A tree house vacation in Skyland, Virginia is an ideal get-away for the entire family. Nestled in the northern section of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Skyland is a place where even the most outdoors-inclines can feel comfortable. Wildlife and nature trails lead visitors to mountain meadows and wetland areas where they can observe many wildflowers and enjoy bird watching. This are really fun and interesting places to visit, especially for children.
Skyland can be accessed via Skyline Drive, which is just one of many roadways that connect the area. Visitors will enjoy great views of the peaks that surround the Shenandoah National Park. The Blue Ridge Mountain Center is operated by the National Park Service and the outdoor activities it offers are ranger led. Biking, hiking, and horseback riding are among the popular activities offered.
Visitors can bike or hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway through the Skyland area and enjoy many trail options that include scenic bike rides, day trips, and more. The Virginia section of the park offers many types of wildlife viewing opportunities. Visitors often see red foxes, white tailed deer and wild turkeys while enjoying the spectacular views of the Birdcage Gorge and other panoramic views.
Many would like to see the gorge, which has a stunning white taint on its water, but too often visitors leave before the taint disappears, which offers a view even without the taint. The hike to Tree Tops is a great place for the entire family to visit. The gorge can be accessed on the historic Skyline Drive that runs through the gorge.
Tree Tops resembles a simple plot of flat land that becomes Tower Tops. There are several flat topped hills surrounded by woods and each topped by a small wooden tower. The tallest spire is 380 feet tall and directly in front of the lodge are three little hills that stand like a chain link fence around the circumference of the covered veranda.
When you arrive, tie the visitor’s leash to the three bond posts in the corners of the veranda and you will forever be grateful for the hospitality and protection the owners exercise in allowing campers to enjoy the scenic views of the Gorge and its natural beauty. The owner of the lodge will always check on you and provide directions to your delight.
Directions: From US withdrawal only, take SR 112 south out of Skyland and then turn left on to Forest Road GB1 and mileage 32.5; then turn right on to Priscilla Lake Road and drive another 19.7 miles to the trailhead.
Priscilla Lake is a lovely place to visit with a parking area directly in front of the trailhead. The lake itself is a glade of about two acres covered by a halftn office building, and boating and fishing is permitted. The sign is quite difficult to see, so bring a magnifying glass if you can’t find it, but the lake is clear.
However, due to the presence of water, the trout are not plentiful, and common snook generally are not seen.
So, if you would love to get out to where Trout frequent, but you don’t want to have to beg an uncle for a few bucks, look no further than a beautiful Rock Creek retreat.
Two friends and I started our Rock Creek Canyon exploration trip by arriving at the sign-in sheet for the Nature Center. The nature center has been operating since 1981, so you’ll generally find amenities such as walking trails, a museum, exhibits, interactive displays and writing workshops spread throughout the grounds.
From the nature center, the trail still provides a substantial amount of the trail and proved to be quite a bit of a challenge. The trail is fairly flat and passes a number of areas, such as a picnic area and a baseball diamond. About 1.5 miles along the trail and beginning near the tower will bring you to Rock Creek Valley Golf Course.
From the golf course, the trail continues to the right and alongside the Tennessee Water Divide on this particular road. The trail on this section of the divide cuts through a drainage and then curves to the left a short distance after this. Continue to some wide, open sand road and then enter into a rare temperate rain forest of the hardwoods or oak and hickory species.
The following wall of water marks the end of the trail as you cross the divide and begin your return trip circling back to the trailhead. The trail back to the parking lot is a fairly decent length of about 4 miles and can be rounded in about an hour. The loop trail back to the nature center is about one mile in length and offers a nice nature walk on the water’s edge at the Water’s Edge Picnic Area and then a short ways round and gently descending down the hill and winding around the fee Station’s parking area.
