Bears, Birds, and Bike Trails: Where to Find them in Staunton’s Great Outdoors

Each June, we celebrate Great Outdoors Month, a nationwide invitation to swap screens for sunshine and couch cushions for cloud banks. Staunton offers many ways to embrace nature and take advantage of the restorative qualities of the great outdoors. One of the best ways to do this is to take to the trails. Are you an avid hiker? A wildlife photographer? Someone looking for a peaceful new hobby? Grab a map and your sense of adventure and check out our guide to bears, birds, and bike trails!

Bears

If you’re looking for wildlife, you can’t go wrong in Shenandoah National Park. Large tracts of land are designated as wilderness areas, hunting is prohibited, and animals are protected. For these reasons, animals like black bears thrive. In fact, since biologists estimate that 1-4 bears live in each square mile, it’s pretty common to see one as you’re driving along the Skyline Drive or hiking a quiet trail! You’ll probably also spot white-tailed deer, foxes, racoons, skunks, and chipmunks. Bird lovers report more than 200 species including wild turkeys, songbirds, and peregrine falcons. And if you love snakes and turtles, Shenandoah has those, too, reporting 18 species of snakes (only the Eastern copperhead and timber rattlesnake are venomous), 5 types of turtles, and 3 species of lizards. Look for them basking on rocks warmed by the sun.

The 105-mile Skyline Drive serves as the backbone of the park, offering lots of scenic overviews and trailheads. Here are some good summer hikes:

• For families: Blackrock Summit (Mile 84.4) is an easy 1-mile loop that “summits” at a dramatic pile of climbable black quartzite boulders. The views from the top are expansive, and this TRACK Trail features self-guided brochures and educational activities designed for children. 
• For folks in it for the views: Hightop Mountain (Mile 66.7) is the highest peak in the park’s Southern District, and the 3-mile out-and-back trail climbs over 900 feet. The trail is mostly shaded in the summer, but opens up to sweeping views of the Piedmont at the summit.  
• For endurance hikers hoping to see wildlife: Riprap Circuit (Mile 90) will get your heart pumping over the course of a strenuous, lightly-traveled 9.8-mile loop. Boasting over 2,000 feet of elevation change, the trail moves through several different habitats, making it a prime spot for viewing a variety of species. Hikers will enjoy views of waterfalls and a chance to cool off in a massive 50-foot swimming hole.

Fee-Free Entry

While a visit to the park is well worth the modest entrance fee, those fees are waived on 

• June 14: Flag Day
• July 3–5: Independence Day weekend
• August 25: 110th Birthday of the National Park Service

Birds

Want a new hobby that’s essentially free, gets you outside and moving, and forces you to slow down and pay attention to your environment, you should try birding. The Staunton and Augusta County region is located along the Eastern Flyway migration route, which is a blend of pasture, forest, and rocky outcrops that provides nesting climates for many species. That means it’s “beak” birding territory!

Can’t tell a brown creeper from a barred owl? No worries. Arm yourself with a Sibley’s birding guide, or if you want to get techy, download the free Merlin App from Cornell Ornithology. Here’s a checklist of all the bird species you might spot in Augusta County. Another great resource is E-Bird, which points you toward popular birding hotspots. 

• Augusta Springs Wetlands: This historic upland swamp is managed by the U.S. Forest Service is one of the area’s best aquatic birding sites. A wheelchair-accessible 0.8-mile boardwalk loop winds through marshy thickets, forested areas, and along the edges of open channels without disturbing the mud or water. Over 185 species have been spotted here, including wood ducks, green herons, belted kingfishers, Eastern phoebes, common yellowthroats, swamp sparrows, and Northern waterthrushes.
• Cyrus McCormick Farm (McCormick’s Mills): Site of a small agricultural museum celebrating Cyrus McCormick’s mechanical reaper. The farm setting is great for birders (180 species have been spotted here), with a mill pond that yields many species including dabbling ducks, a fenceline with bluebird boxes, and an easily traversed nature trail to a fluctuating pond/mudflat that draws migrating shorebirds.
• Natural Chimneys Park’s blend of open fields, woodlands, and river’s edge habitats provides habitats for over 100 species. Look for Louisiana waterthrushes, red-headed woodpeckers, broad-winged hawks, yellow-throated vireos, and ruby-crowned kinglets.

• Betsy Bell Park (Betsy Bell Wilderness Area): Over 110 species have been spotted in the pocket of wilderness found on the forested slopes of Betsy Bell “Mountain,” inside Staunton’s city limits. Rugged dirt trails wind through mature trees, and there’s an overlook platform near the top. It’s a great place to stretch your legs and look for songbirds and warblers during spring and fall migrations.

Bike Trails

If you struggle to enjoy the great outdoors without bruises, bike shorts, and energy gels, the Staunton area won’t disappoint you. You’ll find everything from quick loops in city parks to epic backcountry adventures.

Bike the Valley is a resource that maps scenic routes in the Central Shenandoah Valley. Visit the site, select type of ride, the location of your ride, and the specific ride based on length and terrain. The site shows a map of your ride as well as an elevation graph and mileage. You can print out clear maps and turn cue sheets or send the rides to your phone or gps. Staunton’s Black Dog Bikes will “keep you rolling on the road or trail” with high-end bikes, bike repair, accessories, and plenty of expert guidance.

• Just want to pedal for an hour? Located within the city limits, 148-acre Montgomery Hall Park features about 5 miles of twisty singletrack with minimal rocks, making it perfect for a quick, high-energy ride. It’s also good for beginners, who can tackle the easier trails as they build confidence and experience.

• Head north to Harrisonburg’s Rocktown Trails at Hillandale Park for more urban off-road biking. This park’s trail system includes loops clearly marked for various abilities as well as a pump track.

The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests stand out as mountain biking destinations with well over 100 miles of backcountry trails.

• Stokesville: This area is a premier launching pad for major GWNF backcountry routes and endurance rides like the 32-mile Southern Traverse. Look for big climbs, steep switchbacks, and technical terrain.
• Located just south of Waynesboro, Sherando Lake is a recreation area that promises several loops and access to more than 50 miles of challenging hiking trails and riding for mountain bikers. The trails rise above a 25-acre fishing, boating, and swimming lake. 
• Massanutten Resort’s extensive Western Slope trail network is suitable for intermediate to advanced riders. If you’d rather enjoy the thrill of blasting downhill without the climb, try Massanutten Bike Park, which is served by ski lifts.

Summer is here, and it’s time to hit the trail. Hopefully we’ve whet your appetite for some great outdoor adventure near Staunton this June!