Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Holidaymakers in Virginia and Maryland have a double opportunity to step out along the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or simply looking for a picture postcard spot to break up a journey, the ‘people’s path’ and America’s first National Scenic Trail runs through both states.

Often called the Appalachian Trail, or simply AT, the 2,175-mile long footpath winds its way through 14 eastern states from Maine to Georgia. It evolved from the vision of regional planner Benton MacKaye who wanted to preserve the scenic, wooded lands of the Appalachian Mountains as a wilderness belt and retreat from urban life. The trail follows the ridgeline of the mountains, crossing many of its highest peaks, and running, with only a few exceptions, almost continuously through unbroken countryside.

Virginia has two claims to fame. It’s home to both the largest section of the trail - 550 miles - and the longest footbridge, the 623ft bridge at James River. The plant life on Virginia’s section includes thickly-growing wild blueberry bushes, which have helped sustain many a hungry rambler. Maryland has 41 miles of the trail and offers some easy walks, making it a good place for hikers to find out if they are ready for more rugged sections. The trail is famous for its many hardy walkers called thru-hikers, who attempt to walk the length of the trail in a single season.

You do not need a permit to walk the AT, but overnight camping permits are required in some areas.

Assateague Island National Seashore

This dramatic and romantic barrier island off the eastern coast of Maryland and Virginia is famous for its wild horses and many visitors have fond childhood memories of being introduced to the animals through Marguerite Henry’s famous book Misty of Chincoteague. A man-made landmark is the equally recognisable Assateague Light, the 142ft lighthouse located on the southern Virginian end of the island.

Local folklore describes the horses as survivors of a shipwreck off the Virginia coast, and whilst this tale of struggle and survival is undeniably popular it’s more likely that they are descendants of horses brought to barrier islands like Assateague in the late 17th century. Whatever the truth, these tough horses provide a breathtaking spectacle. They are split into two main herds, one on the Virginia side and one on the Maryland side of Assateague.

Equally hardy is the plant life that has made its home on the shifting sands and salt marshes of the 37-mile island. Plants like sea rocket have fleshy, thick-skinned leaves to store water and withstand the salty environment of the beach and lower dunes, whilst higher up the American beachgrass has adapted by growing additional stems in order to survive.

There are two road entrances to Assateague. The north entrance is at the end of Route 611, eight miles south of Ocean City, Maryland, and the south entrance is at the end of Route 175, two miles from Chincoteague, Virginia. To make the most of your visit stop off at one of the visitor centres located near both entrances or join one of the ranger-led walks.

Blue Ridge Parkway

British travellers may have comedy duo Laurel and Hardy to thank for their first introduction to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia when The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, the song from their 1930s film, was released in 1975 and achieved chart success. But the first sighting of the famous mountain range is always guaranteed to be an equally big hit, and there’s no better place to view it than from the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Dubbed America’s favourite drive, the road runs for 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina. The first section of the picturesque route, through the mountain chain that’s part of the Appalachian Mountains, was completed by private business investment before the First World War. It marked a major feat of engineering with 26 tunnels that had to be hewn through solid rock. The northern end the parkway begins at Rockfish Gap, near Waynesboro in Virginia.

Whichever section of the route you join you’re guaranteed spectacular panoramas and a host of attractions along the way, many of them celebrating Appalachian culture. The many Virginia highlights include a collection of old farm buildings at Humpback Rocks, Whetstone Ridge, which provided many a mountain man with a fine-grained knife sharpening stone, and the historic Mabry Mill where visitors can see the old gristmill, sawmill and blacksmith’s shop and watch craftsmen demonstrating traditional skills during the summer and autumn months.

Look out for a host of special events being organised to mark the Blue Ridge Parkway’s 75th anniversary in 2010.

Colonial National Historical Park

Take an unforgettable journey back in time at the Colonial National Historical Park in Virginia’s Hampton Roads region. The park spans the timelines from pre-colonisation, through Colonial Virginia, from the end of English Colonial America through the American Revolutionary War and from America’s Independence to the Civil War.

The park includes Cape Henry - where Captain Christopher Newport and the Jamestown settlers landed in 1607 - Historic Jamestown– site of the first British colony – and Yorktown Battlefield – which marked the final major clash of the American Revolution.

It also includes the Colonial Parkway, a scenic 23-mile road linking the historic triangle of Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg and Yorktown. For those who prefer to follow in the footsteps of the people that made history there are battlefield tour routes and trails designed for walkers.

When it’s time to move back to the present day, the park is a haven for nature lovers. There are more than 200 species of birds and the wildlife includes deer, raccoon, opossum, red tail fox, mink, bald eagle and wild turkey. During the spring the fields are covered with a colourful carpet of wild flowers and in the autumn the forest and tree-lined parkway become a kaleidoscope of reds, orange, and browns.

The Historic Jamestown Visitor Center and Yorktown Battlefield Visitor Center are open daily from 9am to 5pm, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. All park grounds close at sunset. A seven-day pass costs $10 for adults and children under 15 are admitted free. Shuttle buses run between the different sites in the park.

Shenandoah National Park

When you gaze across the horizon from the peaks of Shenandoah National Park it’s hard to believe you’re just 75 miles from the bustle of Washington DC. Yet the park will transport you deep into the heart of nature within a relative stones throw of the US capital.

Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains the long and narrow park - which varies in width from less than a mile to 13 miles - stretches 105 miles from its northern entrance at Front Royal to its southern entrance near Waynesboro. The broad Shenandoah River and valley lie on the west side, with the rolling hills of the Virginia Piedmont to the east. Almost half the land in this awe-inspiring region has been designated as wilderness.

Four distinct seasons make Shenandoah a new and exciting place to visit at any time of year. Although it is best known for its vibrant autumn foliage, it is equally picturesque in spring when the wild flowers and trees are in full bloom. Summer brings lush greens and there are equally dramatic changes in the winter when the park turns into a winter wonderland, often blanketed in snow. The clear skies and bare trees of winter also make the park’s vistas magnificent and wildlife tracking and viewing are particularly rewarding.

For those with a head for heights, the tallest peak at over 4,000ft is Hawksbill Mountain and the large rounded boulders on the top of Old Rag, Shenandoah National Park’s most popular peak, were formed by weathering phenomena known as spheroidal weathering.

Skyline Drive

Natural beauty needs to be enjoyed at a relaxed pace, and there can be few more leisurely drives than the Skyline where the speed limit is 35mph along its entire 105-mile length.

Skyline Drive, a National Scenic Byway, crosses Shenandoah National Park (covered in a separate listing) and is the only public road through the park. It takes about three hours to drive the whole route on a clear day, but if you have less time to spare you can still enjoy sections of the route as there are four entrances to Shenandoah and the Skyline Drive can be joined from any one of them.

Mileposts are used to mark the road and point out different areas of interest. They begin with 0.0 at Front Royal and continue to 105 at the southern end of the park. The halfway point at milepost 51 is the site of Big Meadows, with its large campsite and recreational facilities.

There are 75 look out points that offer stunning views of the Shenandoah Valley to the west or the rolling piedmont to the east. The park purposely leaves the roadsides unmowed so wildflowers put on a show all year long. In early spring you can see trillium peeking through the grass, June’s display of azaleas is always spectacular and cardinal flowers, black-eyed susans, and goldenrod keep the colour coming well into autumn.

Also keep your eyes peeled for wildlife as the park’s residents include white-tailed deer, black bear, raccoons, opossum, skunk, birds, red and grey fox, beaver, river otter, mink, weasel, woodchuck, rabbit, squirrel and cute chipmunks.