Would spring break in Shenandoah be cold?

[Anonymous]

I was surprised to see that Big Meadows lodge will not even be open until May. Is temperature an issue at that time of year?

[Anonymous]

Yes. You might also have snow on the ground.

[Anonymous]

There could be snow and ice or it could be warm and pleasant. It’s impossible to know ahead of time what any individual week in March/April are going to be like. You could book a place outside the park and adjust your plans based on the weather later on.

[Anonymous]

Small game hunting season (nearby).

[Anonymous]

Do you live locally? If so, you know what the weather is like in March.

[Anonymous]

It's cold, might see snow on the ground, very muddy and no leaves on the trees so everything looks crusty. Not a great time to go IMO

[Anonymous]

We have gone the last weekend in April many times. Some years we hike in gloves/hats and other years in shirtsleeves. Skylands should be open. It's a nice time to go - assuming your break is late this year like ours so you should be OK

[Anonymous]

We often camp there Memorial Day weekend. One year, it didn’t get above about 55F the whole weekend, and it was almost June. So yes, it can be cold (or not) for spring break. Much higher elevation than DC.

[Anonymous]

I hike there every week or so year round. Winter is my favorite season to hike there. No annoying bugs and the trails are pretty empty. Also, the bare tree limbs mean mountain views most of the time. You won’t be nearly as cold as you think while out hiking. On the uphill portion, I usually end up wearing just a long sleeve shirt with no jacket (even in the teens and 20s). The trails can be icy though so make sure to have micro spikes for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We often camp there Memorial Day weekend. One year, it didn’t get above about 55F the whole weekend, and it was almost June. So yes, it can be cold (or not) for spring break. Much higher elevation than DC.

OP here and this is why I asked. It's not like the DMV area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We often camp there Memorial Day weekend. One year, it didn’t get above about 55F the whole weekend, and it was almost June. So yes, it can be cold (or not) for spring break. Much higher elevation than DC.

OP here and this is why I asked. It's not like the DMV area.

It’s usually the same weather, just 10-15 degrees cooler.

[Anonymous]

It's best to go when it's as cold as possible, otherwise it's prime tick territory, OP. If spring is warm, you'll have to beware of Lyme disease.