Shenandoah National Park – June

The Federal Government seems supremely good at not doing useful things, particularly big & important useful things.  Things like a minimum wage that an adult could actually self-support on & truly universal affordable health care.  But  Our Feds do manage to get nice little things right from time to time.  One of these nice little things is the Senior National Park Pass.  For a one time fee of $10.00 anyone who has reached their 62nd birthday can have a lifetime pass to Our Fabulous National Parks as well as reduced fees at most parks for camping and the like.  Since I live less than 20 miles from a National Park I bought one of these passes the week of my 62nd birthday.

Thus I found myself heading up US Hwy. 33 with my camera beside me on a bright & sunny day in mid June after a morning of painting the siding on the rear of my house.  I wasn’t bound out for a major expedition, just a nice leisurely drive up to Big Meadows & back.

Big Meadows

Big Meadows is a naturally occurring meadow area that straddles the ridges of the Blue Ridge a bit north of were I live.  The ground had a fairly high water table & the trees common to the mountains don’t like having soggy roots.  Its a grand place to come for night time sky watching too.

  Small Grove of Trees near the Visitor Center

Summer was in full force at my house but up here it was still spring.  The Fiddlehead ferns were all bright green & prime deer food while the wild flowers were busting out all over.

  Looking east at the North end of  Big Meadows

There wasn’t much of a breeze at ground level but the clouds were shifting & moving from much stiffer winds up were they were. 

South of Big Meadows Overlooking Greene County

As I left the Meadows to go home the temperature was starting to drop even though it was barely mid afternoon.  A front moved through near dark & brought cold rain with it. 

Nearly 2 weeks later Da Urchin & I used my pass to again take an afternoon drive into the park.  (The pass covers the vehicle & all its passengers).  

Looking Northeast Down the Shenandoah Valley

We entered the SNP from Front Royal & drove south stopping at any pull-outs that caught our fancy.  At this end of the park most the view points look into the Valley.

Looking Towards Front Royal

Part of Front Royal can be seen in the upper right of this picture.  The trees and ground cover have lost their bright greens of spring already & put on the darker hues of summer.  The seasons move faster up here.  It was a glorious summer day & a most relaxing drive.