Views, Trails, and Bears.

Shenandoah National Park. 

Appalachian Trail Marker at an Overlook.

Since I live near Shenandoah National Park, I visit there frequently. Skyline Drive is the road that traverses the length of the park, and it was built with beautiful views in mind.

Although I usually enter the park at Front Royal, I sometimes make it a point to drive south to U.S. 211 and concentrate on the central part of the park.

The Appalachian Trail runs close to Skyline Drive through much of this section. There's a sign introducing it In Pinnacles Picnic Area, elevation 3400 feet.

There are also a number of signs warning visitors to avoid bears and never feed them. Bears that get accustomed to humans as a food source become a problem. Here it became necessary to place a cage-style bear trap in the picnic area. Bears are sometimes relocated but this is problematic because a bear will walk long distances to return to his home territory.

I haven't gotten any bear pictures lately so I'm resorting to a photo of a bear diorama from a visitor center.

Also in the visitor center are some souvenirs. I liked this shirt showing a camping van spilling over with park scenery. 

Linkups: Signs and Fences. 

Last week I visited Skyland, a resort that predates the National Park. Here we see Massanutten Lodge, preserved from that time period. It looks like it badly needs some exterior work though.

Park Maps and Alerts.

There's a stable at Skyland where you can arrange a trail ride. I was tempted but feared that it would leave me too sore to drive! 

Today's final picture is a selfie of sorts, taken using a time delay on my camera. This is at Skyland.