Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park was awarded Leave No Trace’s Gold Standard Site designation in 2018 and redesignated in 2025. Shenandoah National Park earned the recognition for its role as a leader in promoting responsible enjoyment in the great outdoors.

“Promoting and practicing Leave No Trace principles in Shenandoah National Park ensures the park and its resources are here for everyone to experience,” says Park Superintendent Tracy Stakely. “It is an honor to be recognized again as a Leave No Trace Gold Standard Site. This designation demonstrates the passion and efforts of our staff to instill Leave No Trace principles in the annual 1.5 million visitors that come to enjoy these amazing public lands.”

About Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park, just 75 miles west of Washington, D.C., was established in 1935. The park stretches about 80 miles north to south along the Appalachian Mountains and consists of almost 200,000 acres, including nearly 80,000 acres of designated wilderness. The land is dotted with cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, fields of wildflowers, and quiet wooded hollows. With 500 miles of trails winding through lands that are a haven to more than 2100 species of flora and fauna, there’s always something new to discover.