You’ll feel like you’ve walked into a Thomas Kinkade painting when you visit this rustic, stone-chimney cabin in mid-October, when Shenandoah’s legendary fall foliage paints the slopes. The 1930s hut—complete with wood-burning stove and outdoor fireplace—nestles in a grove of hardwoods at the head of the Doyles River. From there, you’re just 500 yards from the Appalachian Trail. Or, simply continue on the Doyles River Trail: It passes through corridors of yellow poplar and skirts several seasonal cascades on a 9.2-mile out-and-back. Back at the cabin, toast the day’s adventures with s’mores around the large, covered fireplace on the porch.

Get to the cabin via the Doyles River Trail. In summer, it’s just a .6-mile walk from Skyline Drive (near mile marker 81), but in winter, you’ll have to park back at the road closure, turning it into a 4.3-mile trek with 1,700 feet of gain.

Trailhead Doyles River Season Year-round (snowshoe in winter) Amenities Bunks with mattresses; wood-burning stove Reservation $30/night; reserve online Contact