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My husband and I have a goal this year of visiting one new state park each month, whether it be for just a day trip or for an entire weekend. With 41 state parks in our home state of North Carolina and 38 state parks in nearby Virginia, thankfully we have a huge variety of parks to choose from within a fairly short distance from us.

I love hiking, but I love animals even more, so when I discovered a park in Virginia that offered incredible trails and wild ponies galore, I was itching to get there as soon as possible. We were also kicking off our 52 Hike Challenge, so this was the perfect place to start.

Dropping nearly 800 feet in just under a mile and a half, this hike descends from the picnic area at the South River Trailhead, following along the South River until it cascades through the canyon. Like most of the hikes off of Skyline Drive, this one provides a fairly strenuous climb back to the start but it has one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Virginia. Follow our NewsBreak account for more content Click the link on the profile to check out all of our social media accounts. Thanks! ✉️ Email ► anadventurewithnickandrachel@gmail.com

Stony Man Trail is one of the easiest yet most rewarding hikes right off Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. At 4011 feet, Stony Man is the second-highest mountain in Shenandoah National Park. Despite its height, the summit is very easy to reach on a 1.6-mile roundtrip hike with only 400 feet of elevation gain. The combination of easy trail and excellent viewpoint make the Stony Man Trail one of the most popular hikes in the Park. Follow our News Break account for more content Click the link on the profile to check out all of our social media accounts. Thanks! ✉️ Email ► anadventurewithnickandrachel@gmail.com