Last updated: August 22, 2024
Place
Limberlost: Respite and Retreat
Quick Facts
Amenities
1 listed
Benches/Seating
Created to be accessible to the millions of Americans living in the Eastern U.S. around the turn of the century, Shenandoah has always been a popular vacation spot since it first opened as a Park. Despite being the first National Park to reach a million visitors in a single year, there is still the opportunity to access solitude and silence--one must simply look and wait.
Along the Limberlost, there are opportunities to sit a spell on the benches along the way. Perhaps to rest tired limbs after long days of exploring the wilds, or perhaps to be with one's own thoughts, the trail invites you to take a moment to take in what surrounds you.
Look around you
What activity do you see along the forest floor and in the canopy above? Examine closely; animals both large and small can often go unnoticed.
What activity do you see along the forest floor and in the canopy above? Examine closely; animals both large and small can often go unnoticed.
Close your eyes and listen
Is there a breeze in the trees, overlapping melodies of songbirds, or maybe a passing car along nearby Skyline Drive? What "sound map" can you trace within earshot?
Is there a breeze in the trees, overlapping melodies of songbirds, or maybe a passing car along nearby Skyline Drive? What "sound map" can you trace within earshot?
Take in a deep breath
What smells do you notice? Is there a nearby bouquet of sweet mountain laurel and other wildflowers? Is there an impending storm that smells of rain? The morning dew leaving an earthy odor? Much can be experienced just through smells.
What smells do you notice? Is there a nearby bouquet of sweet mountain laurel and other wildflowers? Is there an impending storm that smells of rain? The morning dew leaving an earthy odor? Much can be experienced just through smells.
The forest here, a mix of old growth hemlock and young understory, allows access to a variety of wildlife year-round, and with them, access for photographers looking for deer, foxes, bears, and racoons, and for birdwatchers hoping to spot songbirds, woodpeckers, owls, turkeys, and even woodcocks. The history and geology along the way allows deeper access to the stories of the mountain.
No matter how you experience the Limberlost, remember to not rush through the hike. Stop and reflect on what makes it special to you.
"To sit in solitude, to think in solitude with only the music of the stream and the cedar to break the flow of silence, there lies the value of wilderness."
- John Muir
- John Muir