HappeningEarly fall, with clearer air and cooler nights. The first color shows on the high ridge near the end of the month (dates vary). Crowds begin to build on the weekends.
From average weather, 2021 to 2025: days that are warm but not hot, with few rainy days, score highest. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
Arrival day
Before Day 1. A car is the practical way to do this trip, since the ridge roads and the trailheads are far from any bus line.Details
Getting here
Most visitors fly into the small airport at Charlottesville, or into one of the big airports of Washington or Richmond and drive. A train also stops in Charlottesville. Pick up a rental car on arrival, and ask for one with room for hiking boots and a rain jacket.
Slow roads
Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway are slow, scenic two-lane roads with a low speed limit and many overlooks, so plan for a day to move farther than the map suggests. Fill the tank in town and check ahead for road closures, fog and ice before each drive.
Mountain weather
The ridges are cooler and wetter than the town below, and fog can close the views. Pack a warm layer, a rain jacket and shoes with grip, even in warm months. Cell service drops out along the ridge, so download a map before you go.
First evening
Settle in near the center of Charlottesville and take an easy walk. Day 1 stays close to town, so there is no hurry to start early. If the long drives of Days 3 and 4 feel like too much, a night at the edge of the park shortens them.
How much walking? On foot, about 0.5 miles a day, and 315.5 miles by car in all across 5 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
Day 1. Skyline Drive and the park and Luray and the Page valley
5 stops · 31.4 mi by car
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
1
Morning
Hawksbill Mountain
The highest point in Shenandoah National Park, at 4,050 feet, with a stone observation platform at the summit. The climb is short but steady and rocky. Balsam fir grows at the top, a tree more usual in northern New England. Check the sky first, since fog hides the view.
Go whenMorning, on a clear day.
Local tip The summit is the highest point in the park, with a stone platform for the view. The path is short, steady and rocky. Check the sky first, since fog hides the view, and carry a warm layer.
A mountain of 3,284 feet near Sperryville on the east side of Shenandoah National Park, with an exposed rocky summit. It is the most popular hiking destination in the park, and a hard day hike with a scramble over boulders. Check ahead on any ticket you need.
Go whenMorning, as early as you can, on a dry day.
Local tip The most popular climb in the park, with a rocky scramble near the top that is hard for beginners and dangerous when wet or icy. It takes most of a day. Check ahead, since a day-use ticket may be needed.
A large cave just west of the town of Luray, open to visitors since 1878, with columns, stalactites, flowstone and mirrored pools. A walking path leads through it and the Great Stalacpipe Organ plays tones from the stalactites. It is cool inside all year, so bring a light layer, and check ahead on tickets.
Go whenMidday, as an indoor stop.
Local tip The path through the cave is paved and level in most places, with some stairs. It stays cool inside, so bring a light layer, and check ahead on tickets and on tour times.
A peak over 4,000 feet, the most northerly one in the Blue Ridge, reached on a short trail that gains under 400 feet from the road. The open ledges at the top look out over the valley on a clear day. If fog sets in, the view will not be there, so check the sky.
Go whenAfternoon, for the open ledges (about 7:22 PM).
Local tip A short trail rises to open ledges over the valley. Keep off the edges, and check the sky first, since fog hides the view.
The small county seat of the valley, below the ridge of the park and close to the caverns. Take a slow walk down the main street, and have a look at the old brick buildings before the drive back. A small town after a day of mountains.
Go whenLate afternoon, before the drive back.
Local tip Walk a block or two of the main street, then stretch your legs before the road home. Fill the tank here, since the ridge has no fuel.
A plate of crisp fried chicken with cooked greens and a corn side, the standard supper of the valley towns.
Local tip Ask for the greens with a splash of vinegar.
If it rains. Luray Caverns is covered, so keep it. Move Hawksbill Mountain, Old Rag Mountain, Stony Man Mountain and Luray to a dry day if you can.
Day 2. Skyline Drive and the park and Charlottesville and its hills
5 stops · 120.4 mi by carAbout 3 h 27 min driving
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Drive from LurayAbout 45 min by car21.4 mi
Where Day 1 ended.
1
Morning
Skyline Drive
The 105-mile road that runs the length of Shenandoah National Park along the ridge, with 75 overlooks over the valley. This is a slow road, so give it the time it needs, and stop often. Enter at Swift Run Gap on US 33, which is the entrance nearest to Charlottesville. Check ahead for closures, fog, ice and the lines at the entrance stations.
Go whenMorning, as early as you can, before the weekend traffic.
Local tip It is a slow road with a low speed limit, so budget for it and use the overlooks. Fog, ice and the fall color weekends can slow or close it, so check ahead. Fill the tank and bring food, since the services are few.
A wide meadow on the ridge at milepost 51, in the middle of the park, with the park visitor center, a lodge and a camp store. Walk the grass in the open, look for deer, and keep your distance from any wildlife you see, including black bears.
Go whenMorning, when deer are out on the grass.
Local tip Walk the open meadow and stop at the visitor center for a map and the day conditions. Keep a good distance from wildlife and never feed any animal.
A wedge of cheese, a crisp local apple and a loaf of bread, with some nuts, to eat on the grass of a meadow or at an overlook.
Local tip Keep food in the car or in a sealed bag when you walk, since the animals know the smell.
About 50 min by car25.4 mi
3
MorningIndoor
Montpelier
The plantation house of the Madison family in Orange County, home of James Madison, the fourth president, and his wife Dolley. It is now a museum on a large estate. Look for how it tells the story of the enslaved people who lived and worked here.
Go whenMorning, as a side trip from town.
Local tip The plantation house of the Madison family, in Orange County, now a museum and a landmark. Tours cover the house and the story of the enslaved people there. Check ahead on the opening and how to enter.
A valley in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western Albemarle County, shaped by two forks of a river. A calm place to walk or sit by the water, west of town.
Go whenMorning, on a dry day.
Local tip A valley in the Blue Ridge west of town, with two forks of a river. Walk or sit by the water, and check ahead on road access and parking before you set out.
About 57 min by car30.9 mi
5
MiddayBest early
Dark Hollow Falls
A waterfall of about 70 feet, the closest waterfall to Skyline Drive and the most-traveled trail in the park. The loop is 1.4 miles, steep and rocky, and the climb back up to the road is the hard part. Take it slowly and wear shoes with grip.
Go whenMidday, after rain if you can.
Local tip The path down is short but steep and rocky, and the climb back up is the hard part. Wear shoes with grip, carry water, and take your time. It is one of the busiest trails, so go early on a weekend.
A plate of salty country ham with slow-cooked beans and a square of cornbread, a plain supper of the Virginia hills.
Local tip Ask for a little of the bean liquor over the cornbread.
If it rains. Montpelier is covered, so keep it. Move Skyline Drive, Big Meadows, Sugar Hollow and Dark Hollow Falls to a dry day if you can.
Day 3. Charlottesville and its hills and Rockfish Gap and the Parkway
5 stops · 85.8 mi by car
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Drive from Dark Hollow FallsAbout 1 h 2 min by car35.2 mi
Where Day 2 ended.
1
MorningBook ahead
Monticello
The house and former plantation of Thomas Jefferson, on a hill just outside town, designed by Jefferson himself. It was worked by enslaved people, and the tours and the grounds tell that story along with the house. Check ahead on how to enter and on timed tickets.
Go whenMorning, before the grounds fill.
Local tip Take the tour that covers the house and the story of the enslaved people who worked the plantation. Check ahead on how to enter, since entry may be timed, and wear shoes for the paths.
Highland, once called Ash Lawn-Highland, was the estate of James Monroe, the fifth president, who lived here for twenty-five years from 1799. It sits next to Monticello and was also a working plantation, so look for how the story of the enslaved people there is told. Check ahead on how to enter.
Go whenMidday, after Monticello.
Local tip It is smaller and calmer than its neighbor. Walk the grounds, and look for how the place tells the story of the people who were enslaved here. Check ahead on how to enter.
A smooth, warm soup of ground peanuts, celery and onion, a dish of old Virginia tables, with a little chopped peanut on top.
Local tip Ask whether it is made with nuts in the broth, since peanuts are an allergy risk.
About 19 min by car or transit4.5 mi
3
Afternoon
University of Virginia
The public university founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, who designed its first buildings around a lawn. Walk the Lawn and the Rotunda, which he modeled on the Pantheon in Rome. The original grounds, the Academical Village, are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Go whenAfternoon, when the lawn is lit and the students are out.
Local tip Walk the length of the Lawn and stand in front of the Rotunda. The rooms along the Lawn are still lived in, so keep your voice low and stay off the porches. Check ahead on whether the Rotunda is open to visitors.
A small independent city at the foot of Rockfish Gap on the valley side, a handy stop for fuel and food at the end of a Parkway or Skyline Drive day.
Go whenLate afternoon, on the way back.
Local tip A small city at the foot of the gap, handy for fuel and food before or after the Parkway and Skyline Drive. Walk a block or two and stretch your legs.
A brick pedestrian street of eight blocks in the middle of Charlottesville, one of the longest in the country, lined with shops, galleries and places to eat. Stroll it slowly as the day winds down.
Go whenLate afternoon into evening (about 7:22 PM).
Local tip Walk it end to end and back, then pick a side street. The brick is uneven in places, so mind a stroller or a wheel. A weekly concert series is held here on Fridays in the warm months (dates vary).
A thick stew of chicken or pork with tomatoes, corn and beans, served with a wedge of warm cornbread, a good fit after a day on foot.
Local tip Eat it with the cornbread, and ask for hot sauce on the side.
If it rains. Monticello, Ash Lawn-Highland and University of Virginia are covered, so keep them. Move Waynesboro and Downtown Mall to a dry day if you can.
Day 4. Rockfish Gap and the Parkway and Nelson County and the falls
4 stops · 0.5 mi on foot, 38.6 mi by car
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Drive from Downtown MallAbout 44 min by car20.8 mi
Where Day 3 ended.
1
Morning
Blue Ridge Tunnel
A railroad tunnel dug through the mountain in the 1850s by the engineer Claudius Crozet, and the longest in the country when it was finished. After years of restoration it was opened to visitors as a linear park in 2020. It is cool and damp inside, so bring a light layer, and check ahead on whether the path is open.
Go whenMorning, as an easy start to the day.
Local tip It is cool and damp inside all year and the path is long, so bring a light layer and a headlamp or a phone light. Check ahead on whether the path is open and on how to enter.
The Blue Ridge Parkway starts at Rockfish Gap, where Skyline Drive ends, and runs south for 469 miles along the spine of the Blue Ridge. It is a slow, scenic two-lane road with overlooks, and this first stretch has plenty. Pull off at the overlooks, and check ahead for closures, fog and ice.
Go whenMidday, with time for the overlooks.
Local tip Drive slowly and use the pull-offs rather than stopping in the road. Fog and ice can close sections, so check ahead before you set out, and fill the tank in town.
Small biscuits filled with thin country ham, wrapped to go, with a piece of fruit, easy to eat at an overlook or at the foot of the trail.
Local tip Pack out every crumb and wrapper, and never leave food where animals can reach it.
About 21 min by car or transit5.5 mi
3
Midday
Humpback Rocks
A rocky outcrop of greenstone near the top of Humpback Mountain, a few miles down the Parkway, with a well-kept trail and a visitor center. The climb is steady and steep in places, and the open rocks at the top give a long view over the valley. Wear shoes with grip and stay on the trail.
Go whenMidday, on a clear day.
Local tip The trail is steep and steady, with rocky steps near the top. Wear shoes with grip, carry water, and stay back from the edges. Skip it in fog, ice or thunder.
One of the tallest sets of waterfalls in the country east of the Mississippi, in the George Washington National Forest off Virginia state route 56. A trail climbs beside the falls with railed viewpoints. The rocks are wet and slippery, so stay behind the rails and on the path.
Go whenAfternoon, in good light.
Local tip The trail climbs beside the falls on rock steps. Wet rock is slippery, so stay behind the rails and on the path. After rain the water runs full, and the spray is cold. Check ahead on the road and the parking lot.
Dinner
Pan-fried mountain trout
A whole or filleted trout, fried in a pan with a crisp skin and served with potatoes and greens, a dish of the cold mountain streams.
Local tip Ask for it with the bones out if you do not like picking them.
If it rains. Everything today is outdoors, so swap this day with a drier one if you can.
Day 5. The Parkway to the south and Natural Bridge
1 stop · 39.3 mi by car
Built from the plan’s must-sees, grouped so each day stays close together and ordered by time of day.
Drive from Crabtree FallsAbout 1 h 7 min by car39.3 mi
Where Day 4 ended.
1
Morning
Peaks of Otter
Three mountain peaks, Sharp Top, Flat Top and Harkening Hill, above a small lake, protected as part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, far to the south of the first stretch. Thomas Jefferson wrote about them. It is a long road, so give it a day.
Go whenMorning, as early as you can.
Local tip Three peaks and a small lake along the Parkway, far to the south. It is a long road, so make it a day of its own, check ahead for closures, and bring a layer.
If it rains. Everything today is outdoors, so swap this day with a drier one if you can.
Departure day
After the last day. The airport is small and close to town, and the big airports are a long road away, so leave room for the drive.Details
Leaving town
Fill the tank and return the rental car with its boots-and-mud cleaned off if you can. Check ahead on the road if you are crossing a mountain gap in winter, since ice can slow the way out.
Apple butter and ham
A jar of apple butter, a bag of peanuts or a sleeve of country ham is easy to carry home. Wrap jars well in soft clothes, and check the rules on food before you fly.
If you have a few hours
Walk the brick Downtown Mall once more, or sit on the lawn in front of the Rotunda, and let the mountains go quiet behind you.
Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Charlottesville?
By average weather from 2021 to 2025, March to May and September to November are the most comfortable months for walking around Charlottesville. This plan is built for september to October, which is one of the best months. Crowds and prices change through the year, so check them before you book.
How many days does this plan cover?
It covers 5 days in Charlottesville, planned for september to October. Each day is built around a small number of stops, with room to rest.
Who is this plan for?
It was planned for most travelers. The pace and the places reflect that, so check it fits how you travel.
Is anything on this plan booked?
No. Places marked "book ahead" need a reservation. Hours, prices and availability change, so confirm before you go.
Can I plan my own days like this?
Yes. Archie drafts a day by day plan for your dates and takes your pace, the weather and who is travelling into account. You can start one from the Archie app.
Can I change this plan?
Yes. It is a starting point you can change to fit your own trip: swap a place, add a day or move the pace.
How much walking is there?
On foot, about 0.5 miles a day, and 315.5 miles by car in all across 5 days. Distances are straight-line estimates, so allow extra for the streets.
3 days of monuments and picnics in Washington, DCAbout 90 miles awayAn easy add-on
3 days of a deep gorge, a steel arch bridge and a mountain townAbout 130 miles away
4 days of a naval academy, a harbor city and the Eastern ShoreAbout 130 miles away
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