shenandoah national park lies along the blue ridge mountains in north-central virginia. these mountains form a distinct highland rising to elevations above . local topographic relief between the blue ridge mountains and shenandoah valley exceeds at some locations. the crest of the range divides the shenandoah river drainage basin, part of the potomac river drainage, on the west side, from the james and rappahannock river drainage basins on the east side.