THE FIRST THING YOU MAY NOTICE when entering the Shenandoah Valley is the scenery its magnificent. With the famous Blue Ridge Mountains at its eastern border and the Allegheny Mountains, including the Great North Mountain, at its western border, the valley is one of the most scenic in the United States.

The most famous of all the natural features here is Shenandoah National Park, http://www.nps.gov/shen/, less than ten minutes drive from downtown Waynesboro. Be sure to stop at the Rockfish Gap Tourist Information Center to obtain assistance and information and then choose your direction north or southand begin to explore this special natural wonderland. For most visitors, the primary and best-known feature of the park is Skyline Drive. Drivers will pass rock cliffs, deer and other wildlife, tunnels of trees, wildflowers and ferns, and (in late spring) banks of blooming mountain laurel. Seventy-five overlooks offer a place to stop and enjoy spectacular vistas.

If you are a fly fisherman, the mountain streams of Shenandoah National Park are inhabited by a variety of species of fishes, and these pristine waters provide some of the best-protected strongholds for native eastern brook trout. Closer to home, the South River through downtown Waynesboro is a fine trout stream.

Shenandoah National Park has over 500 miles of hiking trails, including 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Many trails are accessed from Skyline Drive. Some short trails lead to a waterfall or viewpoint; longer and more difficult trails penetrate deep into the forest and wilderness. There are also more than 150 miles of horse trails.

The George Washington National Forest, in Augusta County, offers camping, hiking, hunting, bike riding, fishing, bird watching, and fabulous places to relax, picnic and enjoy the great American outdoors. Grand Caverns Regional Park features underground caverns, biking and hiking trails, picnic facilities, a swimming pool, and tennis courts. Sherando Lake, in the GW National Forest, just south of Waynesboro, offers fishing, hunting, boating, swimming and camping.

Augusta County, Staunton and Waynesboro also offer recreational programs and operate parks, playgrounds, soccer and football fields, and basketball and tennis courts are available for personal and group use.