Skyland Resort facts for kids
Skyland Resort is a fun hotel and resort located inside Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. It's a great place for families and visitors to stay while exploring the beautiful park.
Skyland Resort was first built way back in 1895! It was originally called Stony Man Camp. It was placed at what later became the highest spot on the famous Skyline Drive, offering amazing views of the Shenandoah Valley. It sits at 3,680 feet above sea level.
How Skyland Resort Started
A young man from Washington, DC named George Freeman Pollock built Skyland Resort. His family owned a lot of the land around the resort. George wanted Skyland to be a special place where wealthy people from big cities could come to relax and have fun. When it first opened, it was even advertised as a "dude ranch," which meant guests could experience a Western-style vacation, often with horseback riding. Back then, people traveled to Skyland by horse or wagon, as cars weren't common yet! It even had a competitor nearby called Panorama Resort, which opened later in 1924.
Skyland and the National Park
Around 1931, Shenandoah National Park took over Skyland Resort. The famous Skyline Drive was then built right past it. Usually, when national parks are created, old buildings are removed to return the land to its natural state. However, Skyland was special! Instead of being torn down, its buildings were kept and even expanded. This means that visitors today can still stay in these historic accommodations and enjoy the resort, just like people did over a hundred years ago.
Images for kids
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The booking office where guests checked in.
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The restaurant and gift shop at Skyland.
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"Bushytop" is one of the cozy lodge buildings.
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"Vollmer" is a cabin on the resort property.
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The parking area with lodge buildings in the background.
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Massanutten Lodge, which now has exhibits about the resort's history.
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The coffee shop at Skyland in 1948.
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An "Indian Pow-Wow" event held at Stony Man Camp.
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