Skyline Drive

Once you enter the park through the ranger station at Rockfish Gap, Skyline Drive is a limited access highway. The next exit isn’t until Swift Run Gap, 50 miles to the north. But leaving will be the last thing on your mind. This park is one to linger in—on the trails, in the heart of it all. There’s a low clearance tunnel just before the Thornton Gap entrance near Luray.

Be on the lookout for deer, black bear and wild turkey: they have right of way and are often seen crossing the road. You’ll never believe you’re only 75 miles away from Washington, D.C., as you find a quiet spot for a picnic high above the valley below. The highest point on the National Scenic Byway (3,680 feet up) is near the north entrance at Front Royal.