Winchester/Frederick County

• Civil War Orientation Center
This center is a wonderful first stop for those seeking an overview of Winchester/Frederick County's Civil War experience. An interactive touch screen kiosk lets you navigate and explore your own areas of interest before visiting the Civil War sites. Brochures for self-guided walking, driving and biking tours are also available at 1400 S. Pleasant Valley Road, Winchester. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

• Guided Civil War Walking Tour of Old Town Winchester
Sept. 16, Oct. 7 and 21 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. experience the Civil War as a civilian in Old Town Winchester. Learn about the citizens and the events that took place in Winchester during that stirring period of time. Make your reservation by calling 542-1326, and meet your guide at 2 N. Cameron St. in Winchester. Admission is $5 per person, payable to your guide.

• Guided Civil War Walking Tour of Middletown
Starting at 2325 First St., Middletown, on Sept. 17 and Oct. 15, re-live the history of Middletown from a civilian's point-of-view, and experience the stirring events that took place during the Civil War. Call 868-9176 to make reservations. Meet the National Park Service guide at 2325 First St. at 11 a.m. The walk will last till noon and is totally free.

• Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation
Kids' Civil War History Camp is on Sept. 18 at 8437 Valley Pike, Middletown. Children ages 7-14 are "mustered in" and experience the many aspects of soldier life with hands-on activities. For further information and reservations call 869-2064 or visit www.cedarcreekbattlefield.org.

• Belle Grove Lecture Series will take place on Sept. 21 at 336 Belle Grove Road, Middletown. The plantation invites you to attend any one or all three lectures by renowned Civil War and Shenandoah Valley historians. Admission is $5 per person; pre-registration is appreciated but not required. Visit www.bellegrove.org or call 869-2028 for additional dates.

• Civil War Weekend is Sept. 24-25. Civil War sites throughout Winchester and Frederick County will provide unique opportunities to experience life as it was during the Civil War. Through living history demonstrations, battlefield and cemetery tours, and more, Winchester- Frederick County's Civil War story will come to life in unforgettable ways. For more information, call 877-871-1326 or visit www.visitwinchesterva.com.

• Civil War Weekend event at Rose Hill will kick off the weekend's events on Sept. 24 at 1850 Jones Road, Winchester, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley will open its Rose Hill property for this family-focused day at the site of the Civil War's First Battle of Kernstown. Interact with living-history interpreters, play 19th-century children's games, and explore the battlefield on self-guided walking trail tours. The band Loose Strings will play Civil War-era music. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on the grounds. Ultimately lost by Confederate forces, this site was Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's only tactical defeat of the war. Free to MSV members and children ages 12 and under; all others: free with purchase of MSV gallery admission on Sept. 24, or $5 for Rose Hill only ($5 admission payable at Rose Hill.)

• Civil War Weekend events at Kernstown Battlefield are all packed into Sept. 24. Starting at 610 Battle Park Drive, Winchester, the day's events include: 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m., professor Jonathan A. Noyalas will present tours and discussions throughout the day; 10:30 a.m., Kimball and Jackson clash at Kernstown; 12:30 p.m., Kernstown's Bloodiest Battle: Crook vs. Early; 2 p.m., Home Front to Front Line: The Pritchard Family's Civil War. Tours will last approximately one hour and are free. For further information call 869-2896 or visit www.kernstownbattle.org.

• Civil War Weekend events in Stephens City are also going on Sept. 24-25. Stop by 5408 Main St., Stephens City, on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. to be a part of the weekend's events that will tell the story of the Civil War era from life on the home-front, with an event titled, "Home-Front Fashion." A special presentation on Saturday at 1 p.m. will discuss and showcase women's fashion trends and dress patterns in the mid-19th century. Family-friendly activities, demonstrations of typical home life in the Civil War era, and the Newtown History Center will be welcoming visitors to this multi-day event. Reservations are required for some events, and can be made by calling 869-1700. Visit www.newtownhistorycenter.org for more details.

• Civil War Weekend at Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters where, on Sept. 24 and 25, Stonewall Jackson will meet and greet hundreds of his visitors. His headquarters are located at 415 N. Braddock St., Winchester, and will be open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. for the special event.
• Guided Driving Tour of Cedar Creek Battlefield starts at 8437 Valley Pike, Middletown, on Oct. 1 and will last from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The tour, using a car-caravan system (visitors follow the ranger's vehicle), will cover the Battle of Cedar Creek in a chronological fashion. This free 13-mile journey follows the major events of the fighting and includes five or six stops at the key landmarks. Tours begin at the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation Headquarters. For additional info visit www.nps.gov/cebe or call 869-3051.

• North-South Skirmish Association Fall Nationals commemorates the heroism of men, on both sides, who fought in the American Civil War, 1861-1865. On Oct. 5-9, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, come to 480 Chalybeate Spring Road, Winchester, for a variety of events including skirmishes (the shooting of Civil War firearms and artillery), programs for children, dances, dress competitions, cooking demonstrations, sutlers row, and more. Visitors are encouraged to attend the free activities. Go to www.n-ssa.org or call 888-4334 for more information.

• An American Turning Point, The Civil War in Virginia Panel Exhibit will be at the Handley Regional Library, 100 W. Piccadilly St., Winchester, Oct. 3-17 during library hours (closed Sundays). Comprised of images, interpretive text, and a companion website designed for use on mobile devices, this exhibition circulates nationwide. Visit www.handleyregional.org or call 662-9041 for details.

• Guided Walking Tour of Kernstown Battlefield
On Oct. 8, go to 610 Battle Park Drive, Winchester, at 11 a.m. to learn about the Kernstown battle from an expert who will guide you through troop movements. The hour long tour is free. For further information call 869-2896 or visit www.kernstownbattle.org.
• 147th Anniversary Cedar Creek Battlefield Re-enactment Thousands of re-enactors will "re-create" the last great battle in the Shenandoah Valley on Oct. 14-16 at 8437 Valley Pike, Middletown. Witness daily cavalry, artillery, and infantry demonstrations, battle re-enactments, troop encampments, band concerts, church services, medical displays, special lectures and more. For more information and reservations call 869-2064 or check out www.cedarcreekbattlefield.org.

• Belle Grove Remembers: Civil War Commemoration & Living History set to take place Oct. 15-16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Belle Grove will commemorate the 147th anniversary of the Battle of Belle Grove or Cedar Creek through various activities and living history events. For more information call 869-2028 or go online to www.bellegrove.org.

• Guided Civil War Walking Tour of Stephens City
From 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 22, discover the people who lived in Stephens City and the stirring events that shaped their lives as the Civil War raged in and around the town during 1861-1865. Reservations are required by calling 869-1700. The tour is $5 per person, and you can meet your guide at the Newtown History Center. Visit the website at www.newtownhistory center.org for additional information.

• "Twelve Days of Christmas" Candlelight and Daytime Tours of Belle Grove Plantation Throughout December, enjoy the magic of an old-time Shenandoah Valley Christmas. The plantation house is beautifully decorated for the holidays by area garden clubs, much as it would have been when its original residents occupied it. For more information go to www.bellegrove.org or call 869-2028.

• Candlelight Tour and Open House at Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters, 15 N. Braddock St., Winchester, on Dec. 2 and 3. Experience a Confederate Christmas through the decorated house and living history interpreters who will be throughout the house and museum grounds. Enjoy some Southern hospitality in the house that General Jackson's wife called their wartime home. Come Dec. 2 from 7 to 9 p.m. or Dec. 3 from 1 to 5 p.m. Visit www.winchesterhistory.org or call 662-6550 to learn more.

• Victorian Candlelight Ball First Presbyterian Church, 116 S. Loudoun St., Winchester, will step back in time on Dec. 17 from 6 to 10 p.m. Dance and be merry at this free family-friendly Victorian holiday event, complete with caroling and holiday treats for all. Members of the Victorian Dance Ensemble will demonstrate and teach many traditional Victorian dances to the magical sounds of the Susquehanna Travellers (so no dance experience is needed). Show up in period, casual, or formal attire. Visit www.winchester.gov/parks/specialevents or call 662-4946 for more information.

Shenandoah County

Just as Civil War sites stud the rest of the East Coast, Shenandoah County is full of churches, cemeteries, mills and more that have a Civil War connection. Undoubtedly the biggest annual event commemorating the county's Civil War history is the re-enactment at the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park each spring.

The battle stands out in history because of the participation of the Virginia Military Institute Corps of Cadets. In other words, basically college students were called upon to fight. According to the museum, they marched 80 miles in four days in the rain to help bring a victory to the Confederates on May 15, 1864.

The 148th Anniversary Re-enactment is slated for May 19-20, 2012, according to the park museum's website.

On Oct. 29, a Spirits of New Market ghost tour will be held, and other events are scheduled at the site throughout the year. For more information, go online to www2.vmi.edu/museum/nm/index.html. For more information about other sites in Shenandoah County, visit its official tourism site at www.shenandoahtravel.org.

In Strasburg, the Hupp's Hill Civil War Park, at 33229 Old Valley Pike, opened earlier in 2011 and now features a visitors center as well, with a grand opening for the facility set for Sept. 24.

The Civil War park is operated by the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation and features walking trails through Civil War earthworks and a museum with displays about Shenandoah Valley battles and the how they affected the lives of women and children in the area.

Hours are 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and Friday-Saturday, and 1-4 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, go online to www.cedarcreekbattlefield.org.

Loudoun County

• The 17th Mississippi Regiment in Aldie will come to life through a history presentation of Confederate troops demonstrating military drilling and camp life. The event will take place Oct. 15-16 from noon to 5 p.m. at Aldie Mill Historic Park, 39401 John Mosby Highway, Aldie. For more details call 703-327-9777.

• Witness the First-Ever Re-enactment of the Battle of Ball's Bluff from Oct. 21-23 at Ball's Bluff Battlefield Regional Park in Leesburg. Being the second largest to take place in the county during the Civil War, this historic event will be re-created for the first time by 1,000 re-enactors. At nearby Historic Morven Park, visitors can witness drill demonstrations, tour "open" regiment campsites, talk with sutlers and explore a HistoryMobile traveling exhibit, among other activities. A full weekend schedule, tickets and more information are available at c.

• Understand the Impact of Ball's Bluff by going to Morven Park, home of Westmoreland Davis, progressive farmer and governor of Virginia from 1918 to 1922. The sesquicentennial will be commemorated there with an exhibit featuring a collection of relics and artifacts that tell the story of Ball's Bluff and its impact on the the Civil War and the home life of Loudoun residents. The free exhibit is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and runs Oct. 8-30, at the park in Leesburg. More information is available at www.morvenpark.org.

Prince William County

• Beyond the Battlefield; Civil War Sites in Prince WIlliam County Van Tour
On Sept. 17 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. take a trip through history. Prince William County witnessed three major battles and many skirmishes, but the impact of the war reached far beyond the battlefields. Homes, businesses and towns were ravaged by the armies. This tour will highlight the plight of citizens in the county and share their stories of hardship and survival. Sites and activities include a walking tour of Occoquan, visits to Brentsville, Liberia Plantation, Haymarket and Chapman's Mill. The $80 per person cost includes admission to sites and a boxed lunch. Contact 703-365-7895 or go to www.pwcgov.org/historicsites for more information.

• New Market Battlefield State Historical Park will offer its Spirits of New Market ghost tour on Oct. 29. On the tour, which is realistic but family-friendly, guests will interact with characters they would have run into on the evening of the Battle of New Market. The tours will begin at 7 p.m. and be offered every 15 minutes until 8:45 p.m., when the last tour will begin. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for youths, and children under 6 are free. Call 740-3101 or email weatherholtz bj@vmi.edu for more information.

• Darkwood Manor, Virginia's premier theatrical and interactive haunted house at 104 N. Hawksbill St., Luray, will be open in October. This is not a typical frightening venue, as they not only spend the off-season working on detailed sets and movie-quality makeup, but this year The Vampire Witherspoon Brothers will bring their Necromancer show to add a little extra fright. Come and see just how brave you are on Friday and Saturday nights from 7 to 11 p.m. and Sunday nights starting Oct. 9 from 7 to 10 p.m. VIP fast pass tickets are $20, and normal passes are $10. For more information, call 743-2408, email lurker@darkwoodmanor.net or visit the website at www.darkwoodmanor.com.

• Haunted Nightmares at Hill High Farms in Winchester is one of the local favorites when it comes to haunted houses. This indoor attraction is complete with guided tours, live actors, automated props, fog machines, black lights, loud sounds/music, strobe lights and areas of total darkness. For those who can't handle the journey, there are exits along the way. The farm itself is open other times, but for a nightmare of an adventure, the house is open Friday 7-10 p.m. and Saturday and Sundays 1-10 p.m. for all of October. Daytime tickets (Saturday and Sunday 1-5 p.m.) are $10, and evening/night tickets are $12. If you have questions, call 667-7377 or visit the website at www.hauntednightmares.net.

MT. JACKSON -- This weekend event may sound familiar, but the Mt. Jackson Apple Harvest Bluegrass Festival on Oct. 8-9 is all new.

In years past, Mt. Jackson put on an Apple-Grape Harvest Festival, but had to cancel it last year. A group of concerned citizens, unhappy with the cancellation, came together a few months later and formed the Mount Jackson Festival Foundation. Joe Proctor and Willie Meadows, president and vice president of the foundation, "started the venture about eight months ago, and [have] been working hand in hand since," said Meadows. "We're just really tickled that it's finally happening."

As usual, admission is free for the weekend, and you can find parking Saturday at Food Lion, or at the Native American Industry on Saturday and Sunday. If you're having trouble finding a spot close by, Shenandoah Caverns is providing its bandwagon to take people to the festivities or just around town.

The actual festival will be located at the recently finished Visitors Center Park, just north of the town hall. Everything will take place there except for Sunday's car show and petting zoo, which you will find in the Food Lion parking lot. There will be very minimal street closings, according to Meadows.

While the committee is still in the planning process, so far there are 15 confirmed food vendors and 45 craft vendors. The food vendors will all serve different types of local cuisine and "there shouldn't be any overlapping," said Meadows. He emphasized that the entertainment, and the craft and food vendors are all local. "It's all about people getting to know their neighbor," he said.

The Mt. Jackson festival will also be alcohol free, stressing that it is meant to be family oriented.

Local art and craft vendors will demonstrate things like glass-blowing, a blacksmith, chair-caning and a man who inserts edible mushrooms, which will continue to grow, into logs. Meadows is also hoping to hold a few old-fashioned festival contests like pie-eating, pie-baking and maybe even a three-legged race. The bluegrass element was added to the festival's name because it's a favorite genre throughout the area. However, not all the entertainment will be strictly bluegrass.

"Well we've been asked, 'What are you gonna do if not all the music is bluegrass, won't people be upset?' and I just say we paint the grass in front of the town hall blue," Meadows said with a laugh. "That's a joke, of course."

The Mt. Jackson Apple Harvest Bluegrass Festival is still planning for this year's event, so if you have additional questions, call 477-3115, visit www.mtjff.com or look up the Mt. Jackson Festival Foundation on Facebook.

If You Go

• Info: 540-477-3115
• Web: www.mtjff.com

Long known for its balloons, this is the first year the balloons -- still a part of the festival -- aren't planned to launch, according to Angela Anderson, the director of events at the Historic Long Branch estate.

That doesn't mean balloon rides won't still be available, however.

About five balloons will be tethered or on static display, throughout the weekend, she said, and paid tethered balloon rides will still offer festival goers the chance to go 300 feet up and back down in a balloon's basket.

Anderson explained that the festival failed to get the permission of all surrounding property owners to land, which is necessary "because a balloon doesn't have a brake or a steering wheel." Weather conditions for the October event have also been an issue in the past, she explained.

One new feature of this year's event will be beer sales, according to Anderson. Virginia Eagle distributors will be offering one domestic and two handcrafted beers on site, she said, to offer people something to sip on besides the usual wine available during the festival.

The balloon fest offers lots of free activities for children including inflatables, balloon shapes, face-painting and hula-hoop demos.

An entire children's annex tent will offer crafts and other activities, sponsored this year by the Clarke County High School cheerleaders.

The festival kicks off on Friday, Oct. 14, from 4 to 8 p.m. when there will be musical performances; lit, tethered balloons; and a pumpkin glow. People can bring in their own pumpkins for the even before 6 p.m.

The festival will be in full swing Oct. 15-16 with wine tasting, live entertainment, festival food and a wide selection of unique and handcrafted items for sale.

Long Branch is a 19th century brick estate located in Millwood in Clarke County.

Tickets for the Hot Air Balloon, Wine & Music Festival are $10 for adults on Friday and $20 on Saturday and Sunday. Wine tasting is $20 per day, and beer tickets are available for $5 each. Weekend passes are also available.

If You Go

• Info: 877-868-1811
• Web: www.historiclongbranch.com

By Laetitia Clayton - lclayton@nvdaily.com

The changing of the leaves -- from green into bright reds and golds -- may be one of the main reasons visitors come to the Northern Shenandoah Valley each fall, but many of them also come for Virginia wine.

And there is plenty to chose from. The number of the state's wineries has grown from 40 in 1988 to about 200 today, said Annette Boyd, director of the Virginia Wine Marketing Office. In the Northern Shenandoah Valley alone, there are eight vineyards.

Visiting the area's wineries is not just an autumn pastime, of course, but it's one of the best times to do so, Boyd said.

"October is Virginia Wine Month, and has been for the past 23 years," she said, citing the ideal weather, coupled with the picturesque locales of most vineyards.

"It's just a good fit," Boyd said. "The leaves are turning ... it is one of the most beautiful times to visit Virginia."

Emma Randel, who has owned and operated Shenandoah Vineyards in Edinburg since 1976, said October is the busiest time of year at her vineyard, followed by summer.
Shenandoah Vineyards is the third-oldest winery in the state, and the oldest in the Shenandoah Valley, Randel said.

Each fall, Shenandoah Vineyards celebrates the grape harvest with a festival, including a grape-stomping event, she said.

"And that's a lot of fun," Randel said. "Come wearing white and be prepared to stomp purple grapes."

The 32nd annual Harvest Festival was held Sept. 10, and included wine tasting, tours, wine appreciation seminars, crafter, a children's tent, pony rides, live music, food and a BMW Car Concours, which is a competition about how well the cars are preserved, Randel said.

Another event at Shenandoah Vineyards sometime this fall is the release of Rhapsody in Red, a "dry, red blend," Randel said.

"We had it about 15 years ago," she said. "We had the right blend of grapes to do it again."

With 15 acres under vine, things will be busy at the vineyards when harvest begins, Randel said, which can be any time between August and October, but takes place mostly in September.

Randel encourages people to stop by the winery this fall whether they live here or are visiting, "because of the happy experience .. we have a deck covered with grape vines, a view of the Massanutten Mountains and the leaves changing."

And, of course, the winery will have plenty of its best-selling wine on hand to drink -- the Shenandoah Blanc. And for a tasting fee of $5, there are 12 wines to sample.

Jim Bogaty, who owns and operates Veramar Vineyard in Berryville, has events year-round, but agreed that fall is one of the best times to visit Virginia's vineyards.

"October is the best weather in Virginia," he said. "It's the least amount of rain, it's not too hot, not too cold. We have more weddings in October because the weather is so perfect."
Bogaty said fall also is one of the most exciting times at the vineyard.

"It's harvest time," he said. "There's so much excitement and joy in bringing in the crop. ... Those great big clusters of Virginia grapes coming in to make wine."

The harvest time of year is call "crush" or "harvest crush" in the wine world, Bogaty said.
Veramar also offers volunteer opportunities for people to help pick the grapes, he said, as well as a "wine camp," which he called a "wine adventure for adults." It's usually a three-day weekend event where participants shadow Bogaty as he goes about his daily tasks.

"They are doing everything that I do on the vineyard," he said. "They stay with me in my house for those days. Of course we drink a little wine and break a little bread."

It offers people a chance to really see how a vineyard runs, he said, and Veramar has been offering the camps for five years. Harvest is probably the best time to sign up for one, but they also are offered at other times during the year, like pruning and bottling in the spring, Bogaty said. For more information, visit www.veramar.com.

Veramar also has a vineyard site near Round Hill, where they make an Argentenian-style wine, Bogaty said.

He pointed out that visitors who come to his vineyards (and many others in the state) are supporting a locally grown product and family-owned operations.

"We're not a corporation," he said, adding that his whole family helps out with the business. "We grow every grape locally here, keeping our carbon footprint to a minimum."

By Jessica Wiant - jwiant@nvdaily.com

It was painstakingly pieced together by Civilian Conservation Corps members on land that was in many cases controversially taken from the farmers who'd laid claim to it generations earlier. Seventy-five years later, it's easy to pace along the winding Skyline Drive -- taking in deer and bear, flora and fauna -- without so much as considering Shenandoah National Park's storied history.

In fact, being surrounded by such spectacular views and so little civilization has a way of quieting the mind in general.

Maybe that's what drew two businessmen to found Skyland Resort -- first called the Blue Ridge Stonyman Park Preserve -- way out in the Blue Ridge Mountains west of Washington, D.C., all the way back in 1889.

Building up nature

Years later, Shenandoah National Park was authorized by Congress after a committee thoroughly reviewed several sites in search of good land for a park, according to an article by cultural resources specialist Reed Engle at www.nps.gov.

Among the promoters of the region was the son of one Skyland's founders.

Construction on Skyline Drive began in 1931, and the park was officially established in 1935, according to the National Park Service. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated it on July 3, 1936.

The CCC was charged with removing all evidence of human occupation, Engle wrote in another article. Homes and other outbuildings that belonged to mountain families were dismantled and community structures burned.

"Many 20th century occupation sites in Shenandoah are invisible today due to the CCC's mandate to return the land to its 'natural state,'" the article says.

The CCC "improved" the view by removing dead chestnuts, deadwood and other growth. Slopes were flattened, curves along the drive adjusted, and guardrails and walls constructed. Stone gutters were added and plants replaced by landscaping from CCC camp nurseries or commercial sources.

By the numbers

More than 100 miles in length and running through eight counties -- Rockingham, Greene, Madison, Rappahannock, Page, Warren, Augusta and Albemarle -- Shenandoah National Park, 75 miles from the nation's capital, was envisioned as an East Coast slice of nature for city dwellers.

In 1934, when the first 33 miles of Skyline Drive opened to the public, an estimated 50,000 people drove it in the first five weeks.

Today, the park and its Skyline Drive are fixtures on Virginia's list of most visited tourist attractions. For 2007-2009, Shenandoah National Park stood as the fourth most frequently visited, with the Appalachian Trail (which runs through the park in points) in the fifth spot and the drive itself at No. 7, according to a report by the Virginia Tourism Corp.
The park covers a remarkable 197,458 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The drive is 105 miles, beginning at Front Royal and meandering through the mountain ridges before ending at the entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway at Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro.
The drive has 75 overlooks, each offering a unique view of the valley below.

The park also features two visitors centers, 518 miles of hiking trails, hundreds of camping sites, three lodges, five food service outlets and six merchandise outlets.
And for all the folks taking advantage of so many amenities, there is also plenty of nature on display: The park's 75th anniversary website, www.celebrateshenandoah.org, lists that there are more than 1,300 plant species, 32 species of fish, 27 species of reptiles, 18 different kinds of snakes and more than 200 species of birds, to name just a few.

The park also features more than 90 streams, several waterfalls and more than 60 different peaks.

What to do

Whether its a ranger program offered by the National Park Service or a fall festival offered by the park's concessionaire, ARAMARK, there is always plenty going on within the big boundaries of Shenandoah National Park.

This fall, special events include free admission to the park on Sept. 24 for National Public Lands Day.

On that day, an exhibit called "Shenandoah Views," featuring the winners of photo contests held throughout the region, including Front Royal, will open at Skyland Resort, according to park spokeswoman Karen Beck-Herzog. The opening will be held at 3 p.m. and the exhibit will continue through Oct. 6, she said.

Also that day, a Civilian Conservation Corps reunion is planned from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Massanutten Room of the Big Meadows Lodge.

A Wilderness Weekend is set for Oct.15-16 at Big Meadows Lodge within the park, according to Beck-Herzog. The event features a demonstration of the traditional tools used in the forests of the park. The tools are used, as opposed as power tools, because of much of the park land's wilderness designation.

"Wilderness really does have special meaning," she said.

Ranger-guided programs are offered weekly through October.

For those looking for a little more guidance, good places to start an adventure in the Shenandoah National Park are the two visitor centers, Dickey Ridge Visitor Center at mile 4.6 and Harry F. Byrd Sr. Visitor Center at Milepost 51.

At Skyland Resort and Big Meadows Lodge, two of the concessions contracted by ARAMARK, activities like wine tastings, basket making, live music and guided horseback trips are offered on a regular basis.

Of course, if striking off on your own is more your thing, hundreds of miles of trails and acres of forest are there for hiking -- including 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail -- horseback riding, camping, bicycling and fishing.

Whatever activity you choose, fall is prime time for visiting Shenandoah National Park. Beck-Herzog says as much as 20 percent of the park's annual visits are made in October.
"Fall is definitely the more popular time for Shenandoah National Park," she said. "Obviously the big thing is the leaves."

To be sure, the views from Skyline Drive during peak color season are hard to match.
Whether you visit in the fall or during some other season, both the National Park Service and ARAMARK offer bountiful resources online for planning your trip.

Fall and Winter Hours, Information

• Skyline Drive closes during nighttime hours each year for hunting season, according to park spokeswoman Karen Beck-Herzog.
• This fall, access to the drive will be closed from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. Nov. 7-Jan. 7.
• The drive is still open during daytime hours, and access to the park from other points is still allowed.
• In winter, the park is still open but lodging, food services, campgrounds and visitors centers are closed December-March.
• For more information about winter in Shenandoah National Park, as well as the status of Skyline Drive at any time and other seasonal information, go online to www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/hours.htm.

See Shenandoah National Park App

Highlights:

• Activities: Information on cycling, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, rock climbing, stargazing, swimming and visiting the waterfalls.
• Events: A listing of daily events at the park from April through November 2011. Events will be updated on a regular basis.
• Facilities: Information about the park's visitor centers, resorts, stores, picnic grounds and campgrounds.
• Maps: A map of Skyline Drive and the park as well as trail maps for Dickey Ridge, Mathews Arm/Elkwallow, Panorama, Skyland, Whiteoak Canyon, Old Rag, Hawksbill, Big Meadows, Lewis Mountain, Loft Mountain, Rapidan Camp and Riprap.
• Info: The park's emergency phone number, resort front desk numbers and information about reservations, park entrance fees, camping, pets, bears, firewood and more.

Clarke County

• Clarke County Farmers' Market, at the town parking lot on South Church Street, Berryville, is open mid-May-October on Saturday 8 a.m.-noon. The market offers locally grown seasonal fruits and vegetables, homemade baked goods, bedding plants, herbs, cut flowers and dried arrangements, on-site barbecue, fresh salsa, chicken, beef, eggs, pork and lamb. For more information, visit www.clarkecountyfarmersmarket.com

• Mackintosh Nursery and Fruit Farm, at 1608 Russell Road, Berryville, is open May-November daily 8 a.m.-6 p.m. The farm market offers fresh vegetables, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, paw paws and a variety of peaches and apples. The farm also offers soft-serve frozen yogurt, sundaes and smoothies. On weekends, the market serves lunch and dinner, while on Sundays, breakfast is offered 9 a.m.-noon For more information, call 955-2161 or go online to www.mackintoshfruitfarm.com

Frederick County/Winchester

• Marker-Miller Orchards Farm Market, at 3035 Cedar Creek Grade, is open July 1-Thanksgiving Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. In September and October, the market is also open Sunday noon-5 p.m. The market sells fresh-picked apples, peaches, plums, raspberries and blackberries. The bakery features pies, cakes and apple cider doughnuts as well as jams, jellies, salad dressings, honey and fruit wines. For more information, call 662-1980 or go online to www.markermillerorchards.com

• Richard's Fruit Market, at 6410 Middle Road, Middletown, is open mid-July-Thanksgiving weekend Monday-Saturday 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The market sells fresh-picked peaches, apples, vegetables, pumpkins and gourds. The farm offers pick-your-own flowers. Other items for sale include cider, country hams, jellies, local honey and fall mums. For more information, call 869-1455 or go online to www.richardsfruitmarket.com

• Shawnee Springs Market, at 6656 N. Frederick Pike, Cross Junction, is open daily 6 a.m.-9 p.m. except Christmas Day. The market sells Shawnee Springs brand fruit products, including peaches, fruit butter, preserves, jams and jellies. It also sells fresh-picked white and yellow sweet corn, peaches, apples and other produce and Virginia hams and fresh-baked pies and breads. A deli inside the market serves breakfast and lunch. A pumpkin patch is featured in the fall. Flowers are sold in the spring. For more information, call 888-4164.

• Shen-Val Farm Market, at Virginia Century Farm at 514 Clark Road, Stephens City, is open July-October daily 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Products that are available seasonally are fresh-picked peaches, apples, plums, tomatoes, squash, green beans, peppers, cucumbers, cantaloupe, watermelon, pumpkins, gourds and fall and winter squash. Bushel quantities are available for canning. For more information, call 869-1758 or e-mail shenval@visuallink.com.

• Shen-Val Farm Market has a second location at 2180 Fairfax Pike, about 4.5 miles east of Exit 307 off I-81, Stephens City. It is open April-December daily 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Produce, along with bedding plants, hanging baskets and fall mums, jams and jellies, pickles, country ham and sausage, baked goods and beef from the farm are available. For more information, call 868-0366 or go online to shen-val.com.

• Virginia Farm Market, at 1881 N. Frederick Pike, Winchester, is open April-May and November-first week of December daily 8 a.m.-6 p.m. It's open June-October 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Available for purchase are fresh-picked and select-your-own Virginia freestone peaches mid-July to Labor Day, and apples from late August to December. Call for current varieties. Also available are fresh-baked pies, preserves and jelly, Virginia sugar-cured hams and jug-your-own fresh-squeezed cider. The market also features Pumpkin Land with storybook characters and a photo area Sept. 15-Oct. 31. For more information, call 665-8000.

• Winchester City Market, on the Loudoun Street Pedestrian Mall, is open June-October Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Vendors offer homegrown fruits, vegetables and homemade jams, baked goods and other items like pork and chicken, herbs, flowers, plants and arts and crafts. The market also features live music, cooking demonstrations and local nonprofit groups. For more information, call 662-1713 or email dinerdish@aol.com.

• The Middletown Farmer's Market, at 2325 First St. next to the former Route 11 Potato Chips, Middletown, is open May-October Saturday 8 a.m.-noon. The market offers locally grown and raised products, including pasture-raised pork and chicken, farm-fresh eggs, heirloom vegetables and fruits and berries in season. All products at the market are grown and raised naturally, humanely and free of antibiotics and hormones. For more information, call 550-6476 or e-mail middletownfarmersmarket@yahoo.com.

• Nichols Farm, at 1832 Chapel Road, Middletown, is open August-October Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Fresh-picked cherries, peaches, apples and pumpkins are available seasonally. For more information, call 869-1258.

• Apple Tree Market, at 2454 Northwestern Pike, Winchester, is open May-Dec. 1 daily 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., though sometimes later. The market offers local produce in season as much as possible, but also ships in produce from nearby states. Fireworks, jams, jellies and Route 11 potato chips are also available. For more information, call 667-8754.

• Freight Station Farmers' Market, at 315 W. Boscawen St. in the parking lot of Winchester Little Theater, Winchester, is open May-December Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 8 a.m.-1 p.m. and January-April Tuesday and Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The market offers fruits and vegetables, including all berries and tree fruits, as well as homemade soups, baked goods, preserves, mushrooms, unpasteurized cider and free-range eggs. Plants are also available, and special items include Alaskan fish and Virginia lamb. All produce offered at the market is from local growers and is sold by the people who grow it. For more information, call 304-229-3457 or e-mail mayfairfarm.nowak@gmail.com.

• The Farmers Market at Wayside Inn, at 7783 Main St., Middletown, is open May-October, or until first frost on Saturday 8 a.m.-noon. The market offers only local products, including all-natural beef and lamb during the summer and pork in fall, chicken and turkey eggs, fruit and vegetables, fresh-cut flowers, seeds, native plants, compost and homemade dog biscuits. When weather permits, the market features a petting zoo and live music. For more information call 868-2389.

• Nalls Farm Market, off Va. 7 east toward Leesburg at 4869 Harry Byrd Highway, is open mid-March-December daily 8 a.m.-7 p.m. The market sells a variety of produce including tomatoes, peaches and corn as well as plants, statuary and Adirondack furniture. Pumpkins and Christmas trees sold seasonally. Fruit pies baked fresh daily. For more information, call 955-0004. Can also be found on Facebook.

• Hill High Farm, located at 933 Barley Lane in Winchester, is open for the fall season every weekend at 10 a.m.-5 p.m., mid-September through Oct. 31. Pick-your-own apples and pumpkins galore, and enjoy the bluegrass music, hayrides to The Pumpkin Patch, straw mazes for children, delicious homemade food, farm animals and antique farm equipment displays. The farm also offers a haunted house experience on the weekends. Baked Appalachian apple dumplings, apple butter smoothies, etc. are all made with apples from the orchard. Call 667-7377.

• Hedgebrook Farm, at 690 Shady Elm Road, Winchester, seasonally offers locally harvested pumpkins, apples, honey and peanuts. There are many farm animals that are friendly to interact with, as well as corn and hay mazes. There is also an inn on the property. It is open Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturday noon-4 p.m. For more information, call 869-4100 or go online to www.hedgebrook.com.

Shenandoah County

• Shenandoah Farms Market, at 9354 Orkney Grade Road, Mt. Jackson, is open year-round Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The market sells local, free-range beef, buffalo, lamb, pork, ostrich and eggs. The market also sells cream-line milk and ice cream, cheese, berries, honey, herbs, lettuce, tomatoes, English cucumbers, chocolates, fresh-baked breads, pies and desserts. Ready-to-eat meals and fresh domestic seafood are offered on weekends. Arts and crafts are available, as well as annuals, perennials, vegetable plants, Christmas trees and wreaths in season. For more information, call 477-9794 or go online to www.shenandoahfarms.com.

• Woodbine Farm Market, at 5199 John Marshall Highway at Lebanon Church near Strasburg, is open April-November and on special days in December. Hours 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. The market sells fresh-picked peaches, apples, apricots, plums, pumpkins, vegetables, berries and nectarines and features a bakery. For more information, call 465-2729 or go online to www.woodbinefarmmarket.com.

• The Woodstock Farmer's Market, has moved to the Shenandoah County Fairgrounds in Woodstock. The market is open Saturdays 8 a.m.-noon until October. The market sells a variety of fresh produce, flowers, plants, honey, jams, jellies and berries, homemade breads and cakes as well as decorative gourds and homemade soaps and lotions. For more information, call 459-4917 or e-mail spklong@gmail.com.

• Cristina's Cafe at 219 E. King St. in Strasburg hosts a farmers market in their parking lot mid-May until October on Friday evenings 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Some of the items available are crafts, baked goods, honey, raw goat milk and cheese, free range eggs, fresh produce, value-added products (such as homemade salsa), pork and beef. For more information, or if you're interested in becoming a vendor, call 465-2311 or e-mail ccafe@shentel.net.

Warren County

• Sunflower Cottage, at 150 Ridgemont Road east of Middletown, is open March-December Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday noon-6 p.m. The farm offers fresh-picked herbs, vegetables and baked goods. It features a workshop series, a tea room and a full service garden center with flowers, trees, shrubs, bulk mulch and lawn furniture. A labyrinth and gardens are also on site. For more information, call 869-8482 or go online to www.sunflower cottage.net

• The Front Royal Farmer's Market is held behind the gazebo on Main Street in downtown Front Royal every Thursday 3-7 p.m., and every Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m., June through October. Parking is available in the gazebo parking lot, or along Laura Virginia Hale Place. While at the market you can check out several vendors selling soil, chemical free fruits and vegetables, gourmet cookies and cakes, hearty soups, local honey, meats, flowers and even local artwork. For more information, call 635-8413.

• The Burwell-Morgan Mill is off U.S. 50 in Millwood, on Va. 255. The 18th-century mill was established in 1782 and is the oldest operable merchant mill in the Shenandoah Valley. 837-1799 or 955-2600 www.clarkehistory.org


• The Josephine School Community Museum and African-American Cultural Center is housed in a restored black public school built circa 1882. 955-5512 www.jschoolmuseum.org


• Long Branch Historic House and Farm is on Va. routes 624 and 626 in Millwood. Since the early 18th century, the rolling hills of the estate have been owned by a series of famous men -- Lord Culpeper, Lord Fairfax and Robert "King" Carter. A young George Washington helped to survey the property. 877-868-1811 www.historiclongbranch.com

Frederick County/Winchester

• The Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum, which opened in 1996, features interactive, hands-on exhibits and programs that focus on the sciences, mathematics, humanities and the arts. Weekend programs and summer camps are available. 722-2020 www.discoverymuseum.net


• George Washington's Office Museum served as Washington's military office from September 1755 until December 1756, when he served as a commissioned officer in the Virginia militia. The museum is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday from noon-4 p.m., April 1-Oct. 31. 662-4412 www.winchesterhistory.org


• The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley and the Glen Burnie Historic House and Gardens offer an impressive collection of fine art and antiques in four permanent galleries and one rotating gallery. The 1794 house and the gardens are open March-November. The museum is open year-round except on major holidays. 888-556-5799, ext. 235 www.shenandoahmuseum.org


• The Old Court House Civil War Museum, in Winchester, occupies the former Frederick County Courthouse on the Loudoun Street Mall. 542-1145 www.civilwarmuseum.org


• The Newtown History Center, on Main Street in Stephens City, is operated by the Stone House Foundation and offers exhibits and tours of the town's rich history. 869-1700 www.newtownhistorycenter.org


• Abram's Delight, built in 1754, is the oldest house in Winchester. 662-6519 winchesterhistory.org


• Belle Grove Plantation is an 18th-century grain and livestock farm offering events throughout the season including a Living History Camp for Kids. Daily tours are available April-October. 869-2028 www.bellegrove.org

Shenandoah County

• The Strasburg Museum is a former steam pottery plant built in 1891, that later became a train station, and in 1970 became a museum featuring exhibits on Strasburg history, including pottery, Native American artifacts and displays from the railroad era and the Civil War. The museum is open daily May-October. 465-3175 www.csonner.net/museum.htm


• The hands-on Stonewall Jackson Museum includes exhibits on nine battles from the 1862 and 1864 Valley Campaigns of the Civil War. The museum is open seasonally or by appointment. 465-5884 www.stonewalljacksonmuseum.org


• The Fort Valley Museum is at Dry Run Road and Fort Valley Road in Fort Valley. Upcoming events are the grand opening on Memorial Day, an ice cream social on Aug. 26 from 2-5 p.m. and Christmas in October, Oct. 24-25. Museum is open May 23-Oct 25. 933-6036 www.fortvalleymuseum.org


• The Woodstock Museum, also known as the Marshall House, is one of the oldest homes in Woodstock, reportedly built before 1772. The museum is open May-October. 459-5518


• The Wickham House, a large frame residence north of the Walton building, is typical of early log homes in 18th-century Woodstock. The house is at the end of the historic Lawyers Row. Admission is free through the Woodstock Museum, which has owned the Wickham House since 1989.

Warren County/Front Royal

• The Warren Rifles Confederate Museum, in Front Royal, is owned and operated by the Warren Rifles Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and houses a collection of memorabilia from the Civil War. The museum is open Apr. 15-Oct. 31. 636-6982 or 660-0941


• Ivy Lodge houses a museum of local history, a gift shop and the Warren Heritage Society office. 636-1446 www.warrenheritagesociety.org


• The Balthis House, constructed in the 1780s, is the oldest house on the oldest street in Front Royal 636-1446 www.warrenheritagesociety.org


• Belle Boyd Cottage was the Civil War home of Confederate spy Belle Boyd and is operated as a period museum. 636-1446 www.warrenheritagesociety.org


• Stonewall Jackson Headquarters, was used by Jackson after he took command of the Valley Army during the winter of 1861-1862. 667-3242 www.winchesterhistory.org

A free pamphlet on fishing regulations and seasons is available at licensing agents and each county clerk's office or by writing or calling the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries at 4010 W. Broad St., Richmond 23230. 804-367-1000 www.dgif.virginia.gov

A health advisory, issued by the Virginia Department of Health, recommends against eating fish caught between the confluence of the Shenandoah River and the West Virginia line in Clarke County, and on the North Fork from the confluence of Passage Creek downstream, and on the South Fork from the Mountain Road bridge to the main stem.

The advisory was issued in the 1980s for possible polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination on the bottom of the river and for mercury contamination. PCB is an organic, man-made carcinogen.

State residents ages 16 and older are required to obtain a fishing license before fishing on inland waters, and non-residents older than 12 need a license. Anyone needing a license also needs to purchase a National Forest Stamp when fishing in waters within the boundaries of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, except on the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah River. A separate trout license is required when trout fishing in designated stocked waters from Oct. 1 to June 15. Licenses are sold at authorized agents located throughout the region. www.dgif.virginia.gov

Frederick County/Winchester
Two designated trout streams are available:

• Paddy Run, on Va. 600 in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.


• Hogue Creek, which runs perpendicular to Va. 679 and U.S. 522, northwest of Winchester.

• Wilkins Lake, in Jim Barnett Park in Winchester, is open daily from dawn to dusk. The three-acre lake is stocked with trout.


• Sherando Lake, at Sherando Park on Va. 277 east of Stephens City, offers bass and perch and is open from 8 a.m. to dusk.


• Clearbrook Lake, at Clearbrook Park on U.S. 11 north of Winchester, offers trout and perch and is open from 8 a.m. to dusk.


• The Cove Campground in Gore offers fishing facilities. A fee is required for fishing. The facility's three lakes are stocked with various kinds of fish. 858-2882. www.covecampground.com


• The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries maintains the 117-acre Lake Frederick, near the intersections of U.S. 340, U.S. 522 and Va. 277, east of Stephens City at Double Tollgate. The lake is stocked with bass, sunfish, walleye, channel catfish and crappie. Lake Frederick is open 24 hours.
  
  Boating is permitted only with electric motors. A boat ramp is on site, as well as a privately owned bait and tackle shop with boat rentals.

Shenandoah County
Access points for boats to the Shenandoah River are available at the following locations:

• Moreland Gap Road, between Interstate 81 and U.S. 11 at the Shenandoah Caverns exit.


• Chapman's Landing, near Narrow Passage on the west bank of the North Fork, accessed on Chapman's Landing Road off U.S. 11, 2 miles north of Edinburg.


• Strasburg Community Park, on Queen Street in town, along the river at the end of the park's right of way.


• Elsewhere in the county at low water bridges. Most of the river flows along private property, so permission to fish or access the river there must be obtained from the owner.

• Big Stoney Creek west of Lantz Mill on Va. 675.


• Mill Creek in Mt. Jackson, off Bryce Boulevard.


• Paddy Run at Paddy Gap, off Zepp Road at the Shenandoah-Frederick County line.


• Passage Creek in Fort Valley's Elizabeth Furnace Recreation Area, off Va. 678.


• Peter's Mill in Little Fort, Fort Valley, off Va. 758.


• Tomahawk Pond south of Orkney Springs on Va. 610, via Va. 263.


• Upper Passage in Crisman Hollow, Fort Valley, off Va. 678.

• Fort Valley Ranch in Fort Valley offers catch and release year-round, including mostly large mouth bass. 933-6633 or 888-754-5771 www.fortvalleystable.com


• Orndorff's Rainbow Trout Farm, at 5140 Zepp Road, Maurertown, also offers public fishing opportunities. The farm is open March-September on weekends 8 a.m.-5 p.m. 436-3384


• Murray's Fly Shop Guide Service offers fish guiding on the Shenandoah River and nearby tributaries. 984-4212. info@murraysflyshop.com


• The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries maintains a mile stretch of Passage Creek in front of the Front Royal Fish Cultural Station, 3957 Mountain Road in Strasburg.

  This area is a catch-and-release stream from Oct. 1 to June 1.

Warren County/Front Royal
The North and South Fork of the Shenandoah River are among the nation's best for smallmouth and largemouth bass, rock bass, redbreast sunfish, bluegill, muskellunge and channel catfish.

• Trout and regular fishing is available along a mile stretch of stream in Front Royal's Gertrude E. Miller Park. 635-7750 www.warrencountyva.net


• Lake Culpeper, a two-acre, man-made lake at the Northern Virginia 4-H Educational Center, 600 4-H Center Drive in Front Royal, offers public fishing for catch and release. 635-7171

• Catlett's Ford Road, off of Guard Hill Road, 4.1 miles from the North Fork Bridge does not have a ramp but is public and suitable for launching a canoe or similar small craft. Be cautious when launching from this landing, because the Riverton Dam is 3.5 miles downstream.


• Riverton Landing is one of the county's only public points of access to the North Fork and is located on the North Fork's west bank, above the confluence of the two forks. Access is on U.S. 340-522 north of Riverton. A gravel parking area and a concrete ramp geared for power boats are on site.


• Indian Hollow Boat Launch, on the west bank of the South Fork, is about a mile west of Bentonville on Indian Hollow Road, across the low-water bridge. There is a two-acre parking lot and a gravel ramp.


• Karo Landing is five miles south of Front Royal, on the east bank of the South Fork near the entrance to Gooney Run. Accessed by U.S. 340, the site has a parking lot and gravel ramp.


• Simpson's Landing is at the end of Downing Farm Road and has a gravel parking lot, walkway and ramp. It is one mile downstream from Karo Landing.


• Front Royal Boat Landing, the last ramp on the South Fork, is near Front Royal's pumping station at the end of Luray Avenue. Constructed for canoes, the landing is gravel, and the site also has a parking lot. Front Royal Landing is six miles, and a three- to four-hour float trip from Simpson's Landing.


• Morgan's Ford Low-Water Bridge, four miles north of Front Royal on the east bank of the Shenandoah River, is off Happy Creek Road at the end of the low-water bridge. The area has a gravel lot and a one-acre parking area.

  The nearest landing downstream is 11 miles and a five- to six-hour float away at the U.S. 17-50 boat landing in Clarke County. Boaters must portage around a dam at the Riverton Landing.

Frederick County/Winchester

• Battle of Cedar Creek Campground, near Middletown. Open year-round for RVs and tent campers. 46 RV sites, 20 tent sites. Features include swimming pool, horseshoe pits. 869-1888


• Candy Hill Campground, Winchester. Open year-round. 100 sites. Features include recreation room with billiards and games, shuffleboard, restrooms, laundry facility, store, swimming pool, basketball and volleyball courts. 662-8010 www.candyhill.com


• The Cove Campground, south of Gore. Open daily Memorial Day-Labor Day, weekends year-round. 125 sites, cabins, shelters and restrooms. Features include beach volleyball court, mountain biking trails, three lakes open for swimming, fishing and boating, rifle and archery ranges and hiking trails. 858-2882 www.covecampground.com


• Log Cabin Campground, Cross Junction. Open April 1. 30 tent sites, 30 RV sites. Special facilities with wood-burning stoves and refrigerators. 888-3461 www.thelogcabincampground.com


• White Oak Tradingpost and Campground, Stephens City. Open year-round. 32 campsites. 869-2539

Shenandoah County

• Elizabeth Furnace Family Campground, Lee Ranger District of the George Washington National Forest, near Fort Valley. Open year-round. 32 sites. Group camp available with reservation. Picnic area and fishing available. 984-4101 www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/lee


• Camp Roosevelt, Lee Ranger District of the George Washington National Forest, near Edinburg. Open mid-May-mid-October. 10 camp sites. RV dump station. 984-4101 www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/lee


• Little Fort Campground, Lee Ranger District of the George Washington National Forest, near Fort Valley. Open year-round. Nine sites. Adjacent to ATV trail complex. 984-4101 www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/lee/recreation/camping/little_fort.shtml


• Creekside Campground, Edinburg. Open year-round. 35 sites, 26 of which are full hook-ups. 984-4299 www.creeksidecampgroundva.com


• Endless Caverns and RV Resort, New Market. Open year-round. 27 RV sites with full hookups, seven non-utility sites and bath house facilities. Cave tours with special rates for groups and children. 896-2283 or 800-544-2283 www.endlesscaverns.com


• Fort Valley Horse and Mule Camp, Fort Valley. Camping available April-Nov. 30. 18 sites with water and electric hookups, 18 tent sites and several cabins. Features include catch-and-release fishing lakes, horses for guided trail rides. 933-6633 or 888-754-5771 www.fortvalleystable.com


• Orkney Springs Campground, Orkney Springs. Open year-round. 12 RV sites with full hookups, 12 without sewer. Six tent sites. Coin laundry and bath house facilities. 908-0494 www.campingva.com

Warren County/Front Royal

• Front Royal-RV Campground, Front Royal. Open April 1-Nov. 1. 160 tent/camper sites, 20 cabins. Features include swimming pool, game room, nine-hole miniature golf course, free Wi-Fi, volleyball, basketball and movie rental. 635-2741


• North Fork Resort, Front Royal. Open year-round. 350 camp sites. A member-owned, Recreation USA, Coast-to-Coast and Passport America affiliated resort. 636-2995 www.nfra.com


• Skyline Ranch Resort, Front Royal. Open year-round. 124 tent/camper sites, eight cabins. Features include swimming pool, Jacuzzi, miniature golf course, camp store, exercise room and a summer snack bar and ice cream parlor. For members of Coast to Coast, Camp Club USA, RPI and RCI. Local memberships available. 635-4169 www.skylineranchresort.com


• Gooney Creek Campground, Front Royal. Open April 1-Oct. 31. 46 sites, 26 electric and water sites, four full hook-ups. Public baths and group rates available. 635-4066 www.gooneycreek.com


• Raymond R. "Andy" Guest Jr. Shenandoah River State Park, Bentonville. Open year round. 10 campsites. 622-6840 www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/
  ]]> http://www.seeshenandoah.com/2009/05/camp-sites.html http://www.seeshenandoah.com/2009/05/camp-sites.html Camping Outdoor Activities Places to Stay camp sites camping Fri, 22 May 2009 09:09:00 -0500 The Shenandoah River's calm waters make for a leisurely canoe or tube ride and rapids are ideal for kayaking. Outfitters provide everything from equipment rentals to guides to help you along the way.
  
  
  
  
  • Downriver Canoe Company, at 884 Indian Hollow Road, Bentonville, offers canoe, kayak, tube and raft rentals, transportation, trip organization, maps and instructions. Discount packages are available. 800-338-1963 www.downriver.com
  
  
  • Front Royal Canoe Company, at 8567 Stonewall Jackson Highway, U.S. 340, operates April 1-Oct. 31 and offers canoe, kayak and raft rentals. Mid-week and weekend group discount packages are available. Packages include canoe, paddles, life vests, maps, shuttle service and basic instruction. 800-270-8808 or 635-5440 www.frontroyalcanoe.com
  
  
  • Shenandoah River Trips, now owned by Front Royal Canoe Company, at 8567 Stonewall Jackson Highway, U.S. 340, Front Royal, is open April 1-Oct. 31 and offers a complete line of canoeing, rafting, and kayaking equipment, a full line of bait and tackle supplies, fishing licenses, food items for camping, and camping equipment for rental or purchase. Self-guided trips range from three to 19 miles, and overnight and seven-day trips also are available. 800-RAPIDS1 www.shenandoahrivertrips.com
  
  
  • Shenandoah River Outfitters, 6502 South Page Valley Road, Luray, began the season April 1 and offers canoe, kayak, raft and tube rentals, group specials, camping and cabin rentals and more. 743-4159 www.shenandoahriver.com.
  
  
  
  
  ]]> http://www.seeshenandoah.com/2009/05/canoeing-kayaking.html http://www.seeshenandoah.com/2009/05/canoeing-kayaking.html Canoeing, Kayaking On the Water Outdoor Activities Fri, 22 May 2009 08:52:00 -0500 Riding motorcycles or ATVs is a favorite pastime for those with an adventurous side. Bike shops and ATV complexes have you covered.

  Motorcycles
  
  Shops in the area that provide service and gear for motorcyclists:
  

  
  
  • Grove's Winchester Harley-Davidson/Buell Inc. 140 Independence Drive, Winchester 662-4468 or 800-777-4275 www.hdwinchester.com
  
  
  • Guard Hill Cycle Shop 944 Guard Hill Road, Middletown 869-1085
  
  
  • CR's Trike Shop 952 Yeagers Road, Luray 743-4179. www.crstrikeshop.com
  
  
  • Duc Pond Motosports 663 N. Loudoun St., Winchester 667-3498 www.ducpond.com
  
  
  • Winchester Motosports Open Tuesday through Saturday 722-2688 www.winchestermotosports.net
  
  

  ATVs
  
  Sometimes people get the urge to sling a little mud. Two all-terrain vehicle complexes in the region offer the chance:
  

  
  
  • MotoCove, at 980 Cove Road, Gore, has 35 miles of ATV trails. It's $25 per person per day. 858-2882 www.motocove.com
  
  
  • The Taskers Gap/Peters Mill Run ATV Complex, in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, runs 34 miles. The complex is southeast of Edinburg, in the Edinburg Gap area on Va. 675. Permit required. A daily permit costs $5. Annual permits are $30. 984-4101
  
  
  ]]> http://www.seeshenandoah.com/2009/05/motorcycles.html http://www.seeshenandoah.com/2009/05/motorcycles.html Shopping in the Valley Fri, 22 May 2009 08:39:00 -0500 Frederick County/Winchester
  
  
  
  • Appleland Sports Center, north of Stephens City. Par-3, nine-hole course. Amenities include lighted, three-tier driving range, 18-hole lighted miniature golf course, batting cages, go-carts, golf instruction, full-line pro shop, snack bar and a party room. 869-8600
  
  
  • Rock Harbor Golf Course, Winchester. Par-71, 18-hole course. A second 18-hole course is under construction. Opening is scheduled for spring 2010. Amenities include instruction, practice areas, pro shop and restaurant. 722-7111 www.rockharborgolf.com
  
  
  • Shenandoah Miniature Golf, Gainesboro 888-4407 or 336-3758
  
  

  Shenandoah County
  

  
  
  • Bryce Resort in Basye, west of Mt. Jackson. Par-71, 18-hole course. Amenities include pro shop, food and beverage service, miniature golf, driving range, golf instruction and Monday evening leagues. 856-2124. www.bryceresort.com
  
  
  • Stoney Creek Lilliputt Miniature Golf Course, Basye 856-3698 www.bryceresort.com
  
  
  • Narrow Passage Miniature Golf, Edinburg, at A-Way 2 Play Family Sports Center. Amenities include driving range, go-carts, batting cage, tanning, snack bar, party pavilion and golf instruction by request. 459-1819 www.a-way2play.com
  
  
  • Shenvalee Golf Resort, at New Market. 27 holes on three courses. Amenities include lessons, golf-side motel, pool-side motel, fairway house, putting green, driving range, restaurant and lounge, and pro shop. 740-3181 www.shenvalee.com
  
  
  • Klub House Miniature Golf, north of Edinburg 325-3191 www.theklubhouse.net
  
  

  Warren County/Front Royal
  

  
  
  • Blue Ridge Shadows, Front Royal. 18-hole course. Amenities include hotel and conference center, spa, clinics, lessons, indoor pool, whirlpool, fitness center, practice range, grass chipping and putting area and club shop. 631-9661 www.blueridgeshadows.com
  
  
  • Bowling Green Country Club, Front Royal. Two 18-hole courses. Amenities include pro shop, banquet hall, putting green, all-grass practice area, golf lessons, two full-service kitchens and outdoor wedding area. 635-2883 www.bowlinggreencountryclub.com
  
  
  • Jackson's Chase at Pine Hills Golf Club, Middletown. 18-hole course. Amenities include pro shop, putting green, golf instruction, senior rates Monday-Thursday, driving range and snack bar. 635-7814 www.jacksonschase.com
  
  
  • Front Royal Golf Club, Front Royal. Nine-hole course. Amenities include pro shop, practice green, banquet facility, boat ramp and snack bar. 636-9061 www.warrencountyva.net
  
  
  • Shenandoah Valley Golf Club, Front Royal. 27-hole semi-private course. Amenities include pro shop, banquet facilities, putting green, golf instruction, training and fitting center, driving range, a 1700s bed and breakfast house and a grill room. 636-4653 www.svgcgolf.com
  ]]> http://www.seeshenandoah.com/2009/05/golf.html http://www.seeshenandoah.com/2009/05/golf.html Golf Outdoor Activities Thu, 21 May 2009 13:33:00 -0500
  Clarke County
  • Clarke County Parks and Recreation Department 955-5140 www.clarkecounty.gov/government/department_information/parks_and_recreation.html
  • Youth Football League 571-437-7305
  • Youth Cheerleading 955-9367
  • Clarke County Youth Soccer League 955-9002 www.clarkesoccer.org
  • Youth Basketball League 955-3076 www.clarkecountyyouthbasketball.com
  • Little League Baseball and Softball 955-2147 www.eteamz.com/clarkecountylittleleague
  Frederick County/Winchester
  • Frederick County Parks and Recreation Department 665-5600 www.fcprd.net
  • Winchester Parks and Recreation Department 667-1815 www.winchesterva.gov/parks
  • Blue Ridge Youth Soccer Association 662-6380 www.brysa.org
  • Frederick County National Little League 869-4763 www.eteamz.com/fcnll
  • Frederick County American Little League 678-3390 www.eteamz.com/fcall
  Shenandoah County
  • Shenandoah County Parks and Recreation Department 984-3030 www.shenandoahcountyva.us/parks_new
  • Woodstock/Edinburg Little Leagues 459-1981 www.eteamz.com/woodstock_edinburg/index.cfm
  • Strasburg Little League 465-9519 www.strasburglittleleague.com/index.htm
  • Shenandoah County Youth Soccer League 984-8721 www.bestofthevalley.net/scsl
  Warren County/Front Royal
  • Warren County Parks and Recreation Department 635-7750 www.warrencountyva.net/parks_and_recreation.asp
  • Front Royal Midget Football 635-7703 www.frmidgetfootball.com
  • Front Royal Little League 636-7440 www.eteamz.com/frll
  • Warren County Babe Ruth League Baseball 662-0203
  • Youth Soccer League 635-2966 www.frontroyalsoccer.com
  If you'd rather just watch, the Valley Baseball League comprises 12 teams playing in Northern and Southern Divisions. They play a 44-game schedule each summer.
  
  The 2009 season marks the 48th year as an official NCAA sanctioned league and the 17th season as a wooden bat league. www.valleyleaguebaseball.com
  
  The league includes the following area teams:
  • Winchester Royals 662-4466 www.winchesterroyals.com
  • Woodstock River Bandits 804-795-5128 www.woodstockriverbandits.org
  • New Market Rebels 740-4247 www.rebelsbaseball.biz
  • Luray Wranglers 743-3338 www.luraywranglers.com
  • Front Royal Cardinals 636-1882 www.frcardinalbaseball.com
  ]]> http://www.seeshenandoah.com/2009/05/local-leagues-leagues-a-staple.html http://www.seeshenandoah.com/2009/05/local-leagues-leagues-a-staple.html Leagues Outdoor Activities Thu, 21 May 2009 12:52:45 -0500 Clarke County
  • Rose Hill Park, downtown Berryville 955-1099
  Frederick County/Winchester
  • Jim Barnett Park, Cork Street, across from Daniel Morgan Middle School 662-4946 www.winchesterva.gov/parks.
  • Abrams Creek Wetlands Preserve, at 1643 Meadow Branch Ave. Parking is available at the Abrams Crossing commercial center on West Jubal Early Drive, and walking and biking to the preserve is encouraged. 662-4946. www.winchesterva.gov/parks.
  There are also the following neighborhood parks:
  • Elk Street Park, on 405 West Lane
  • Friendship Park, on Bruce Street between Battle Avenue and Kerr Street off Pleasant Valley Road
  • Frederick Douglass Park, behind the Douglass Community Learning Center on North Kent Street
  • North-East-South-West Park, between North, East South and West streets
  • Overlook Park, 50 Montague Circle
  • Park Place, 2024 Harvest Drive
  • Rolling Hills Park, on Valley Avenue in the Rolling Hills subdivision
  • Shawnee Springs Preserve Park, 301 E. Pall Mall St.
  • Tevis Street Park, adjacent to Frederick Douglass Elementary School
  • Timbrook Park, on the corner of East Lane and Piccadilly Street
  • Weaver Park, on the southern end of the city, off Papermill Road
  • Harvest Ridge Park, 805 Crestview Terrace
  • Whittier Park, 900 Whittier Ave.
  • Stephens City's Town Commons has a shelter and a stage. The town park, behind Locust Street, has baseball fields. 869-3087
  • Middletown Community Park, off Senseny Road and Second Street 869-2226
  Shenandoah County
  • Mt. Jackson's Town Park, 326 Wunder St. 477-2121
  • New Market Community Park, 9670 Cadet Road 740-3432
  • Strasburg Community Park, Queen Street 465-9197
  • Woodstock's W.O. Riley Park, 540 Park Ave. 459-3621
  • Edinburg's Madison District Park, 100 Park Road 984-8521
  Warren County/Front Royal
  • Bowman's Park, on Luray Avenue in Front Royal 635-7819
  ]]> http://www.seeshenandoah.com/2009/05/town-parks.html http://www.seeshenandoah.com/2009/05/town-parks.html Outdoor Activities Parks Thu, 21 May 2009 12:48:00 -0500