Shenandoah National Park Overlook Madness

Ok. Maybe ‘madness’ isn’t the right word but I did visit a ton this past weekend.  I went Saturday morning to photograph the sunrise. I chose an overlook that I knew had a ton of beautiful ridges. Unfortunately, the angle was a bit off. So I didn’t get the sun directly. I guess that is ok because it gives you a different perspective. Plus, I can’t say that the sunrise was like super amazing or anything. But lack of drama doesn’t mean it wasn’t still gorgeous.

Just before the sun illuminated the moutains

  I chose Range View Overlook. It is probably one of my favorites in the park. If you look out directly from the overlook you are facing south so the sun comes up to the left. The trees block out quite a bit of it but once it comes up it illuminates the mountains nicely. It was a very chilly morning. The temperature read 48 degrees and the wind was whipping. It didn’t take long for my hands to freeze.

Range View Overlook

When I was finished I drove up through the north district. I have rarely driven this part of Skyline Drive and am not familiar with the overlooks. As they say – there isn’t a bad one in the whole of Shenandoah. Each one has something unique and beautiful about it.  I took time to look at the different formations, the valleys, and communities below. It is also interesting to notice the different trees along the drive. I think that the trees in Shenandoah are unique – unique as you aren’t going to see the same ones along a trail where I live just 1.5 hrs away.  They have beautiful shapes to them.  Their shapes are one of the reasons I love going there in the winter. I once knew someone who proclaimed he hated all photos of trees in the winter because they have no leaves. Unfortunately, he’s unable to see the beauty in the angles, lines, and curvatures in branches.

Shenandoah Tree

Tree with a view

I didn’t do a hike this day because I had to get home. I really wanted to just focus on photos of the overlooks.  I don’t know how successful I was but it was a wonderful morning.