![]() ![]() ![]() When the park first opened, nearly a third of it had been cleared by logging, farming and tree blight. Eventually, land was seized via eminent domain (a move that displaced hundreds of families that lived there), and the park was established in 1935, built and maintained by the CCC. Some recognized the touristic value of the area, however, and conversation about building a nature reserve began in the early 20th century. European colonizers arrived in the 1750s, and throughout the rest of 18th and 19th centuries, the area was farmed, logged, and mined. Located on the traditional lands of the Manahoac, Shenandoah’s mountains and valleys have long called to humans in some way or another. The black bear has seen improvements in recent years after almost complete extirpation.Ready to start planning? Sign up for our weekly newsletter and get 20% off your next guidebook. The eastern timber wolf, white-tailed deer, eastern cougar, black bear, and turkey are either gone from the park or have dwindled. Some other species saw eradication or severe declines in population in the past 100 years. River otter and beaver vanished near the late 1800s. 1855 was the first year that no elk could be found. American Bison was the first to be eliminated in the late 1700s. The waters of Shenandoah National Park are teeming with 30 types of fish species, making Shenandoah a true anglers paradise.ĭespite the biodiversity of Shenandoah National Park today, there are a few animals worth noting that don't have representation in the park anymore. ![]() There are more than 25 unique reptile species which also live inside the park with five types of turtles, 18 varieties of snakes, three species of skinks and one lizard species. There is one federally endangered species in the park, the Shenandoah Salamander. About 25 amphibian species reside in Shenandoah, including 10 types of toads and frogs and 14 salamander or newt species. Well over 200 bird species live or travel through the park. Black bears are the largest of the over 50 species of mammals in the park and the smallest mammals are shrews. Estimates range from 300-500 black bears living in Shenandoah National Park. Shenandoah National Park is recorded as having one of the highest per capita black bear populations in the United States. Whitetail deer, bobcat, black bear, skunk, raccoon, gray fox, opossum, groundhog, and eastern cottontail rabbit are all common to Shenandoah. Wildlife in Shenandoah National Park resonates with typical mid-Atlantic woodlands of the east. Shenandoah houses many species of animals. When winter is over and the trees are budding with life, the green leaves can be seen climbing up the mountain ridges at a steady 100 feet per day. This process, as seen from a distance, gives the mountains a bluish haze, hence the Blue Ridge Mountains. When these green plants and trees photosynthesize, they give off water in the form of mist. The deciduous hardwood forests are what the east coast is so well known for. During the celebrated autumn colors of the eastern United States, many visitors drive through Shenandoah National Park along the breathtaking Skyline Drive. There are almost 75 overlooks along Skyline Drive looking over the magnificent Shenandoah Valley below. The Shenandoah Valley is a gorgeous get-away from the hustle of everyday life. This path is thought to be an old Monacan Indian tribe trail and is like the backbone to Shenandoah National Park.ĭue to Shenandoah's “outstanding opportunities for solitude,” almost 80,000 acres have been designated as Wilderness. This quaint road travels 105 miles between the north entrance of the park at Front Royal, Virginia and the south entrance at Rockfish Gap, Virginia. The park's almost 200,000 acres is divided by the very scenic Skyline Drive. Much of the park consists of the Blue Ridge Mountains which contain the highest mountains in eastern North America. The western border of the park is the Shenandoah River & river valley and the eastern border runs along the rolling hills of the Virginia Piedmont. Shenandoah National Park is a long meandering park in the Blue Ridge Mountains located in the state of Virginia. ![]()
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