Wheelchair Accessible Shenandoah National Park

With Kids!

This side of the country doesn’t have national parks in abundance, but Shenandoah National Park is worth the journey even if it’s the only place you visit. Known for Skyline Drive, with its impressive pull-off vistas, you can take in a mountain top view of the surrounding valleys. Here’s everything you need to know for your kid friendly and wheelchair accessible trip!

When to Go

Mid October. Ok, so you can see for miles no matter when you go, but why not fill those miles with red, orange, yellow, and gold? We’ve also done the park in winter. The amenities close for the season, but there are no crowds… at all. I’m told the spring and summer views are also lovely, but there’s just something about filling the drive with color that really brings it to life!

Where to Stay

For being in the middle of nowhere, there’s a surprising variety of options. Wherever you decide to stay, make sure you plan in advance. Even rustic accommodations book full far in advance during summer and fall months.

On-Site Camping

While all campgrounds in the park have accessible options, accessible shower and laundry facilities are only available at Big Meadows, Lewis Mountain, and Loft Mountain. (Spring-fall)

On-Site Lodges

From premium rooms to rustic cabins, you can stay on-site in an accessible room at Lewis Mountain, Skyland Resort, or Big Meadows Lodge. (Spring-fall)

Off-Site Hotels

The north entrance station is in Front Royal, and the south is in Rockfish Gap. Both of these towns have a plethora of hotel and motel options. I don’t recommend either. Because they’re right at the main entrance to a national park, you pay more for less. Instead, I suggest one of the mountain towns just off a side exit, or a little farther from the entrance. our plan was to stay in Woodstock – a quaint mountain town with good hotel options (including the chains we book with points). Unfortunately, I hadn’t downloaded my map ahead of time and ended up getting lost off the side of the mountain! Instead, we stayed just north of the park in Winchester, Virginia. We were able to snag a suite at Springhill for only 5,000 points – which is the lowest level. Enough beds for the five of us, and no money spent. WIN. Another good option would be Charlottesville.

There are also a plethora of bed and breakfasts just off the sides of the mountains. Unfortunately, we were not able to find any with accessible options.

What to Do

Drive

Hypothetically speaking, you could take in just about all of the wonder of the park without ever leaving your car. This is a win in terms of accessibility, but good luck trying that with young kids!

There are pull-off vistas dotting the road on both sides. I’ve found the north end of the drive, on the west side, to be the most impressive. Most of these pull-offs don’t have handicap parking, and aren’t marked as accessible, because of the slight incline of the pavement. Almost all of them, however, provide a great view by just pulling up near the safety wall. If the kids are antsy and need to stretch, get out and take in the views. If they’re getting sleepy and will rest in their car seats, just keep going for drive-through views.

Hike

The vistas are great, but when you’re in the mountains it’s also nice to get lost in the woods.

Limberlost trail, at mile 43, is the only hiking trail marked as wheelchair accessible. The trail is a 1.3 mile loop, which is just right for my young family.

Wheelchairtraveling.com reviews some additional trails that may be appropriate for someone in a power-chair, that can handle more diverse terrain. We didn’t attempt any of these, since my four year old is in a manual chair.

Mary’s Rock Tunnel

Built in 1932, and cutting through 600 feet of mountain, the tunnel is a neat photo opp in any season. You can park just south of the tunnel for a photo from your vehicle, or you can walk/roll closer for a better view.

Where to Eat

While the park is pretty secluded, it doesn’t mean you don’t have some great food options.

A Picnic Table

If the weather is nice, I’d say this is a worthwhile addition to the trip. Enjoy the fresh mountain air with a relaxed, packed picnic. All picnic grounds have handicap parking and accessible tables.

If packing is too much, you can also grab something at Elkwallow Wayside (mile 24.1), Big Meadows Wayside (mile 54), or Loft Mountain Wayside (mile 79.5). Just keep in mind, these shops are only open June-October.

On-Site Restaurants

We didn’t try either of the on-site dining options, but they both actually look pretty impressive. Both Skyland and Big Meadows Lodge offer sit-down dining with stunning views. Both are wheelchair accessible and have reopened with limited menus and capacity in 2020.

Off-Site Restaurants

Wherever you exit, you’ll find a mountain town ready to welcome you (although, some a farther down the mountain than others). You can find a variety of farmer stands, bed and breakfasts, and mom and pop shops. This year is a little bit tricky with the different dining policies. Since it was raining, we ended up driving a bit for a place where we could dine in, but we passed a plethora of great looking take-out options! If you end up going through Winchester, like we did, I cannot overly recommend Las Trancas, just north of the city. I had Carne Asada so good that the five hour drive would’ve been worth it just for dinner.

The bigger areas like Charlottesville and Winchester will also have all the chains or kid favorites you could want.

Getting Around

This is one you’ll need a vehicle for. In other years, there are shuttle excursions from Skyland, but those have been paused through the pandemic. Having your own vehicle gives you great access to all of the vistas and amenities. I have heard of some people using Uber or other cab services, but the lack of cell phone service could make that tricky if it’s not thoroughly mapped out in advance.

The park itself is really easy to navigate – one road, straight through, with mile markers along the way. Pull off for a view or hike; continue on when you’re ready.

Is there anything I didn’t answer? Let me know if you have any questions while you’re planning your trip! Check out more accessible destination options here!