Shenandoah National Park offers Memorial Day weekend planning tips

Shenandoah National Park is expecting an especially busy Memorial Day weekend.

Old Rag day-hiking tickets are sold out for Saturday and Sunday with limited availability for Monday. Campground reservations are also sold out for the weekend and first-come, first-served sites are expected to go quickly.

Shenandoah’s social media will provide updates. Lodging is also fully booked. And, Shenandoah is a popular day-trip destination, so all indications are that Memorial Day weekend will be a very busy time.

Superintendent Pat Kenney encourages visitors to be sure to plan ahead.

“We want people to enjoy their national park and Shenandoah National Park is a great place to explore and recreate. Memorial Day weekend is an especially busy time and planning your visit will help make the most of your trip. Visitors should expect crowds and congestion on Skyline Drive, at picnic areas, and along popular trails. Planning your visit is critical,” Kenney said.

Shenandoah offers several tips for planning:

• Buy your entrance pass ahead of time at recreation.gov to expedite your entry.
• Download the NPS app and use it to plan your activities and navigate through the park. Be sure to toggle the “Download Offline Content” switch so the app will work despite lack of service.
• Use the website, nps.gov/shen to plan your hikes and download maps before you arrive.
• Look for less popular hikes to avoid crowds and be sure everyone in your group is physically capable of the hikes you choose.
• Be sure to have the essentials like water, snacks, a flashlight or headlamp, sturdy shoes, layers, and a plan if something goes wrong.
• Keep an eye on the weather and be especially aware of predicted lightning.
• Don’t depend on your cell phone since coverage is spotty.
• Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of a full schedule of ranger programs, so plan to join one or more to learn more about Shenandoah.

Planning ahead will ensure that visitors have a safer and more enjoyable trip to their national park. So, be sure to #PlanLikeAParkRanger.