> Has anyone attended the Wildflower Weekend at Shenandoah > National Park? Can you please share your experiences... > campground full? lectures crowded? > anything else I should know?
I haven't been to that event in particular, but I'd say EXPECT CROWDS at any National Park on a spring / summer weekend... and expect LARGE CROWDS at any *advertised* event in the spring. Last year I went to Shenandoah for what was advertised as the peak weekend for Fall Colors. Oh my gosh, it was crazy. You had to hike just to get to the trail heads since all of the parking lots were overflowed. Tourists, kids, minivans and digicams galore. As for the actual event (Wildflower Weekend), whether you should go really depends on why you want to go. If you *really* want to learn about the flowers, etc., then it should be worthwhile to take the ranger-led hiking tours that are offered all weekend. They are slow, and obviously not exactly one-on-one, but they are super informative. However if you're going primarily to take pictures, then you may be disappointed since the tour group will certainly not wait for you to set up your tripod... and once it's set up you may have to contend with people running into you and haphazardly kicking the tripod legs as they scurry by in herds. One tip to avoid the crowds however is to take the longer (and less popular) hikes. As you go further out, you start to weed out those (i.e., most) who are really not up a hike and rather see what they can from the roadside. The major exception to this rule is Whiteoak canyon trail, which is popular enough to make people hike further than they probably should. Also, from what I've read, it seems like the date for this event may be a little early for wildflower peak bloom. The guy who wrote the following article seemed to have a tad of trouble finding more than a dozen wildflowers so early in the season: http://tinyurl.com/d3cs5 In short, guided hikes and workshops are offered throughout the Spring, but they are just not advertised (and not as frequent). Looking into those opportunities will likely be your best bet. And lastly, if you can, go on a weekday! Compared to elbow-to-elbow crowds you'll find on the hiking trails on the weekends, you'll pretty much have the park (and its resources) all to yourself Monday thru Thursday. But thats pretty much true of any State / National park. Hope that helps, - Jerome _____________________________ Jerome D. Coombs-Reyes, Ph.D. Norfolk State University, Math Dept. http://exposedfilm.net
