Lodging & Dining

LODGING

To make reservations at the following lodging facilities, contact ARAMARK Harrison Lodging, P.O. Box 727NP, Luray, VA 22835; call (800) 999-4714 or (540) 843-2100; or visit online at www.visitshenandoah.com. All facilities accept American Express, MasterCard, VISA, Discover, JCB International and Diners Club. All public areas and lodging accommodations are smoke-free environments. No extra fee is charged for cribs or for children under 16 years old. 

Skyland (Mile 41.7)

Skyland Resort, first called Stony Man Camp, was founded in 1888 by George Freeman Pollock, Jr., who was influential in establishing Shenandoah as a national park. Pollock chose the perfect spot for his summer retreat 3,680 feet, the highest point on the Skyline Drive, he had breathtaking views of the Shenandoah Valley. 

Today, Skyland offers the luxury of modern accommodations with the ambience of the past century reflected in its quaint, rustic cabins. There are 179 guest rooms, some of which are equipped for those with disabilities. 

The Virginia Sky-Line Company began operating Skyland as a resort in 1937. In 1972, ARA Services bought the company, and today, ARAMARK runs the facility as an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service. 

Skyland is open from late March through November. Check-in is at 3 p.m., check-out at noon. Amenities include dining room, nightly entertainment, craft shop, ranger programs, horseback riding and a children's playground. The resort is wheelchair- accessible and although there are no room phones, there is cable TV in some rooms. There will be a limited number of pet friendly rooms available at Skyland beginning in 2007. -

Big Meadows Lodge (Mile 51.2)

The name comes from the large, grassy meadow near the resort. At an elevation of 3,510 feet, it is believed that the meadow was kept open by American Indians to encourage the growth of wild berries and to attract deer, elk and bison to graze. Today, deer can still be seen here, particularly during the evening and early morning hours.

Accommodations at historic Big Meadows include 25 rooms in the main lodge and 72 additional rooms in rustic cabins and traditional-style buildings with modern suites. The original lodge was built with stones cut from Massanutten Mountain in 1939 by the CCC and mountain laborers. The entire interior structure of the lodge, including the paneling, is made from native chestnut trees, which are now virtually extinct due to the chestnut blight that began decimating the population in 1905.

Big Meadows is open from April through early November; check-in at 3 p.m., check-out at noon. Amenities include a children's playground, ranger programs, wheelchair accessibility and TVs in some rooms. There are no room phones, and sorry, no pets. -

Lewis Mountain Cabins (Mile 57.5)

 These cabins feature furnished bedrooms with private baths, lights, heat, towels and linen. Cooking can be done in the outdoor area near the cabin.

The cabins are open from April through October and are wheelchair-accessible. There are no TVs, no room phones and no pets allowed. A coin laundry is available.

Trailside Huts

Seven trailside huts along the Appalachian trail at intervals of eight to 14 miles are open to long-distance hikers who possess a valid backcountry camping permit for three or more nights. These huts are operated by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC). They are located at Gravel Springs (Mile 17.6), Pass Mountain (Mile 31.6), Rock Spring (Mile 48.1), Bearfence (Mile 56.8), Hightop (Mile 68.6), Pinefield (Mile 75.2) and Blackrock (Mile 87.2).

The club also operates six fully enclosed cabins in the backcountry. Each cabin has a table and fireplace, bunks for up to 12 people, a nearby spring and a pit toilet. The cabins include Range View (Mile 22.1), Corbin (Mile 37.9), Rock Spring (Mile 48.1), Pocosin (Mile 59.5), Doyles River (Mile 81.1) and Jones Mountain (reachable from Graves Mill via Wolftown, but not from the Skyline Drive). These cabins are kept locked, so a key must be obtained from PATC by mail prior to your visit. 

Reservations for the trailside huts or backcountry cabins can be made by contacting PATC, 118 Park Street SE, Vienna, VA 22180; (703) 242-0315. 

Accommodations outside the park are available in nearby Front Royal, Luray, Elkton and Waynesboro.

DINING

Restaurants

Dining rooms at Skyland Resort (Mile 41.7) and Big Meadows Lodge (Mile 51.3, one mile off the Skyline Drive) offer fried chicken, mountain trout, prime rib as well as other traditional dishes from the Shenandoah Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains. ARAMARK will also be featuring sustainable and organic items on their dinner menus.

A specialty at both restaurants is blackberry ice cream pie, a graham cracker crust packed with blackberry ice cream and topped with sweetened meringue, then drizzled with blackberry syrup. Both restaurants also offer extensive wine lists, a taproom with "mountain drinks" and nightly entertainment.

Skyland is open from late March through November while Big Meadows is open from late April through early November. Both serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Waysides

Waysides along the Skyline Drive feature lunch counters, snack bars, stores and souvenirs. Elkwallow Wayside (Mile 24.1) is open late March through early November, Big Meadows Wayside (Mile 51.2) is open late March through late November, the Lewis Mountain Campstore (Mile 57.5) is open from early May through October and Loft Mountain Wayside (Mile 79.5) is open early May through late October.

Box Lunches

Box lunches are offered as a special service to picnickers, hikers and anglers. They may be ordered at the restaurants.