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Shenandoah National Park

Upscale Cabins Latest Trend in Commercial Campgrounds Bordering National Parks

There’s a new structure showing up this summer in campgrounds bordering national parks, one that offers a higher level of comfort than the family camper or pop-up tent. More and more campgrounds are adding cabins to their available accommodations, for while more people are heading to the parks, not all want to sleep on the ground in a tent.

The Last Night in Shenandoah National Park

We were on our second-floor balcony reading when we noticed someone below walk to the wooden railing separating the lodge grounds from the surrounding countryside. He pointed west toward the woods. Coming through the trees and into the small meadow were two bear cubs that commenced frolicking in the grass. They ran back and forth and one suddenly jumped and caught the side of a tree.

Overnight in Shenandoah National Park's Skyland Resort

Unlike the Blue Ridge Parkway with three concessionaires operating four lodging facilities, Shenandoah National Park has a single concessionaire, Aramark Parks and Destinations, that operates all three of the park’s lodges. And while the four lodges on the Blue Ridge are spaced fairly evenly along the parkway, the three lodges in Shenandoah are clustered within 16 miles of one another.

Off the Blue Ridge Parkway and into Shenandoah National Park

Following a Thursday stay at Peaks of Otter Lodge, we drove north under blue skies to the terminus of the parkway at Waynesboro, Virginia. We decided to drive down the mountain into town for a few groceries, gasoline ($2.42 compared to $2.78 that we would find in Shenandoah NP), and a stop at the public library to email Kurt the Peaks of Otter story.

On The Road Through The National Park System

We are beginning the ultimate 2010 road trip: North along the 469-mile length of the Blue Ridge Parkway followed by 105-mile-long Skyline Drive that winds through Shenandoah National Park. Then west to St. Joseph, Missouri, to follow the Oregon Trail to Oregon City, Oregon, before returning via the route followed by Lewis & Clark along the Columbia and Missouri rivers.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.