Important Notices
| COVID-19 & the VBWTBefore heading out to visit a site on the Virginia Bird & Wildlife Trail, be sure to check if that site has any COVID-19 policies or closures in place. This information is typically posted on a site's own website. |
Sites On This Loop
- MFR01: Caledonia Farm – 1812 – This site has been withdrawn from the VBWT
- MFR02: G. Richard Thompson Wildlife Management Area
- MFR03: Sky Meadows State Park
- MFR04: Snickers Gap Hawk Watch
- MFR05: Smithfield Farm
- MFR06: Blandy Experimental Farm and State Arboretum of Virginia
- MFR07: Lake Frederick
- MFR08: Northern Virginia 4-H Educational and Conference Center
- MFR09: Eastham Park Trail and Front Royal Boat Landing
- MFR10: Massanutten East Route
- MFR11: Elizabeth Furnace
- MFR12: Shenandoah County Park
Description
Front Royal (declared by the Governor to be the Canoe Capital of Virginia) has been a gateway to exploring western Virginia for over three hundred years. Its location at the confluence of the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah River between the Blue Ridge and Massanutten Mountains leads the visitor to some of the finest habitats Virginia has to offer. To the north, mighty sycamores and numerous small streams that flow into the mighty Shenandoah River divide fields farmed for centuries. The Shenandoah winds through the Town of Front Royal from points further south, carving a valley between the Blue Ridge and the 40-mile long Massanutten Mountain. Follow the numerous trails that lead from the Shenandoah Valley to the lower slopes of these impressive mountains. Best experienced by canoe, kayak, or raft, the Shenandoah River offers a refreshing retreat from the summer sun and as the days grow colder, the river becomes a haven for waterfowl. At the valley’s edge where the woods intrude on the fields, ruffed grouse, wild turkeys and white-tailed deer forage and raise their young. Climbing the slopes in spring will lead to an ever-changing assemblage of warblers and culminate in incredible vistas from West Virginia to the Atlantic Ocean. In the fall, these mighty ridges lead thousands of birds of prey south to their wintering grounds and will surely lead the visitor to additional memorable experiences.
Loop Map
Services
Berryville-Clarke County Chamber of Commerce
540.955.4200
[email protected]
Fauquier County Chamber of Commerce
540.347.4414
[email protected]
Front Royal-Warren County Tourism
540.635.5788
[email protected]
Front Royal-Warren County Chamber
540.635.3185
[email protected]
Shenandoah County Tourism
888.367.3934
[email protected]
Shenandoah Valley Travel Association
540.740.3132
[email protected]
Strasburg Chamber of Commerce
540.465.3187
[email protected]
Warrenton-Fauquier County Chamber of Commerce
800.820.1021
[email protected]
Winchester-Frederick County Chamber of Commerce
540.662.4118
Winchester-Frederick County Convention and Visitors Bureau
540.450.0097
[email protected]
Woodstock Chamber of Commerce
540.459.2542
[email protected]