more of a rocky, iced ridgeline. I was alone and cold, but couldn’t wait for the sun to rise. 3 miles and around 275 feet of elevation when the wind really kicked in at one of the false summits. The trail was icy, and as always, I’m racing against the sun. As much as I love seeing wildlife, I was hoping I wouldn’t come across a bear this time around. The one where I saw the momma bear on the road. As soon as I turned off the ignition and crossed the road to the trailhead, I remembered this was the hike I did with my dad seven years ago. I was the only one in the parking lot, at milepost (MP) 56.4 when I arrived at 7 A.M. Skyline Drive can be entirely (or partially) shut down due to icy conditions. Always read what park rangers in Shenandoah National Park post about the most up-to-date information on alerts and conditions in the park. I packed several layers thinking I would not need them, but ultimately used a lot of my cold weather gear when I went hiking. I prepared some coffee and breakfast on the porch of my cabin, and promptly ate it inside because it turns out, Virginia gets cold. It’s a definite upgrade from a tent (or sleeping in my car if we’re honest), but it’s not lavish by any means.Īfter my long drive, I slept in. These cabins are my favorite because they’re rustic chic. With my rewards points, my three-night stay was very affordable. It felt meant to be when there was one vacant cabin left at the Harrisonburg/Shenandoah KOA. ![]() My best kept secret for lodging is booking a cabin stay at a KOA. Since I was planning so last minute, I didn’t set any plans for my time there. I took the more scenic route through the middle-of-nowhere Pennsylvania to take advantage of the lack of traffic on a Friday afternoon start of the long weekend. From Massachusetts, Shenandoah is a 7.5 hour drive, or about eight with a gas and bathroom break stop. I rarely have the opportunity to visit a national park in the off-season, and of course took total advantage. A hidden gem of a place, like the New River Gorge in West Virginia. Shenandoah, and Virginia in general, often feels overlooked. I set my eyes on Shenandoah, a place I spent a day in years ago and always hoped to revisit. Naturally, to me, that means an adventure needs to be planned. In January, I noticed I had a three-day weekend without any work obligations. ![]()
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