Parking
Start at Harry F. Byrd, Sr. Visitor Center on Skyline Drive at mile 51; follow the sidewalk from the front of the center to the trail. The Shenandoah entrance fee applies; there is no separate activity fee.
Overview
About Story of the Forest Trail
Why go
- An easy woodland circuit with a stream crossing and an air-monitoring stop
Heads up
- No broad viewpoint payoff
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Shenandoah map
Full mapElevation3,484–3,622 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
2 active Shenandoah alerts
- ClosureOld Rag Trailhead main lot closedThe Old Rag Trailhead main parking lot is closed to vehicles and pedestrians for infrastructure improvements; use the existing overflow lots. - Work is expected to be completed by November 2026.Official details
- ClosureBackcountry camping and zone closuresBackcountry camping is prohibited on the Appalachian Trail from Lewis Mountain to Big Meadows, and the Naked Creek backcountry zone is closed.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Shenandoah Tour Guide
Your drive to Story of the Forest Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Shenandoah National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Shenandoah audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Big Meadows: Deer and a Break from the Forest0:00 / 0:34
“You're coming up on Big Meadows, a broad grassy opening in the middle of all this forest. I'd stop here for a short wander, especially if you want to stretch your legs without a major hike.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Shenandoah Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Dark Hollow Falls: Down to the Water, Uphill Back
- Tanners Ridge Overlook: A Field Above Stanley
- Big Meadows Campground: A Central Base for Walks
- Big Meadows Lodge: A Meal and a Short Viewpoint Walk
- 146 audio storiesacross Shenandoah’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Bald Eagle, White-tailed Deer, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 163 trails, 142 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Story of the Forest Trail
Is this the right walk?Story of the Forest is a 1.8-mile loop from the front of Harry F.
Story of the Forest is a 1.8-mile loop from the front of Harry F. Byrd Visitor Center through Big Meadows woods and back on a paved walkway. Allow about 1.5 hours; the route is rated easiest and has about 290 feet of climbing. It suits a relaxed woodland walk and a stop at the park’s air-monitoring station. Pick another hike if you want an overlook or summit.
Follow the circuitFrom the visitor-center front at Skyline Drive mile 51, follow the sidewalk to the trail and…
From the visitor-center front at Skyline Drive mile 51, follow the sidewalk to the trail and turn right. The wooded path starts downhill, crosses a small stream on a footbridge, and passes the Big Meadows–Skyland Horse Trail. Stay on the hiking trail at that crossing. After the bridge, turn left and continue to the paved walkway near the Campground Office; turn left again to return. The forest path is well graded, and the return is paved.
The air-quality stationThe route passes the Big Meadows Air Quality Monitoring Station.
The route passes the Big Meadows Air Quality Monitoring Station. Look to the left along its fence for an interpretive sign explaining what the station monitors and why. That stop is the trail’s most distinctive feature; the rest of the payoff is an easy walk through the woods.
Access and rulesThe hike is listed as a year-round route with no reservation or separate activity fee, though…
The hike is listed as a year-round route with no reservation or separate activity fee, though the park entrance fee applies. Pets aren’t allowed; service animals are welcome. The route does not meet ADA accessibility guidelines.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Shenandoah
325 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
21 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
1,036 sightingsWhite-tailed DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
167 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
93 sightingsTimber RattlesnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
24 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Shenandoah. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
