Description

Elevation: 898 ft.

The recently acquired Rude’s Hill Shenandoah River Park provides access to the North Fork of the Shenandoah River and the surrounding fields and woodland. The owners of the property hope to develop a natural and historic trail along the river and have picked a fine spot to focus their efforts. The massive sycamores along this stretch of the river are gigantic as the river’s cool, clean waters rush quietly by their roots. Birds to look for in this area include great blue and green herons, wood duck and belted kingfisher. On occasion, osprey or bald eagle may stop by for a little fishing. The neighboring fields host indigo bunting and eastern kingbird in the summer and flocks of red-winged blackbirds, common grackles and European starlings in autumn. Careful inspection of the banks and floating vegetation in the river should produce dragonflies such as eastern amberwing, common green darner, widow skimmer, and eastern pondhawk. Butterflies are just as numerous with dominant spicebush and eastern tiger swallowtails, hackberry emperors and eastern tailed-blues swirling about in all directions.

Directions

From I-81, take Exit #269/Rt. 730. Go east on Rt. 730 for 0.3 miles to Rude’s Hill Shenandoah River Park on the right.