NPS · Virginia

Shenandoah Wilderness

The 197,000 acres of Shenandoah National Park stretch for 80 miles along the Blue Ridge Mountains, which form the eastern boundary of the Appalachian Range. The valley to the west holds the Shenandoah...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Shenandoah Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byNational Park Service
StateVirginia
Size79,579 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1976, by Congress
Center point38.6086, -78.3119
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 11)

Boundary map

10 outlines

Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground

The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Shenandoah Wilderness30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 2.85 inches of precipitation, 6.1 inches of snowFebruary: 2.45 inches of precipitation, 2.7 inches of snowMarch: 3.58 inches of precipitation, 6.2 inches of snowApril: 3.51 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowMay: 4.21 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 4.76 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 4.12 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 3.77 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 5.42 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 3.17 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowNovember: 3.21 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowDecember: 3.10 inches of precipitation, 3.0 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 33.1°F averageFebruary: 36.5°F averageMarch: 43.2°F averageApril: 53.8°F averageMay: 62.0°F averageJune: 69.7°F averageJuly: 73.7°F averageAugust: 72.1°F averageSeptember: 66.1°F averageOctober: 55.4°F averageNovember: 45.3°F averageDecember: 37.4°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Luray 5 E, 5 miles from the center point at 1,400 feet, station USC00445096 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 44 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 19 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.

Where to camp

Campsite Atlas →

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 8 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 149 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Shenandoah Wilderness?

79,579 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Shenandoah Wilderness?

The National Park Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Shenandoah Wilderness in?

Virginia.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Shenandoah Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1976.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Can I camp at Shenandoah Wilderness?

No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Mathews Arm Campground, 0.3 miles out. 8 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Where to camp

How do I get to Shenandoah Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 38.609, -78.312. Shenandoah National Park is 3 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at Shenandoah Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 11 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.

Source: NASA Black Marble

Which national parks are near Shenandoah Wilderness?

Shenandoah National Park (3 mi) and Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park (13 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.

Source: Nearby on the other atlases

Are there historic places near Shenandoah Wilderness?

149 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Washington Aqueduct and Corbin, George T., Cabin.

Source: Register Atlas

Sources

  • Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
  • Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
  • Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
  • Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
  • Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.