![]() Head out on a wildflower walk or run along one of the many trails that start near the visitor center. Its a great way to check the weather on the mountain, which can be very different. Short Walk: There are a number of parking areas at Big Meadows. Big Meadows webcam looks south from Byrd Visitor Center at milepost 51. If you’re interested in learning more details about great hikes, weather, camping / lodging, wildlife, and scenic drives, check out the comprehensive Guide to Shenandoah National Park. This plant community has the highest concentration of rare plants per unit area within the entire park and is found nowhere else in the world. The nutrient-rich water found in the swamp combined with the surrounding geology, elevation, and environmental conditions creates an environment that enables the extremely rare "Northern Blue Ridge Mafic Fen" plant community. Officially termed a "fen", the Big Meadows Swamp, between the campground and Skyline Drive, is a wetland that is sustained by groundwater that has high levels of calcium and iron. The Meadow is also a great area to spot a number of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. ![]() Here, you can also find eight different state rare plant species. There are two "Mafic Fens" (types of wetlands) that contain rare plant communities that are thought to be endemic to the park. The Big Meadows area has the highest concentration of rare plants in Shenandoah National Park. In 1936, Franklin Delano Roosevelt officially dedicated Shenandoah National Park at Big Meadows. A number of the park's trails can be accessed from Big Meadows, such as Story of the Forest Trail and Dark Hollow Falls Trail. Byrd Visitor Center with a lodge, store, and camping area. It is located off of Skyline Drive near mile-marker 51. Please refer to the small scale map, or contact the Hume Lake District office for more specific directions.Big Meadows is the largest developed area in the park. Follow this road approximately 5 miles, where you will find the campground on right side of the road. The Big Meadows Road (Forest Road 14S11) is located on the left-hand side of the road. Continue on the General's Highway approximately 6 miles to the turn off to Big Meadows. After entering the park, continue 2 miles where you will stay to the right as though you were going to Sequoia National Park. Take Highway 180 east to the Kings Canyon National Park entrance, where you will be required to purchase a forest/park permit. Please view the Sequoia National Forest Fire Restrictions on the "Home" page.
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