About an hour and a half from the hustle and bustle of DC is an oasis of mountains, running
brooks, waterfalls, wildlife and oh so many flowers. This oasis is Shenandoah National Park. And it's a place where you can literally watch the hawks making lazy circles in the sky... (name that tune!).
There is an entrance fee to enter the park, but the wonders you can see are worth the minimal fee for a car load of friends or family. There are books written on the many miles of hiking trails and lookouts to
help you plan your trip. I prefer to just spontaneously escape to the mountains for a leisurely drive, stop at the lodge for lunch and 
stop when we see something beautiful. You can also take a picnic lunch or take a guided Ranger tour. There's a schedule of events available Online for more information.
The wildflowers begin to bloom in the early Spring and bloom into the Fall. Flowers such as Butterfly weed, violets, trillium, pink lady's slippers, mountain laurel, touch-
me-nots, goldenrod and asters grow in profusion along the roads and trails. Hiking paths reveal fairy glens where sun peeks through the tree tops to pattern the forest floor. And the stones in the 
bottom of the brooks can look like copper coins glistening in the sun.Make no mistake, this is a national park with wildlife and you should always be careful of the animals who make the park their home. We saw a baby bear once and scrambled out quickly before mama bear realized we were there! I just chalk it up to a little extra excitement for the price of admission.
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