Stony Man is the mountain that looks like a face. Seen from the right angle, the cliffs on the summit make the profile of a bearded old man staring at the sky, and the name has stuck since long before the park. At about 1,220 metres it is the second highest peak in Shenandoah National Park, and the walk to the top is one of the easiest and most rewarding in the Blue Ridge: a short, gentle climb from the Skyland parking area, through oak and mountain laurel, to bare rock with a view over the valley.
Skyland, the resort beside the trailhead, was started in the 1890s by George Freeman Pollock, who fell in love with the area and began taking guests up the mountain, and it still operates as a lodge in the park. The Appalachian Trail runs nearby, and hikers in long socks and heavy boots are a common sight in the car park. Below the summit, the Shenandoah Valley stretches west toward the Alleghenies, and the Luray Caverns, a famous cave system, lie under the valley floor. The park's rocks are some of the oldest in the eastern United States, more than a billion years old in places, a fact that gives the soft shapes of the Blue Ridge more weight than their modest height suggests.
Skyline Drive is the star of the ride, and this stretch is one of the highest and most open. The road winds along the crest in easy curves with a gentle gradient, and the overlooks open to the east and west by turns. The speed limit is 35 mph, and the road is at its best on a weekday morning, with mist in the valleys and the sun coming over the Piedmont. Autumn is spectacular and crowded, and winter weather can close the road. Watch for deer, bears and sudden fog, which can reduce visibility to a few metres.
Luray, about ten kilometres to the west, has petrol, food and motels, and Stanley is another option. Stock up before you climb. The air at the top is noticeably cooler than in the valley, so a light layer is a good idea, even in summer. The summit walk takes perhaps an hour there and back, and is worth every minute.