Big Meadows facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Big Meadows Site
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Big Meadows in Summer
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| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Nearest city | Luray, Virginia |
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| Area | 0.1 acres (0.040 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 85003172 |
| Added to NRHP | December 13, 1985 |
Big Meadows is a super fun area inside Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, USA. It's located in Madison County and Page County. You can find this beautiful meadow right on the Skyline Drive at Milepost 51.
Big Meadows has a special visitor center named after Harry F. Byrd. There's also a cozy lodge, a camp store, and a big camping area. Lots of hiking trails start here. One cool trail, the Mill Prong Trail, leads to Rapidan Camp. This was a fishing spot for President Herbert Hoover from 1929 to 1933. Today, it looks just like it did back then!
In 1935, President Roosevelt officially opened Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive right here at Big Meadows. This area is also known for its huge snowfalls! During the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962, Big Meadows got 33 inches of snow in just one day. The total snow from that storm was 42 inches. In the North American blizzard of 1996, Big Meadows set another record with 47 inches of snow. Because of its history, the Big Meadows Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
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Fun Things to Do at Big Meadows
Big Meadows offers many exciting activities for visitors. You can enjoy a meal at the dining hall or find souvenirs at the gift shop. There are also special trails for horses.
Staying at the Lodge
If you want to stay overnight, Big Meadows has several lodges. Each guestroom in the lodge has a stone fireplace. Don't worry, the building has modern heating too! The fireplaces are mostly for decoration, making the rooms feel extra cozy.
Camping Adventures
The Big Meadows Wayside has a large campground with about 200 spots. It's well-equipped with a shower building and laundry facilities. You can also buy firewood and basic supplies at a small office.
Awesome Hiking Trails
There are several great hiking trails to explore:
- Lewis Spring Falls: This trail follows the famous Appalachian Trail. It's about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long from the main campground to the falls. It's an easy path with dirt and pebbles, and a few fun rocky parts.
- Dark Hollow Falls: This trail starts near the Byrd Center. It's 0.7 miles (1.1 km) to the waterfalls. The trail is very pretty and wide. Just remember, it can be a bit steep on the way back up!
Blackrock Mountain Views
The top of Blackrock Mountain is very close, only 0.3 miles (0.5 km) from the campground. It's the highest point in Big Meadows. From here, you get amazing views of the Shenandoah Valley.
Exploring The Big Meadow
A special part of the campground is called The Big Meadow. It's right next to the camp store and the Byrd Visitor Center. Campers love to walk along the grassy paths here. They often look for tasty blueberries and blackberries.
Sometimes, bears get to the ripe berries before hikers do! If you go for an early morning walk, you might even spot bears around the edges of the meadow.
Amazing Wildlife
Big Meadows is home to lots of friendly animals. You'll see white-tailed deer, chipmunks, skunks, squirrels, and many different birds. These animals are used to people being around.
Deer and Bears
The deer are often looking for food from campers. Park rangers ask people not to feed them, but the deer still wander through the campgrounds all day. It's not unusual for a deer to take food right from your hand! You might also see black bears during the day. They are usually not aggressive. No bear attacks on humans have ever been reported here. The park provides special metal lockers to keep your food safe from bears at night.
Skunks and Snakes
One thing to watch out for is the skunk population. Like the deer, they search campsites for food. If a skunk gets scared at night, you might notice its smell! Smart campers make sure no food is left on the ground. They also keep their tent flaps closed to stop skunks from getting inside.
Other wildlife includes snakes, but they are pretty rare. The park has rattlesnakes and copperheads, which are venomous. But there are also harmless snakes like garter snakes.
Images for kids
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Entrance to the Big Meadows Lodge
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Woods at Big Meadows; a mother bear and two cubs are barely visible at center
