This year I am working at Dicky Ridge Visitor Center (DRVC) near the North end of Shenandoah National Park where
the elevation is just a little less than 2000 feet. Preveously, I worked at Byrd Visitor Center (BVC), 45 miles further
South at elevation 3535 feet. That is 1500 feet higher. Since spring moves North about 15 miles per day, you would
expect signs of spring to reach BVC first by about three days. But Spring also is slow to move to higher elevations,
at about 100 feet elevation up per day, so BVC is actually about 15 days later that DRVC by that forumual. Since both
formulas are at work, assume BVC will see spring about 12 days after DRVC.
These are not the only factors. Certain species of plants and trees do not even grow at both locations.
Angle and amount of sunlight, soil moisture, soil chemistry, and such also affect when and where something blooms.
When I worked at BVC at this time of year, we were still telling visitors that, "No, the trees are not dead, it just
is not spring here yet." But at DRVC, the dogwoods and especially the redbuds are already in bloom from the entrance
station, at about 700ft, all the way to DRVC. So visitors are seeing a fantastic display of spring colors for four
or five miles as they come in to DRVC and ask, "What is that purple blossoming tree?"
In the next week or two the lowest elevation redbuds will finish and others will begin blooming at higher elevations
as you head south past DRVC. Then you might notice that they don't seem to grow at all at the higher elevations like
at BVC.
So I thought I should share some of that beautiful first four miles of Skyline Drive with you. You should come
see it.
Click on each photo to see it larger.
Photo by Bob Kuhns
Spring on Skyline Drive, looking sout at Mile Post 1.
Shenandoah National Park, VA.
Spring on Skyline Drive, MP1, looking south.
Shenandoah National Park, VA.
Redbut blossoms.
Shenanadoah National Park, VA.
Violets grow just about every where in the park. Here, blooming at MP1.5
Shenanandoah National Park, VA.
The only waterfall that can be seen from Skyline Drive at MP 1.4.
It only runs in the spring or after a heavy rain.
Shenandoah National Park, VA.
Spring MP2.
Shenandoah National Park, VA.
A redbud tree goes crazy.
Shenandoah National Park, VA.
Redbud tree in bloom.
Shenandoah National Park, VA.
Rebud detail.
Shenandoah National Park, VA.
A View from Shenandoah Valley Overlook, MP2.8
Shenandoah National Park
Looking west from outside Dickey Ridge Visitor Center.
Shenandoah National Park, VA.
The Storm is Ending.
Patio at Dickey Ridge Visitor Center
Shenandoah National Park, VA
