This is the best spot I have found for beautiful views of the Shenandoah Valley. However, a word…read moreof caution- it is an extremely steep, narrow, gravel road with sharp curves and scary edges. And calling it a road is generous: it is actually rocky, bumpy, and has many holes. My SUV would have been fine but I happened to be driving a rental car with low ground clearance. There is a cautionary sign as you enter that says "Narrow 2 Lane Road." TWO LANE? I have seen goat paths that were wider. Twice I came upon cars going the opposite direction. and one of us had to pull way over to the mountain side, and the other had to hug the scary drop off edge (hint: it wasn't Indiana girl who pulled over toward the edge, I was perfectly happy getting as close as possible to the mountain side while the other driver inched around my car) The next time I come here I will definitely park at the bottom and walk up. Besides the difficult navigating, there were some places I would have liked to take pictures but there weren't any safe places to park. The views are simply spectacular, and my photos don't come close to capturing the beautiful Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains. It is very definitely worth the inconvenience of driving or hiking up the mountain. The only amenities I saw were two trash cans, one at the bottom and one at the top, near the observation deck. I wanted to watch the sunset, so it was nearly dark when I drove back down. I'm planning to return soon, and I will get here earlier in the day so I will have more time to explore.

Great place with great views!…read more Pop "Woodstock Tower" into Google Maps, and it will take you to the right spot (Apple Maps only took me to the trailhead a distance away). This will put you near a little overlook off the dirt road or if you keep going, a small gravel parking lot. Be prepared to drive on dirt and gravel roads for over a mile to get here; you are going the right way! This end of the trail has a clearly marked sign saying it is the Woodstock Tower. From either of those parking lots it's only about ¼ mile walk to get to the tower. The path varies from rocky to flat dirt. Loads of hickory nuts line the path. You could also come from the other end of the trail, which is over a mile away in the other direction. The climb up is steep but manageable (I'd recommend being more careful descending!) with metal steps. Considering she's still standing 90 years after her construction, I'd say the tower is stable. Hats off to the Civilian Conservation Corps for building this lasting landmark! The views from the top are great and worth the short walk and short climb. I met a local man at the top who shoots a lot of videos from up there. He did warn that sometimes there are black bears in the area; I never saw one my whole time, but just keep alert. It was a little cold on the mid-October day we were there and the top of the mountain did mean lots of cross wind, so dress appropriately. Unless you're weird about heights (apologies to my wife; thanks for walking out to it with us, Baby), this is a worthwhile visit. Definitely recommend!

What a pleasant surprise! We drove up the mountain on Christmas Eve and simply enjoyed the views…read more Our goal of finding the tower wasn't easy being that my bf hadn't been up there since he was a kid. Nevertheless we found it :-) I was a bit apprehensive of climbing it at first but took baby steps lol. What a beautiful scenery once you reach the top. Great experience!

Beautiful and I mean breathtakingly beautiful landscape! Mountains in the distance! Perfect sized…read morebody of water for light fishing, canoe, little beach area with lifeguard on duty for a family day with sand and sun, trail surround the park with benches to sit and awe at how beautiful nature can be. Prices are extremely affordable (coming from DC and being used to paying up to $40 for two people to paddle board for 30 mins, which is normal for me). For $3 or so you can take out a kayak per person per hour. If you're fishing make sure to bring all you need and purchase your license AND additional $5 permit to fish there. They sell small snacks and ice cream. Bathroom situation is dicey considering it's a porta-potty but hey honestly all in all I would come again and I would spend days on end here either by myself or with family.

What an incredibly beautiful gem! Revenue the ride out here is great! Beautiful lake surrounded by…read moremountains & trees. Nice pretty easy trail that loops around the lake (some parts are thin & steep, but made it through with the dog) . Absolutely loved this place on our vacation. Quite peaceful. I counted 6 shelters too so I imagine in spring /summer it gets used a lot. They have porta potties and a 2-stall bathroom for women & a bathroom for men too. Hand washing station outside. We came during the week of October 13th & the foliage was beautiful.

Lots of fun for littles! My toddler enjoyed running and climbing all the park had to offer. There…read moreare bathrooms and two picnic shelter areas.

This is one of the best playgrounds! I highly recommend. It has a place for littles to ride their…read morebikes as well.

Often times, the national parks get the best territory and the states get leftovers. However, the…read moreShenandoah River State Park, down the mountain from well known Skyline Drive and its accompanying federal parkland, is by no means inferior. A rural drive leads to a visitor center, trails, an overlook, river access, and campgrounds. I had time for only a brief visit, but the views were majestic. It would be an excellent place to return for a hike. As with most of Virginia's state parks, there is a modest entrance fee, but I'm sure it's well worth it.

I travel and stay at a lot of parks during the course of the year, and I have only repeated a few…read moreof them. This location is incredible, rich with things to do, views to see, and adventures to have with enough time. The cabins are gorgeous, fair warning that there is no television, but honestly who cares?! I had great phone signal which almost never happens on these excursions, and I loved making a fire in my fireplace and sitting on the porch with coffee for sunrise, which I could see from Cabin 11. This cabin also was at the end and felt private, even though I could see my neighbors (who had set up Christmas lights! How fun!) There's also a wonderful hiking trail right by these cabins, 10 and 11, the Red Tail Ridge, that was semi-short (2.5 miles or so if desired to create a loop with Big Oak) and had views of the river and Shenandoah valley below!

10.23.2025. Harrisonburg, VA. My husband and I enjoyed strolling through the Edith J. Arboretum, a…read morefour-season public garden located on James Madison University's East Campus. The 125 acre urban arboretum "provides all students and community members with an outdoor classroom, a forested haven that is home to a rich oak-hickory habitat of flora and fauna, flowering gardens, and native wildflowers." The arboretum is open from dawn to dusk 365 days a year, and has free admission. (That said, I encourage you to support the EJC by becoming a member). We enjoyed walking on the 0.9 easy loop trail, passing through or near the family garden, the oak-hickory forest, fern valley, the pond, and more. Being late October, there weren't any flowering plants, but it didn't matter. There are restrooms, family restrooms, a water fountain, picnic area, a few benches, and an information kiosk. There are also three free parking areas on University Blvd, all with handicap parking spaces. We parked in the largest R5 lot. The garden and paths are well-maintained and enjoyed by a variety of users -- students, people walking their leased dogs, and older folks getting in some gentle exercise. I had only two disappointments -- (1) I so enjoyed the arboretum that I wish it were bigger! (2) can hear some traffic noise, but I guess you'd have to expect that in an urban garden. We look forward to returning when next in Harrisonburg!

The arboretum appears to have been constructed out of land that was too uneven to make into the…read moreusual college buildings, as it is hilly and has some weird angles. While the streambed running through it was dry, it had the insect population of a wetland and I struggled to stop and be still at any point during my exploration. The site has two small parking lots and a variety of attractions, including extensive play facilities for the pre-college crowd. Most of the other attendees, however, appeared older than college students. There were certainly some interesting sights to be seen, and no charge to get in.

Very nice fields. Am impressed by their condition. This is a bit odd pulling into. Large fences…read morewith barbed wire is unusual. Best guess is someone or a group of people, screwed it for the rest of us. Could enjoy more without that view. Parks and Recreation is, supposed to be a little more relaxing. That being said good picnic tables. Also if you have little ones, they will like the playground area. It should get them plenty tired. Luray definitely cares about its citizens, and this park is stellar for a town of its size. Well done. If you're in the area, you can play sports or watch them.

My children miss the old playground, thiers not many wood structures left, so to see it torn down…read morewas disappointing. The new playground is not bad and my kids love the zip line. However, I wish they would have made it more inclusive for children with disabilities.