Shenandoah National Park

Establishment of Shenandoah National Park, in northwestern Virginia, was authorized in 1926 and became a fact in 1935. Within an area of 196,466 acres, the park encompasses one of the most scenic sections of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a linear Appalachian range of ancient crystalline rocks extending from Pennsylvania to Georgia. Thickly forested with a large variety of native hardwoods, pine, hemlock, and cedar, the park's rolling landscapes are cut by a large number of cold mountain streams with numerous falls and cascades. The fall foliage display is highlighted by gums, maples, poplar, and birch.