Wow, what a view! That’s what I kept saying today as I visited the Park of the Month, Sky Meadows State Park.
The rolling meadows in the fall at Sky Meadows State Park
Sky Meadows State Park sits on 1,864 acres, with wooded areas and rolling pastures. There’s even a historic farm, capturing life from colonial times through post-Civil War in the Mount Bleak House. Tours are even offered the Mount Bleak House from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. if you inquire in the Visitor Center.
The Historic Mount Bleak House built in the 1800s
If you’ve never visited this park it’s a must! There is plenty of hiking to do even with access to theAppalachian Trail (A 2,180 mile long trail stretching from Maine to Georgia). Three miles of the Appalachian Trail are within the park boundaries. The park has 9.5 miles of bridle trails, 19 miles of hiking trails, and 8 miles of bike trails. The park opens at 8:30 a.m. to dusk.
What an opportunity to hike!
If you are an avid camper, then you’ll love the parks primitive hike-in camping spots. What better way to rough-it and get away from everything and back to nature.
An example of a campsite (Number 5) at Sky Meadows State Park
Sky Meadows features a rich history and also special events throughout the year and coming up in October is their Fall Farm Festival, stay tuned to learn more about this park of the month!
The park is less than two miles south of Paris, Va., via U.S. Route 50 to Route 17 South; or seven miles north of I-66, Exit 23 on Route 17 North. The park’s main entrance is on State Route 710.
Its address is 11012 Edmonds Lane, Delaplane, Va. 20144-0710.
Drive Time: Northern Virginia, 45 minutes to one hour; D.C., over one hour; Richmond, two hours; Tidewater/Norfolk/Virginia Beach, three hours; Roanoke, two and a half hours.