Go prepared into Shenandoah National Park so you don't turn into the subject of a search mission/NPS file

Shenandoah National Park in Virginia might not be as horizon-stretching, rugged, and wild as Denali National Park in Alaska, but people still are heading out into the park unprepared for what they might encounter, according to park officials.

Park staff continues to experience an increase in emergency calls, prompting park officials to remind visitors of the need to plan their hiking trips and be prepared. This is especially important during the upcoming colder months when weather is more unpredictable and can be dangerous at higher elevations.

Last weekend Shenandoah rangers responded to several accidents with injuries and conducted a late-night search for an overdue group of hikers. The search for four adults began at about 9 p.m. when the park’s communications center received a call reporting the group overdue from a hike. A team of NPS search and rescue rangers was dispatched to the call. The rangers located their vehicle at a trailhead and hiked into the backcountry; they were able to find the group at about 2 a.m. The hikers were cold, tired, and hungry, but otherwise uninjured.  

“We have encountered numerous situations that could have been prevented or mitigated with proper planning. Hiking in Shenandoah National Park is a wonderful recreational activity, and your experience will be even better if you are fully prepared for the conditions you may encounter in this mountainous wild place,” said Shenandoah Superintendent Pat Kenney.