Shenandoah National Park

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Nearly a century later, FDR’s words remain remarkably true. Earlier this month, I was fortunate enough to step away from the busyness of life and, for a short time, nurture both my heart and soul.

The nurturing came not only from the mountains, wildflowers, and winding trails of Shenandoah National Park, but also from the company I kept. For national park visit number 19, I was joined by my cousins—Debbie, Amy, and Amber. Ever generous and good-humored, they indulged my national park obsession by agreeing to meet in Virginia for our long-overdue reunion.

In tents under stars

The weather for our trip was perfect—though not the kind of “perfect” that typically draws visitors to Shenandoah. Instead of crisp autumn days and jeweled foliage, Shenandoah in April offered us something moodier and more contemplative. The mornings were cold, encouraging slow, lazy breakfasts over steaming coffee and slices of Amy’s famous coffee cake.

Smell of the woods, wind in the trees

The air was damp and misty on our first afternoon in the park. Ice lingered on the rocks and tree branches at Stony Man Summit. Bundled in layers, we were primed for bear spotting (Hey, Bear!), but a ranger informed us that an outbreak of mange had reduced the bear population by almost half. While mange kept the bears away, the cold weather drove other humans indoors. For a little while, it felt like we had the park all to ourselves.

By our second afternoon in Shenandoah National Park, the skies had turned blue. The warmer temperatures attracted more people and the trails, especially Dark Hollow Falls, were noticeably more crowded. In search of quieter paths, we hiked Hawksbill Mountain, which rewarded us with both breathtaking views and the kind of solitude that makes the effort feel so worthwhile.

An open fire to cook by

We also spent some time at the Harry F. Byrd Sr. Visitor Center where we read FDR’s words of dedication which are so relateable. Sure, we swapped tents for an Airbnb and open fires for an oven, but the meals we shared were equally as wholesome. While snacking on Debbie’s homemade humus (pro tip: remove the skins of the chick peas) and sipping on Amber’s expertly selected wines, we made some grape leaves that surely made our Sittu proud.

Between cooking, hiking, a few rounds of Boggle, and deep conversations about everything from life to the intricacies of time travel, we created the perfect recipe for days that truly were good for both heart and soul.