Shenandoah National Park urges visitors to enjoy the scenery safely

Photo byShenandoah National Park

LURAY, Va. — Shenandoah National Park (SNP) is reminding travelers to slow down when enjoying the scenic Skyline Drive.

Via an official Facebook post on Thursday, the park released a photo of a crane pulling a pickup truck from a cliff on the Drive. According to the post, the truck had been speeding, and had gone over the stone wall that lines a substantial portion of the 105-mile road.

Consisting of 80,000 acres, the park encompasses parts of eight Virginia counties. Each year, millions visit the area, which includes Skyline Drive and 75 designated scenic overlooks. The park also includes 101 miles of the famed Appalachian Trail.

The posted speed limit in most of the park is 35mph, with some areas, such as campgrounds, requiring even slower speeds. Vehicles share the road with bicycles, hikers and, of course, park wildlife — including deer, bear, bobcats, and turkeys. On the curvy Skyline Drive, travelers quite literally never know what might be around the next bend.

Speaking to Harrisonburg television station WHSV, SNP's Public Information Officer, Alyssah Fox, said that many vehicle accidents in the park involve wildlife. Areas of frequent incidents on Skyline Drive have signs or markings so motorists can use even more caution when traveling those areas.

Said Fox, “The point of the Drive is to really take in everything that’s around you.”

The Facebook crane and truck photo was accompanied by a tongue-in-cheek reminder from park staff:

“When we say, ‘SLOW DOWN on Skyline Drive,’ we really, really mean it!”