The Dickey Ridge Visitor Center is the starting point for many visitors to Shenandoah National Park entering through the Front Royal Entrance Station at the north end of the park. There are two trails that begin at the visitor center, the shorter Fox Hollow Loop (1.2 miles) and the Snead Farm Loop (3 miles). The Fox Hollow Loop is the more popular trail for birders and has its own eBird hotspot. This trail is productive for both breeding warblers such as Hooded, Cerulean and Worm-eating Warblers, and a wide variety of migrants. The best spots for migrants are the open area at the beginning of the loop across from the visitor center and the area around the spring and the steam that flows out from it along the northern part of the loop. Another productive spot for migrants is the area around the overflow parking area north of the visitor center. The picnic area can also turn up some interesting birds on occasion. American Woodcocks can be found displaying in the open area around the visitor center in the spring as well.
Accessibility: The trails and Skyline Drive are open 24 hours a day, with the exception of some nights during deer hunting season and when the drive is closed for inclement weather. The visitor center is open 9-5 daily from the first weekend in April to the last weekend in November. An entry fee of $25 for a week or $50 for a year pass is required.
Owner/Manager: National Park Service
eBird Hotspot: Shenandoah NP--Dickey Ridge Visitor Center
Sub-Hotspot: Shenandoah NP--Fox Hollow Trail
—James Fox