By Lynn R. Mitchell
Mark your calendar for a winter escape in Shenandoah National Park next weekend, February 13-16, when entrance fees to the park will be waived Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. It will provide the perfect opportunity to visit the Byrd Visitor Center, located at Milepost 51 at Big Meadows, open 9:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
Shenandoah National Park in winter offers a slower pace, less people, and open vistas unavailable during warmer months (see Winter in Shenandoah to find open facilities):
Experience the quiet solitude of winter in Shenandoah National Park.
As the leaves fall from the trees and cooler temperatures improve visibility, valleys below and mountains beyond are more spectacular than ever.
You’ll also have a better chance of seeing woodland animals like deer, squirrels, and turkeys as they forage for food. Foxes and bobcats are also active through winter. Snow in the mountains makes it fun and easy to see who’s out and about. Look for tracks of mice, rabbits, and other animals.
Listen and look for Shenandoah’s winter birdlife. Chickadees, nuthatches, and a host of woodpeckers will be searching for seeds and berries or peeking under bark for hard-to-find insects.
A crisp, winter visit is just one more way to experience Shenandoah.
Don’t miss the other fee-free days in 2015:
April 18 and April 19 — First weekend of National Park Week
August 25 — National Park Service’s 99th Birthday
September 26 — National Public Lands Day
November 11 — Veterans Day
It’s February … enjoy the remaining days of winter.
LynnRMitchell.com 
[…] The Byrd Visitor Center at Big Meadows (Milepost 51) with some interesting clouds overhead. The visitor center will be open this weekend, February 13-16, for Presidents Day. With frigid arctic temperatures moving in, it will surely be extra brisk and a special experience (see Presidents Day fee-free weekend in Shenandoah National Park). […]