Hiking Safety And Locations

By LISA LANDRAM Daily News-Record

As summer wanes and turns into fall, the area turns into an autumn treeline. The Shenandoah National Park has some tips and tricks to help hikers and photographer be safe.

“Harrisonburg is a great location for accessing the Shenandoah National Park. If you head 33 East, it will take you to the entrance of the park,” according to Claire Comer, public information officer for the Shenandoah National Park, “between the central district and the south district.”

Shenandoah National Park offers a variety of activities for different types of adventures, according to Comer.

“Take a left and go north on Skyline Drive,” Comer said.

That is the central district — the busiest, most popular part of the park, according to Comer. The area has activities, places to eat, the visitor center and “some of the best hikes,”Comer said.

According to Comer, going right into the south district is a wonderful choice.

That area is away from the crowd and offers a more solitary experience.

“I think some of the most beautiful views are in the south district, and some really wonderful hikes are there as well,” Comer said.

To help keep hikers safe in the Shenandoah National Park, Comer provided some tips.

Follow the speed limit. The roads are curvy, and hikers, bicyclists and animals are in or near the roadway, according to Comer. There have been some bad wrecks in the area. Comer said 35 miles per hour speed limit is the number one key to safety.

She also suggested hikers be prepared and plan ahead. Do research on the type of terrain and consider the physical abilities needed, she said.

Packing for a trip is also important and Comer recommended having water packed and having enough for a quart per hour. She stated that when people are not properly hydrated, they can feel weak, get a headache or have major health problems.

She also recommended having a flashlight or headlamp.

“It is something that does not take up much space in your bag,” she said. “This does not include the flashlight on your cell phone.”

The National Parks website has a link called Ten Essentials, at https:// www.nps.gov/articles/10essentials. htm, which is a guide to prepare hikers.

Staying on a trail is another safety measure that Comer recommends.

“Our worst accidents happen at the waterfalls. People are climbing around on the slippery moss-covered rocks and fall,” Comer said.

Wildlife can also pose safety concerns to hikers and photographers. Comer stated that it is important not to approach animals and to use a zoom lens when photographing them.

For the hiker and photographer looking for the perfect view or photo, Comer said there is a trail in the south district called Blackrock.

“The hike out there for the sunset is gorgeous,” she said.

The National Parks website and app has information about how long trails are, the terrain type and if dogs are permitted on the trail.

“You can look at hikes, search by the name of a hike, search by the type of hike,” Comer said.

According to Comer, there are also kid friendly hikes and a scavenger hunt.

Shenandoah National Park’s website is https://www.nps.gov/shen/index.htm. The app is also available for download. Comer said to make sure to look for the arrowhead logo. That is the correct logo for the app.

Comer suggests that when downloading the app, make sure it is downloaded for offline use because there’s lots of places in the park that don’t have service. The app is interactive and when hiking, the app can help track where the app user is.

“There’s a little bubble that tracks you so that if you get to an intersection, and you’re not sure which way to go, it shows you which way to go,” Comer said.

Guests can also obtain a paper map by downloading it or asking for a map at the entrance of the park.

Contact Lisa Landram at 540-574-6299 or llandram@dnronline.com. Follow Lisa on Twitter @LisaLandram.