Camp Dern NP-1 -- Shenandoah National Park VA
N 38° 34.479 W 078° 23.041
17S E 727890 N 4272821
Camp Dern was one of the first CCC camps established in the country and the first established in Shenandoah NP in the 1930's to help with its development.
Waymark Code: WM3WM4
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 05/26/2008
Views: 50
More than 1000 young men were established in 10 camps in the area that was to become Shenandoah National Park. CCC Camp NP-1 was located near Skyland.
Their earliest projects included the development of Skyline Drive, building of trails and fire roads, and revegetation of areas disturbed by construction. This work continued after the Park was officially dedicated in 1935 and included removal of any human traces of the mountain families that were relocated or moved from the Park, construction of facilities, reduction of fire hazards, extensive landscaping, and improvement of visitor areas and picnic grounds.
A more detailed history and NPS Archive photographs can be found at the nps.gov Shenandoah National Park site: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
The sign is located at the Timber Hollow Ovelook at MP 43.3 on Skyline Drive. The camp was located almost directly across the Drive. Today, traces of the camp have all but disappeared, but bushwhackers can still find some evidence of its long-ago presence -- depressions where buildings once stood, concrete steps, burn pits, metal parts, and other artifacts (illegal to remove!) There is an old dump site near the Crescent Rock Trail (accessed across Skyline Drive from the Crescent Rock Overlook) near its junction with the Limberlost Trail that was used by CCC #1.