In the Bentonville access area, you will find a fish trap access area close to Shelter 3. Here, wade fishing is popular. Additionally, freshwater fishing is also available in about 25 different streams. You will need to fish with a single hook, using artificial lures. For the delicious trout, they must be a minimum of nine inches long and a daily limit of six. Although fish can be caught and eaten, park rangers do recommend you follow “catch and release” whenever possible. Remember that fish can be caught and played to exhaustion where they will not survive so be sure to release quickly.
To fish in Shenandoah National Park, a Virginia State fishing permit is required for anglers 12 and older. You can purchase a five-day permit for nonresident at the Loft Mountain Wayside, Big Meadows Wayside, Panorama Restaurant, and at many of the nearby sporting goods stores. Unfortunately, floating and wading are not allowed in this particular national park. However, you can swim in the streams but this is always at your own risk. In addition, many of the lodging accommodations in nearby communities have pools if swimming is something you want to do on your trip.
The only places with this national park where you can bike include the public roads in developed areas and on Skyline Drive. No backcountry fire roads or trails can be ridden on. For safety purposes, be sure to always wear a helmet, ride in single file, and ride only when visibility is good using a front light and red taillight. Considering that more than 500 miles of hiking trails exist, you can hike for your entire trip and never cover all the trails. The nice thing is that the trails are established in distances. Therefore, you can enjoy a short walk or head out on the Appalachian Trail and cover all 101 miles. If you take the Whiteoak Canyon Trail, you will find a nice area featuring six mesmerizing waterfalls.