Sky Meadows State Park
Encyclopedia
Sky Meadows State Park is a 1862 acres (754 ha) park in the Virginia
state park system. It is located in extreme northwest Fauquier County, Virginia
in the Blue Ridge Mountains
, near Paris, Virginia
. It is about an hour outside of the Washington, D.C.
metro region.
The park was formed when Paul Mellon
donated 1132 acres (458 ha) of land in 1975. It has expanded its borders twice since then—248 acres (100 ha) were added in 1987, containing the Appalachian Trail
, and in 1991 Mellon donated an additional 462 acres (187 ha), bringing the park to its present size.
It is located near Paris, Va off US 17, one mile (2 km) south of US 50 and seven miles (11 km) north of Interstate 66.
It starts in a valley between the foothills and the Blue Ridge Mountains, then has meadows and forests stretching up to the ridge of the mountain and the Appalachian Trail.
There is a basic walk-in campground, over 12 miles (19.3 km) of hiking trails and 6 miles (10 km) of bridle path
s. The horse trails are east of US 17 and the hiking trails (and most of the park) is west of US 17.
With a combination of meadows, grazed fields, forest, scrub, and streams, it has a wide variety of ecological zones.
Most of the year, there are monthly "astronomy nights" where amateur astronomers bring their telescopes and use them to show attendees various celestial objects. Typically, an astronomer from the Smithsonian Institution
is among the leaders.
Sky Meadows is a year-round bird watching site. It is known for a colony of Red-headed Woodpecker
s that live in an oak grove just past the contact station. Depending on the time of the year, it is almost certain that this and the other six species of woodpeckers—Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Pileated, and Northern Flicker—commonly found in this part of Virginia will be present.
Except for "astronomy nights", the park closes at dusk, and campers must be in the park and others out of the park at that time.
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
state park system. It is located in extreme northwest Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
, near Paris, Virginia
Paris, Virginia
Paris is a village in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. Located in Virginia's hunt country, it was established in a strategic spot at the eastern base of Ashby Gap along U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 50. Paris has a population of 51. There is one church in Paris, the Trinity United...
. It is about an hour outside of the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
metro region.
The park was formed when Paul Mellon
Paul Mellon
Paul Mellon KBE was an American philanthropist, thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder. He is one of only five people ever designated an "Exemplar of Racing" by the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame...
donated 1132 acres (458 ha) of land in 1975. It has expanded its borders twice since then—248 acres (100 ha) were added in 1987, containing the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
, and in 1991 Mellon donated an additional 462 acres (187 ha), bringing the park to its present size.
It is located near Paris, Va off US 17, one mile (2 km) south of US 50 and seven miles (11 km) north of Interstate 66.
It starts in a valley between the foothills and the Blue Ridge Mountains, then has meadows and forests stretching up to the ridge of the mountain and the Appalachian Trail.
There is a basic walk-in campground, over 12 miles (19.3 km) of hiking trails and 6 miles (10 km) of bridle path
Bridle path
A bridle path is a thoroughfare originally made for horses, but which these days serves a wide range of interests, including hikers, walkers and cyclists as well as equestrians. The laws relating to permissions vary from country to country...
s. The horse trails are east of US 17 and the hiking trails (and most of the park) is west of US 17.
With a combination of meadows, grazed fields, forest, scrub, and streams, it has a wide variety of ecological zones.
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
is among the leaders.
Sky Meadows is a year-round bird watching site. It is known for a colony of Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-headed Woodpecker
The Red-headed Woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus, is a small or medium-sized woodpecker from temperate North America. Their breeding habitat is open country across southern Canada and the eastern-central United States.-Taxonomy:...
s that live in an oak grove just past the contact station. Depending on the time of the year, it is almost certain that this and the other six species of woodpeckers—Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Pileated, and Northern Flicker—commonly found in this part of Virginia will be present.
Except for "astronomy nights", the park closes at dusk, and campers must be in the park and others out of the park at that time.