Daytrip tp Shenandoah National Park

Yesterday, my son and his girlfriend, my hubby, and I spent the day at Shenandoah National Park. We drove along the Skyline drive enjoying the wildflowers, butterflies and looking for wildlife. I was looking for the Black bears. Sometimes we are lucky to see a Black Bear along the drive.

Along the Skyline Drive there were many different wildflowers. The milkweed plants were plentiful and attracted the beautiful butterflies. I saw Monarchs, different Swallowtails and some butterflies and moths I still need to id.

We walked the looptrail on the Limberlost trail. The Limberlost trail has become my favorite trail at Shenandoah. The Limberlost trail is an easy walk and very pretty. After the walk we drove further down the Skyline Drive to the Big Meadows camp store by this time we were ready for lunch. After our lunch we walk the Lewis Falls trail. This trail was very steep, definitely not one of my favorites. I did see some birds on the trail which was the only part of this walk I enjoyed. The best bird sighting was a couple of female Rose Breasted Grosbeaks and some Eastern Towhees. I also saw what we call our snowbirds... the Junco's.








By this time, I had pretty much giving up hopes of seeing a black bear. We did see a few deer along the drive on the way down to Big Meadows. After a pit stop and recuperating from the exhausting Lewis Falls hike we were once again on the Skyline drive driving back to the North Section and Front Royal. This was my last chance to see the black bears, my eyes constantly watching the sides of the road. We drove the distance from the Big Meadows to the north section with again no luck in seeing any bears. We did see a group of deer, one of them being a spotted baby. They are always cute and nice to see.









Now we are driving the north section of the Skyline drive and finally Black bear jackpot. It was a mother Black bear with two cubs. They were munching on some brush or bushes along the road. Yeah! I was so happy to see the mother bear and cubs. The bear sighting was definitly the highlight of my daytrip to Shenandoah.

We loved watching the Black bear mother with her two cubs until they were finally chased away. Some crazy people just had to get their closeup bear pictures. I do not think these other people even know they are ruining the moment for others who are just enjoying watching the bears. Like me!