Fall colors in Whiteoak Canyon in Shenandoah National Park/NPS

Due to the washout of the bridge at the Whiteoak Canyon in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, the boundary parking area remains closed.

The bridge was severely damaged during heavy rains earlier this summer. Cars are not able to cross the bridge, and so parking is restricted to the lower lot and is extremely limited. It is reduced to one-third of its normal capacity. Park staff are asking the public to access the Whiteoak Canyon area trails from Skyline Drive instead. The two parking areas on Skyline Drive are the Whiteoak Canyon Trail parking area at mile 42.6 and the Hawksbill Gap parking area at mile 45.5.

Through the cooperation with the landowner and the support of the Piedmont Environmental Council and Trout Unlimited, a new bridge is planned for construction to be completed in 2019. During Shenandoah's peak visitation in the fall, visitors are being asked to explore other waterfall options. More information about Shenandoah’s waterfalls can be found at https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/waterfalls.htm

Shenandoah National Park Superintendent Jennifer Flynn stated that, “We are grateful that our partners, the Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) and Trout Unlimited, are working closely with the property owner, Jimmy Graves of Graves Mountain Lodge, to build a new trout-friendly bridge. This new bridge will have the capability for fish to pass underneath, which will improve the habitat for fish and provide excellent visitor access to the Whiteoak Canyon trails.”

“The existing crossing is undersized and reaching the end of its useful life," said Seth Coffman, Trout Unlimited’s coordinator for the Shenandoah Headwaters Home Rivers Initiative. "The new structure will allow native brook trout to access over 3 miles of critical habitat in the park, have a greater capacity to handle flows associated with storm events, and provide more reliable access to the park for visitors to the White Oak Canyon trails.”