Skyland is the starting point for many of the guided walks and horseback trips; stables are just downhill from the lodge. The campfire circle is the scene of naturalist talks on fine evenings; in rainy weather you will find them in the recreation hall, “under the hill.”
Don’t leave this area until you hike the 1½-mile round trip to Stony Man Mountain. You saw the rock profile in view for many miles if you approached Skyland from the north. From this cliff of weathered, greenstone rock, the view is sheerly downward to the valley, and sweepingly across to the Massanutten Mountain, a hazy blue in the distance. The half-day hikes to Whiteoak Canyon, and to the summit of Marys Rock (trail starts at Panorama), as well as shorter walks to Millers Head, Little Stony Man Cliffs, and Hawksbill Mountain, are most easily reached from Skyland.
BIG MEADOWS
Second largest of the developed areas, Big Meadows has a hospitable lodge with spacious veranda, surrounded by individual cottages. These, together with a few lodge rooms, accommodate 250 persons. Tent, trailer, and picnic grounds are a part of the development. The lodge dining room is open to all visitors. At Big Meadow Wayside, you will find a coffeeshop, small grocery store, gift shop, and service station. Horseback trips from Big Meadows begin near the ranger station.
The great charm of Big Meadows lies in its open fields, in contrast to the forests on every hand. The fragrant meadows once were heavily grazed, keeping down the trees that only now, after 30 years, are starting to come back.
Of considerable interest is a swamp in one part of the fields, destination of the self-guiding trail fittingly called the Swamp Trail. Usually the pathway is quite dry, but in the damp areas nearby is an unusual variety of vegetation—gray birch, cardinal flower, and American burnet, all rare in the park. Remnants of the ghost forest of gaunt chestnut trees still stand. From the edge of the meadows there are fine views of the valley. An equally relaxing walk of another kind—along a forest trail—is to Dark Hollow Falls, a round trip of 3½ miles from the lodge.
Campfire talks are held in the amphitheater several times a week in summer, and in the lodge in spring and autumn.
LEWIS MOUNTAIN
At mile 57.6, Lewis Mountain is the southernmost and the smallest accommodations area in the park—room for only 24 people. But besides the cabins, there is a coffeeshop and camp and picnic grounds. Park naturalists present campfire programs during the summer.
