Wyndham Wisdom

Shenandoah Valley Drive

Want to get an American History degree in a long weekend? Take a leisurely drive up the scenic valley of Virginia.

By Charles Coxe

It seems counterintuitive: Even though the scenic beauty makes you think, I could retire today, get a little place on this hill and watch the clouds track across the fields forever, there's something about the Shenandoah Valley that urges you to keep moving. As long as American history has been recorded, the valley has been a natural highway for people on the move. Large armies once passed this way: Bands of Iroquois and Catawba waged war on each other here until the 18th century; and both Union and Confederate forces used the Shenandoah as an avenue of invasion during the Civil War. These days, long-haul truckers fill the rest stops along I-81, driving out of their way to avoid clogged Eastern interstates, while hikers revel in the protected 101-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail that runs through Shenandoah National Park.

Whether you come to soak up the history or the natural beauty (or the wine), one thing is certain: You, too, will inevitably be drawn to see what's just over the horizon.

THE AMERICAN STORY IN HARPERS FERRY
Geographically and historically, the Shenandoah Valley begins at Harpers Ferry, WV, where the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers meet. Robert Harper started a ferry across the Potomac here in 1747, and Quaker and Scottish-Irish settlers from Pennsylvania soon migrated "up the valley," meaning southwest to a higher elevation. Today, this appealing town of 300, much of it a National Historic Park (304-535-6029; nps.gov/hafe), makes an ideal starting point to explore the region's history and natural wonders. (Thomas Jefferson, who visited on his way to Philadelphia in 1783, called it "perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in nature.")

To get a feel for the area's hiking trails and an appreciation for the effort it takes to preserve them, stop in at the Appalachian Trail Visitor Center (appalachiantrail.org; 304-535-6331). View exhibits about the 2,100-mile Georgia-to-Maine trail, sort through a wealth of maps and work with staffers to plan your own hike, whether it's a multiday backpacking trip or a stroll down the trail's easiest mile, which happens to run through town. If you're looking for an adrenaline rush, River Riders offers novice-to-expert white-water rafting and kayaking trips (as well as canoeing and fishing) on the nearby Potomac and Shenandoah rivers (408 Alstadts Hill Rd., Harpers Ferry; riverriders.com; 800-326-7238).

Harpers Ferry's historic buildings give you a peek into colonial and early industrial-era America. But the town is best known for abolitionist John Brown's 1859 raid on the federal armory, a major spark of the Civil War. Hoping to inspire and arm a mass uprising of slaves, Brown's group succeeded in capturing  the armory but became trapped in the neighboring firehouse by local residents. A contingent of Marines stormed the building, led by a young army colonel named Robert E. Lee, and the few survivors, including the wounded Brown, were executed for treason. The firehouse, now called John Brown's Fort, is the only armory building that survives today.

MARCHING UP THE VALLEY
Although the region's larger battlefields--Gettysburg, Bull Run--are better known, nowhere was the fighting more relentless than in the small town of Winchester, VA, which changed hands more than 70 times during the Civil War. The Shenandoah was of strategic importance to both sides. For the Confederacy, it provided both vital farmland to feed the troops and a protected invasion route aimed like a dagger at Maryland, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. For the Union, gaining control of the valley would cut off the main source of food for the enemy and also offer a pathway deep into Southern territory.

So it's fitting that historians still study the brilliant campaign that took place here. In the spring of 1862, it looked like the war might soon be over--Ulysses S. Grant had defeated Confederate armies at Fort Donelson and Shiloh, driving into the deep south, and a massive Union army of 120,000 men was moving on Richmond from the southeast, while another closed in from the north. The situation in the Shenandoah looked even bleaker, with Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's poorly equipped 17,000 men facing three Union armies totaling more than 52,000. But Jackson understood the importance of his task--"If this Valley is lost, Virginia is lost," he wrote--and what he lacked in numbers, arms and food he made up in speed, maps and audacity.

For more than a month and a half, Jackson marched his troops some 25 miles a day, attacking and defeating the armies one by one before they could unite. By June, all Union forces had retreated from the valley. The Stonewall Jackson HQ Museum, his home during the winter of 1861-62, gives a good overview of both the man and the campaign (415 N. Braddock St., Winchester; 540-667-3242; winchesterhistory.org; $5).

A visit to the newly preserved battlefield of Cedar Creek shows how the valley later slipped away, and with it the Confederacy's final hope for survival. In the summer of 1864, following a daring attack on Washington by a Confederate army under Jubal Early, General Philip Sheridan was put in charge of all Federal forces in the Shenandoah. His orders were to follow Early "to the death" and, in a prelude of Sherman's March to the Sea, to burn the valley so clean "that crows flying over it will have to carry their own provender."

But on the morning of October 19, as Sheridan returned from a meeting in Washington, Early's outnumbered forces launched a surprise predawn attack. Thousands of Union soldiers, busy making their breakfasts, had to run for their lives. Early's soldiers were exhausted and starving, however, and many stopped to loot the abandoned Union camps. By the time they could be brought back into line, the Union forces had slowed their retreat, and a galloping Sheridan rallied his troops to drive the Southerners back over the ground they had captured only 12 hours before.

Along with the battle, the Confederacy also lost control of the valley for the final time, as well as any real chance of preventing Lincoln's reelection. Learn more at the new National Historic Park outside Middleton (nps.gov/cebe/index.htm). The Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation, which runs the visitor center, also sponsors reenactments that draw upwards of 10,000 people (8437 Valley Pike, Middletown; cedarcreekbattlefield.org; 888-628-1864).

A TOUR OF WINE COUNTRY
Wine country in Virginia? It's not as outlandish as it sounds. Renowned oenophile Thomas Jefferson considered Virginia's climate perfect for planting vineyards, and President Obama thought a Virginia sparkling wine, Thibaut-Janisson Brut, elegant enough to serve at his first state dinner. Blind taste tests have placed several Virginia wines in the same league as offerings from California and France. With its dozens of wineries, the growing area just outside the Shenandoah near Charlottesville is a perfect place to spend an afternoon.

It's hard to top Jefferson Vineyards for historic significance, since the land was first planted by the author of the Declaration of Independence (1353 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy., Charlottesville; 800-272-3042; jeffersonvineyards.com; tastings $5 per person). The view takes in Jefferson's nearby Monticello, a historic house that itself demands a visit. The distinctive domed mansion, designed by Jefferson, is filled with artifacts from his presidency and life. Tip: Avoid waiting around for an open spot by booking your tour online for only $1.50 extra ($17-$22; monticello.org). Nightly one-hour Signature Tours (May through September; $45) take smaller groups to areas that other tours don't see, including the stunning third-floor dome room.

BACK TO NATURE
It's farther up the valley, but the sight alone is worth the trip: a 90-foot-long natural archway of limestone, curving more than 200 feet above the creekbed below. It's been a tourist attraction since it was purportedly surveyed by a young George Washington in 1750. Natural Bridge has changed little since his day--assuming you view it from below, along the Cedar Creek trail (15 Appledore Lane, Natural Bridge; 800-533-1410; naturalbridgeva.com; $10-$18). The bridge is actually the remains of a collapsed cavern. Of the dozens of cave systems that still lace the Shenandoah, perhaps none is more impressive than Luray Caverns (970 U.S. Hwy. 211 W. in Luray; 540-743-6551; luraycaverns.com; $22). Among its amazing rock formations is the world's only "stalacpipe organ."

If you have time on your return trip, there's no better way to experience the Shenandoah's beauty than from above, along Skyline Drive. Built by New Deal programs to help the country escape the Great Depression, the 105-mile road bisects Shenandoah National Park along the ridgeline from I-64 at Rockfish Gap to its northern terminus at U.S. Highway 340 in Front Royal ($10-$15 per vehicle; nps.gov/shen; 540-999-3500).

There are 70 scenic overlooks, so the Skyline Drive isn't for those in a hurry--but why would you want to be? Budget time for hiking: The strenuous trail up Old Rag Mountain from mile marker 43 climbs to an exposed rock summit with the best views in the Shenandoah. For an easier hike, try mile marker 51 for the 1.4-mile round-trip walk to Dark Hollow Falls, or a stroll around the high alpine fields of Big Meadows.

Or bring your rod and try fly-fishing at spots like Herbert Hoover's restored fishing camp on the Rapidan River, reached by the Mill Prong trail from Big Meadows. This predecessor to Camp David is where President Hoover and his family, as well as invited dignitaries, came to escape the commotion of Washington amid quiet wilderness and crystal-clear mountain streams. Today it's all national park, so, technically, you own it. Put on your boots, grab your fishing rod and enjoy a little natural treasure.

EAT

ROLLING PIN PASTRIES
Stock up for your drive with
delicious donuts made at this
small bakery in Staunton.
Save room for an apple fritter
or three; they're addictive.
302 N. Central Ave., Staunton;
540-886-2212

CROZET PIZZA
Regulars have been known to
drive an hour to get their hands
on a fresh Crozet pizza. Try
telling them that Crozet has the
best pie in the state, and you're
likely to receive a dirty look and
a curt "in the world." The homemade
sauce and crust haven't changed in
33 years; they work just as well
with standard pepperoni as with
artichoke hearts or shiitake
mushrooms. 5794 Three Notch'd
Rd., Crozet; 434-823-2132; lunch
for two, $30*

PALLADIO
This romantic restaurant at the
historic Barboursville Winery
serves elegant Italian dishes,
from organic aged risotto with
wild mushrooms to
venison-and-wine sausage.
Executive chef Melissa Close
Hart has earned three separate
invitations to cook dinner at
New York City's renowned
James Beard House. 17655
Winery Rd., Barboursville;
540-832-7848; prix fixe dinner
for two, $150

*Prices cover a meal for two
without drinks, tax or tip.

STAY

RCI-affiliated resorts in the
Shenandoah Valley include:

WOODSTONE AT
MASSANUTTEN
Each of the townhouse-style units
has four bedrooms and sleeps 12;
all are close to the golf course and
recreation center at this four-season
mountain resort. 1822 Resort Dr.,
McGaheysville

Member reviews:
"We saw many deer, and the scenery
was phenomenal."
"Enjoyed the farmers markets in
Dayton and Harrisonburg."
"The drive to the top of Reddish Knob
was beautiful."

EAGLE TRACE AT
MASSANUTTEN
This spacious townhouse-style resort,
located up the mountain, is close to
many of Massanutten's outdoor activities.
1822 Resort Dr., McGaheysville

Member reviews:
"The water park is a great time--there
are slides for people of all ages."
"Save money--buy the Activity Card."
"They now have free wireless!"

THE SUMMIT AT
MASSANUTTEN
A mountaintop resort with amazing
views from private balconies. Each
four-bedroom unit sleeps 12 comfortably.
1822 Resort Dr., McGaheysville 

Member reviews:
"You can hear birds instead
of highway noise." 
"We enjoyed tubing the
Shenandoah River."
"Visit the mom & pop restaurants
in nearby Elkton."
"The resort has some awesome
activities and is very family
friendly."

THE PINES
This 35-unit mountain hideaway
offers private three-story chalets,
all equipped with fireplaces or
wood stoves. The resort has its
own private beach on Lake Laura.
2565 Orkney Grade, Basye

Member reviews:
"This may be a good place for
a boys' golf/ski/hunt trip."
"The wraparound deck looked
out over the Virginia mountains."
"Short distance to many Civil War
battlefields and Washington, D.C."
"The 263 Diner in Basye was a
great place to eat."

For more information,
including more member reviews,
visit RCI.com or call

Weeks: 800-338-7777
Points: 877-968-7476

Club Members, please call your
specific Club or RCI telephone
number.