The Expedition
Explore this park via the trails and along the way enjoy the scenic vistas. Knowledge of the trail system might come in handy.
Who goes up, must come down!
Expedition Factoids
- FTF-Akroy Venslaka
- Round Trip Distance- 4 miles give or take (depending on route choice)
- Total Time To Complete-???
Expedition data is incomplete. Please add your findings for the missing factoids in your log
Park Information
PARKING FEES ARE REQUIRED YEAR ROUND. Better idea, purchase an annual park pass!
The name Sky Meadows comes from former owner Robert Hadow, who named the property "Skye Farm" after an island in Scotland. Settlement of the area can be attributed to nearby Ashby's Gap, which gave settlers access to the Shenandoah Valley.
In 1731, Lord Fairfax sold a 7,883-acre tract of land just south of Ashby’s Gap to James Ball. Ball died in 1754, and his land was divided among his daughter and five grandsons. One grandson sold his land to John Edmonds in 1780. Edmonds died eight years later, and his land was divided among his five children.
Isaac Settle of nearby Paris bought land from two of those children and in 1812 built a large brick house called “Belle Grove.” In 1842, he sold Belle Grove farm to his son in-law, Lewis Edmonds, who shortly thereafter sold 148 acres to Settle’s son, Abner, who built Mount Bleak House.
Mount Bleak in 1868 became the property of George M. Slater, who had been in Mosby’s Rangers during the Civil War. Slater and his son lived there for 55 years.
The property changed owners several times in the 1900s. In 1975, Paul Mellon of Upperville, Va., donated a 1,132-acre tract to the Commonwealth for the development of a state park. Another 248 acres were acquired in 1987, thus providing a corridor to the Appalachian Trail. In 1991, Mr. Mellon donated another 248 acres, designated the Lost Mountain Bridle Trail Area.
Just an hour’s drive from Washington, D.C., Sky Meadows State Park in Clarke and Fauquier counties, offers a peaceful getaway on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mountains. With rolling pastures and woodlands, the park boasts beautiful vistas of the foothills and access to the Appalachian Trail. Its rich history is shaped by the development of agriculture and the impact of the Civil War. Activities include hiking, fishing, picnicking, horseback riding, primitive camping, and nature and history programs.
