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Where to ride in MD
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Shenandoah
National Park 3655 US Hwy 211 East Luray, Virginia 22835 540-999-3500 The four entrances to the park are at I-66 and Route 340 to the north entrance at Front Royal, Route 211 to the central entrance at Thornton Gap, Route 33 to Swift Run Gap, and I-64 to the Rockfish Gap entrance at the southern end of the park and the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Speed limit for the Skyline Drive is 35mph. Daily Fee (Vehicles) $10.00 To prevent conflict with other trail users, horse may be taken only into areas designated for their use. Horse trails are marked with yellow blazes; these include most of our fire roads. The Appalachian Trail (white blazed), Nature Trails, and other hiking trails (blue blazed) are for foot traffic only and are not maintained for horses. The paved roads and developed areas in the park (such as lodges and campgrounds) have high vehicle traffic and other visitor use and are not suited for horses. Use of horses in these areas is prohibited. Trail Maps We recommend PATC Trail Map #9 for the trails in the North District, from US Hwy 211 to Front Royal. Map #10 shows the trails in the Central District, between US Hwy 211 and US Hwy 33. Map #11 is for the South District, south from US Hwy 33 to Waynesboro. Horse trails are specifically shown on these maps, which are sold throughout the park and local stores. (visitor centers: Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (mile 4.6), Harry F. Byrd, Sr. Visitor Center (milepost 51), Loft Mountain Information Center (mile 79.5)) Hitching Posts Hitching posts have been placed in areas of high horse use. Please use them wherever provided. Please don't tie your horse to a tree; the horse's pawing causes "doughnuts" of eroded areas around the tree, compacting the soil and killing tree roots. Pickets and other tethers or restraints that will not damage trees or other vegetation should be used where hitching posts are not available. Grazing is not permitted; you must bring your own feed for your horses. We encourage the use of pellets or certified clear feed for your animals, since oats and hay bring damaging nonnative grass species into the park. Parking of Trailers Many horses are trailered into the park and ridden out on the horse trails from points on Skyline Drive. Trailhead parking may be very limited, on both Skyline Drive and the park boundary access points. Please be considerate: do not block private property or park access roads. Please remember to clean up after your animals in the paved parking lots and around high-use developed areas. Safety Concerns Please slow down to a walk when you pass hikers. There may be vehicle traffic on several of the fire roads; please ride single file until they pass by. No unattended horses: please leave someone to watch the horses while your group is away, especially in Big Meadows, Skyland, and other developed areas. Young children have been known to approach horses and may be kicked or bitten. Bears are present in all areas of the park and may frighten your animals. Picnic tables have been placed near hitching posts in developed areas for your convenience while you rest with your horses. Reporting accidents and getting help: in an emergency, please call the Park Communications Center at 1 (800) 732-0911. Cell phones have limited range from many trails. Pay phones are located in most developed areas in the park, including lodges, campgrounds, visitor centers, gas stations, and entrance stations. |
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