If you go
A tip for anyone planning to visit Shenandoah National Park next October during peak fall-color season:
Go on a weekday, or two or three.
On a weekday, it may be possible able to get a last-minute room at Skyland Resort or Big Meadows Lodge, the park's two motel-like accommodations on the Skyline Drive.
On a weekday, the roads leading to the park are relatively crowd-free.
And on a weekday, most other lodge guests are retirees or families with very small children. So hikers can take their pick of mountain trails and enjoy them in relative solitude.
And if there's any question, be assured that a fall-color trip is worth a few vacation days from work.
The last-minute room reservation is a matter of chance even on weekdays, and it's pretty much not going to happen on a weekend. The lodges are so popular in October that visitors reserve rooms months in advance.
Skyland closes for the season Nov. 26; Big Meadows closes Nov. 5. Pets are not allowed in the rooms.
To reserve a spot at either lodge, go online to visitshenandoah.com/lodging.shtml or call 800/778-2851.
The general Web site for the park is nps.gov/shen.
The park also offers accommodation at Lewis Mountain cabins farther south on the Skyline Drive, and campsites are available as well.
--Laura Moyer