Come Play In Our Backyard!

Shenandoah National Park (SNP) is in our backyard! Enter the park from the east via Rappahannock County. The park's visitor centers reopen for the season tomorrow. The Dickey Ridge Visitor Center, mile post 4.7, and the Byrd Visitor Center, mile post 51.0, are open Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., through May 3. After that, they're open daily. Access SNP and Skyline Drive from Sperryville. Drive up the mountain on Route 211 west to the Thornton Gap entrance. Or, head south on Route 231 and enter the park by foot or horseback via one of many trails. SNP's entrance fee is $15 per car for a seven-day pass. Check the park'swebsite to plan your visit.

There is much to do in SNP and Rappahannock County. Hike to a waterfall along the famous Appalachian Trail, bird watch, cycle, fish, ride a horse, camp.... Climb in the convertible and cruise Skyline Drive and Rappahannock's scenic byways. Download maps here.

If you like to fish, make sure you obtain the appropriate license(s) for SNP and Rappahannock County. Five-day and annual permits are available online. Special stocked trout streams, the National Forest, Virginia Wildlife Management areas and SNP require additional permits. Limits on size and harvests are available on the DGIF website under "trout regulations." Also look under "river stocking" to see when and where trout were stocked.

New to Rappahannock County is the Skyline Trout Farm. Located in Old Hollow near Sperryville, the pristine, clear pond is stocked with rainbow and golden trout. There is no fee to fish, just pay for what you catch at $4.50 per pound. The pond is open Fridays and Saturdays, 8 a.m.-dusk, or by appointment. Great for kids and first-timers! For more information, see its website or call 540.987.9438.

Hop on your bike and enjoy spectacular views of farms, rolling countryside and mountains, both in Rappahannock County and Shenandoah National Park. Both are popular destinations for cyclists. Also available for cycling enthusiasts is the new "Bicycling in Virginia" map. This is a free publication that highlights recreation and cycling resources in Virginia, including miles of on- and off-road cycling routes. It is available by mail or download. See our website for links to maps and more information.

Several Rappahannock County farms offer horseback riding lessons and trail riding excursions. All levels of riders are accommodated. See the list of venues to schedule an outing.