Whiteoak Canyon - Shenandoah National Park

Whiteoak Canyon is located just off Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. The park covers 200,000 acres, but this is one of the few areas of easily accessible old growth. The very rocky but well-maintained trail gets more beautiful as one drops down along the small Robinson River. A number of waterfalls may be viewed along this trail. Big oaks, maples, and hop-hornbeams abound, but sadly the big old hemlocks are mostly dead - victims of the wooly adelgid insect. The main trail is 4.6 miles roundtrip, but you can choose to take the extended 7.3-mile trail to the bottom of the canyon and back. If you are seeking a handicap accessible trail, the Limberlost trailhead is 0.5 miles to the south. Trail maps are available on the website.