Reservations: 540-843-0584

Shadow Mountain Escape a Romantic Luray Virginia Cabin Rental getaway near Skyline Drive  Shenandoah National Park.

Point 1: The trail begins by the Blue Spruce in the lawn near the Lodge. See the “Nature Trail” sign on the tree where the trail enters the woods. As you get underway you’ll quickly pass through an old stone wall that runs North – South through the property. These walls were made of the rocks collected by the pioneers of Jewell Hollow who farmed and raised livestock here in the late 19th century. Hard to imagine today… these folk collected up the rocks to make way for planting crops and to contain livestock. Many of these type walls still exist throughout the mountains in the area; they range from beautifully laid cobbler walls to loosely laid walls as you see here. All the rocks for the stone work you see on SME structures come from this wall.

Point 2: Cedar Grove-About a hundred feet beyond the wall, you will see a nice stand of Red Cedars off to the left – take a detour into that stand and notice the different “feel” of the Cedars. The smell is distinctly different and the woods are darker due to the dense evergreen foliage. These Eastern Red Cedars are remarkable trees; they are extremely tough with insect resistant wood, a wonderful aroma, and are usually the first to grow in some of the toughest habitats. They are also a good wood for building, burning and woodworking. Go back to the path and look at the large wild grape vines growing across the path and up the trees. These wild grapes grow throughout Virginia and can grow hundreds of feet (we’ve seen them grow to 12” in diameter). The grapes are edible and were routinely used in the past to eat and make moonshine and homemade wines. Lastly, (before crossing the electric line easement) take a peak toward the rock wall and notice the large Sycamore growing out of it. Look up high and see an old deer stand once used by local hunters to harvest the many deer and bear that pass through the land here – there’s no more hunting here… the animals still roam.

Point 3: Boalder Alley-Cross the electrical easement and you will walk through about a hundred feet of trail that passes by numerous large boulders… feel the moss and texture of the boulders. Notice the nooks and crannies that create prime habitat for wildlife. Watch out for snakes here! Go ahead and walk across the simple wooden bridge up ahead and enjoy the cool moist air and sound of the clear mountain water.

Point 4: The Stream (Pass Run)-Dip your hand in the water and have a big sip. The water is clean and tasty. This mountain stream is one of two branches that cascades down the mountain side to create Pass Run which eventually joins another stream in Jewell Hollow to eventually pour into the Shenandoah River not far from Rileyville. This stream is filled with living organisms all critical to the ecosystem here. Turn over some rocks and don’t be surprised to find salamanders, frogs, small fresh water muscles, crayfish, insect larvae, fish and numerous other surprises.

Point 5: Battle Ground-As you turn north away from the stream and move back towards the easement, note the many broken and downed trees. This is a good location to point out the troubling side of Mother Nature and Man. A good part of the large trees in this area (right side of path) were nearly leveled several years ago by remnants of a hurricane that passed over the area. Violent down drafts broke and toppled many of the trees here… it made a tangled mess of the forest at this location. Also, you probably noticed numerous Eastern Hemlock and White Pines along the stretch that you just passed through. It’s very unfortunate, but a tiny white wooly sap sucking scale is killing the Hemlocks before they mature… you’ll see many smaller Hemlocks falling apart and dead… thanks to this little beast. Look on the underside of the tiny Hemlock leaves – the little fuzzy white things are the killer bugs. The majestic white pines that you see along the stream are all slowly falling apart thanks to the Pine Bark Beetle whose larvae (nasty looking things) crawl under the bark and “sicken” the tree. The wood peckers apparently find the beetles tasty and do a number tearing into the bark to eat them… together, they’re a destructive team. Mother Nature doesn’t work on our time! Unfortunately, we’ll probably not see these grand trees of the Blue Ridge Mountains recover in our lifetimes. Lastly, if you look across the stream (more obvious in the winter) you’ll see an embankment that was used as a dump up until the 70’s - mostly old appliances, plastics and metal trash from old homesteads. The dump is a sad reminder of human ignorance and disregard for the natural environment so critical to our quality of life. The good news is that SME is in the process of cleaning up the forest to include the the old dump – a rewarding endeavor. It’s remarkable how the wild creatures and plant life respond when we make an effort to show respect and work to improve habitat.

Point 6: The Giant Pine -As soon as you cross the electrical easement, notice the huge multi-trunk white pine to your left – move towards it but don’t stand directly under it. This is a rare tree (approximately a century old) with essentially several large trees growing out of one trunk. It’s a classic example of what the Pine Bark Beetle is doing to these trees. Don’t stand close under this tree – especially if there is wind. As you can see, the tree is in decline and large limbs continue to break off. Move towards the pond and follow along to the left side of it.

Point 7: The SME Pond-The Pond was excavated at this location due to three natural springs that surface at this point. For most of the year, so much water pours from the springs that the pond stays full and the water constantly runs out of the drain pipe into the stream. SIDE NOTE: There are a half dozen natural springs on SME property – when you find them, look for the natural growing mint! During the hot summer months, the ground water recedes and the pond water evaporates quickly. Because of this, we draw water from the main stream through a 4” pipe to keep fresh clean water in the pond through all seasons… this allows for a healthy pond all year long teaming with fish and other water creatures. The pond is home to Blue Gill Fish, Cat Fish, frogs, salamanders, a snapping turtle, and snakes of various sort (there’s a Mama and her off-spring water snake that claim the pond as home and we ask they not be disturbed – they’re harmless to humans and provide a valuable “balance” to the pond’s habitat). The large trees around the edge of the pond include Ash, Tulip Poplar (largest tree in the Eastern Forests), Persimmon (produces a bounty of plum like fruit) and Sycamore. Now walk towards the left before you get to the drain pipe and move down toward the stream.

Point 8: Brook Trout-Slowly walk to the edge of the stream here and look into the water. Native Brook Trout
(a protected species) abound in the clean, clear water of this stream – they’re a beautiful colorful fish (more so than rainbow trout). Unfortunately, it is only noticeable once in your hand… when in the water, they are nearly perfectly camouflage! They’re very fast and difficult to see in the water… watch closely in the deeper pools as you slowly approach them and you’ll likely see one zip by. If you’re warm, don’t hesitate to lay yourself under a little cascade in one of the pools in this area of the stream. You won’t believe how refreshing and “spiritual” the experience can be. You’ll get a kick out of the little fish that will appear and nibble at your skin (people pay big $ for defoliants and revitalizing skin products!). When you’re refreshed, slowly walk north along the stream and veer to the right after the fence on your right side breaks to the right. If you like, walk up to the fence and take a peek at the garden (spring – late summer)

Point 9: The Garden - Make a right up the incline toward the house and take a look at the garden plot and fruit trees. Here is where some of the finest fresh vegetables and fruit in the Shenandoah Valley are grown! For the gardeners out there, the following is grown here: tomatoes, potatoes, beans, onions, lettuce, gourds, zucchini, peppers, various herbs, current, blueberries, goose berries, apples, plums, peaches and cherries… and more. When you’re done imagining gobbling down a handful of SME grown blueberries or cherries, continue on the nature trail until you arrive back on SME’s gravel lane (Black Bear Lane).

Point 10: Black Bear Lane-The gravel lane is at the heart of the SME complex. This lane was originally carved out of overgrown wilderness and has matured to the point you see today. It has taken over a decade to complete the lane and “clean up” the land around it. Efforts will continue to beautify the property and create a welcoming habitat for the many wild creatures that let us share this land with them. We hope you enjoyed the little walk!

Point 11: Garden Plot. When the trail breaks to the right away from the stream, just before the road, you will notice the Shadow Mountain Escape garden on the high ground next to our home to your right. In late spring through fall we’ll begin to harvest a variety of crops from this small garden plot to include potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, squash, herbs and onions.
 
 

 

"Simply Charming"

Reservations: 540-843-0584    goriddle@hotmail.com
(Proudly Privately Operated)
Escape to a Virginia vacation cabin rental in the Shenandoah Valley. A totally unique Blue Ridge Mountain vacation getaway in Luray Virginia
Reservations: 540-843-0584
 
 

Escape to a Virginia Vacation Cabin Rental in the Shenandoah Valley.
A totally unique Blue Ridge Mountain Vacation Getaway in Luray Virginia.

 
 

 
  
 
           
SME Guest’s enjoy bonuses including:
· Complimentary home made goods gift basket and bottle of wine for two
· Complimentary campfire (1 night per visit period) during local burn authorized periods
· Bike or hike to SME’s nearby exclusive 30 acre hill top forest for a picnic, special event, or simply site seeing (coming soon!!)
· Receive Shenandoah River Bass fishing tips and recommendations
· Receive Shenandoah National Park hiking tips and recommendations
· Real fireplace and wood-stove fires with basic stock of wood provided during cold seasons
· Local dining tips and recommendations upon request
· New York Style Pizza Delivery Service direct to cabins
· Selection of Books and DVD's available
· Grills provided
 
 

Member of Shenandoah Valley Travel Association
& Luray-Page County Chamber of Commerce

Contact: Karen Riddle
Shadow Mountain Escape, LLC
1132 Jewell Hollow Rd.
Luray, Virginia 22835
540-843-0584
goriddle@hotmail.com
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