Albemarle Tourism & Adventure Center Hosting Special Program on April 9th

The Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau (CACVB) announces a special program featuring Shenandoah National Park Superintendent, Jim Northup. As with other sessions in this series of free seasonal programs, it will be offered at the Albemarle Tourism and Adventure Center located in downtown Crozet (5791 Three Notch’d Rd).

On Saturday, April 9th starting promptly at 10:00 a.m., Superintendent Jim Northup will speak about his 36 years as a National Park Ranger, and all the wonderful things there are to see and do in Shenandoah National Park. He will also provide an update on recent happenings within the park, talk about the wide variety of events planned for the Centennial of the National Park Service and take questions. Following his talk, the Superintendent and attendees will caravan to Sugar Hollow for a hike on the North Fork Moormans River trail. This is an easy to moderate 3.2 mile hike in and out. Participants wishing to hike with Jim are encouraged to carpool. Hikers should wear proper footwear (there are several stream crossings with stepping stones), and bring a day pack, hiking pole(s), water and a snack or lunch to enjoy. Plans are to finish up by 2:00 p.m. that afternoon.

The goal of this series of programs is to engage visitors and locals alike, about topics related to activities and events that can be enjoyed in the western part of Albemarle County. “With these programs, we focus on outdoor recreation. Our other goal is to provide useful information so everyone can enjoy the rural environment surrounding us,” said Kurt Burkhart, CACVB’s Executive Director. “We hope, with these programs timed to the seasons, that many in Crozet and the surrounding area will take advantage of these fun opportunities and share them with visiting friends and family.”

Jim Northup is a U.S. National Park Ranger, currently serving as the superintendent of Shenandoah National Park and Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park, both in Virginia. Over the course of his career with the National Park Service, Jim has been privileged to work in some of America’s most beautiful, popular and complex parks, including Shenandoah, Grand Teton, Big Bend, Guadalupe Mountains, Grand Canyon and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks; Cape Hatteras and Fire Island National Seashores, the Buffalo National River and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. He has worked as a ranger, natural resources specialist, wildland fire and aviation specialist, Chief Ranger and Park Superintendent, and has managed programs in several parks involving high profile and controversial natural, cultural and visitor use management issues. Jim holds a B.S. Degree in Environmental Education from the University of Maryland, and has completed graduate level work in public administration and environmental law and policy at the State University of New York and the University of Wyoming. He is a graduate of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program and Harvard University’s Senior Executive Fellows Program. Jim and his wife Phyllis, an artist, raised two daughters while living in national parks and are both avid outdoor enthusiasts.

The new Albemarle Tourism and Adventure Center is now operational and the CACVB staff is ready to educate visitors and locals about the array of tourism assets to be enjoyed in our area. This new visitor center is located in the historic train depot in Downtown Crozet, which until recently was home to the town’s library. The space inside this beautiful building is shared with a consortium of local artisans, the Crozet Artisan Depot, LLC (Artisans), making it a must-see location for visitors. The Artisans are also planning to host events such as jam sessions (in partnership with The Front Porch) with local musicians at this location. The jam sessions will be from 7-9 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. Please check the event calendar at for a complete list of events.