Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - Dick's Dome Shelter

Past/Present hikers - what can future hikers expect here? Have any good stories or memories from here?

Future hikers - any questions?

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Don't get your hopes up. This place was pretty disappointing. The guide book says "geodesic dome"- it's a plywood shelter that sleeps about 3, maybe 4 small people. Good water source but the good water source puts you in the middle of the bugs. I would pass this one by if I were to do the trail again....

I have a picture of Dutch Uncle, Amtrak & Sarge at this shelter if I can find it, I'll post it. As jumpstart says, buggy and not impressive. I walked quite a distance off the trail (longer then the book says) to see it. Yuck. Then hiked on. HH

Stayed at Dicks Dome in Feb of 1999 I believe and it was a welcome sight after hiking all day in yhe sleet/rain/snow. The only other option was the state park a few miles ahead and it lies way, way off trail!

There are plenty of other shelters in the immediate area if it isn't up to anyone's standards. I felt kinda bad reading the entries in the shelter register that were trashing the place cause from what I understand this was a father/son project not one created by a team of trailworkers.

I stayed there in 01 after walking by the Denton Shelther...Big Mistake haha. The resident rat (not mouse) chewed the stabilizer off another hikers pack, shredded his boot laces and ate through my Leki Makalu's webbing. I must say looking back it's amusing but at the time was not.

Doesn't make much sense to camp there considering you have to walk by the Denton shelter to get there, but you live and learn. If I remember correctly there is a decent campsite about 20 meters away from the shelter.

Tented there last summer so didn't experience the "Rat." Kind of liked the tent site by the stream and the privy was better than most.

I like Dicks Dome, but then again I'm a dirtbagger who thrives on the more "rustic" places on the AT. I'd rather stay at the Doyle than at a Hilton. These places have a type of Hiker Class and Tradition that you will find no where else. In a world with countless malls and box buildings, you have to appreciate the unique places that still exist.

I didn't actually stay in the shelter itself but stopped by it at least once while hiking in that area. I think the area surrounding it is beautiful. I tented there one cold night in December, amazing how different the same place looks at different times of the year!!I believe the book I had warned against using the water there, I think it had something to do with the location of the privy(?)

There's actually only one rat, and he's HUGE:o

When I passed thru in Oct of '02 the sign said to hang everything incl boots, for the rat would knaw on them too. Sadly he tried to knaw on my face, & I had to make a precipitous exit @ 4:00 a.m. It's cold @ 4 in October.

I was very upset at the caretakers, not b/c the shelter was in deplorable shape (which it was), but b/c they appologized for the inconvienece until they could install a salt lick.

A salt lick! I say Kill the bastard! Their animal loving attitude ruined my night, and potentially my health...............

I was very upset at the caretakers, not b/c the shelter was in deplorable shape (which it was), but b/c they appologized for the inconvienece until they could install a salt lick.

A salt lick! I say Kill the bastard! Their animal loving attitude ruined my night, and potentially my health...............

I wish I could have been there when they told you the salt lick line. I would have paid to see the look on your face. I am, however, very sorry they forced you to stay there.

Haven't been to the Dome in a few years, and then it was only a stop during a couple of dayhikes, but it left these impressions:

1) A beautiful setting.

2) A really dumb circular design, guaranteed to use the largest number of square inches to sleep the fewest number of hikers.

3) A privy directly uphill from the water source, again--not smart. Hopefully this has been or will be rectified.

Two shelters south is the Hiker Hilton, Jim & Mollie Denton Shelter . . . An almost decadent creation that is often bypassed by anyone starting the morning NOBO at US522, and that's a shame.

One shelter south is Manassas Gap Shelter--which is better than it used to be (I saw photos of two PATC volunteers wearing biohazard suits when rehabbing it a few years back!) but reportedly still has one or more resident pit vipors; it does, however have a great piped spring. There used to be a single decent tentsite along the access trail which I used once.

Actually, the first time I did the section Harpers Ferry>US522 (SOBO), I did go way off the trail and spent a day and a half at Sky Meadows State Park at one of their walk-in tentsites. It was a great experience, with a visitor center about a mile further, some trails of its own that featured historic overviews, and more.

While admittedly the miles between Harpers Ferry and Front Royal are not the A.T.'s most exciting, Sky Meadows, plus Bears Den Hostel and Blackburn Trail Center, add enough to the experience to break up any boredom that might drift in, and help to offset that Rollercoaster thing.

I stopped in briefly in 2001 and it didn't seem that bad. I just had ate and moved on but if the timing was different I would have stayed. It might not be the fanciest shelter on the trail but it's not as bad as everyone says. I've seen worse. As for the rat though, that's a totally different story.

I hiked in here from Front Royal largely after dark in May '03. I got in at around 10 pm and was soaked due to pooring rain and a trailway full of standing water. There were two gentlemen asleep in one half the shelter and a girl sprawled at an angle taking up most of the second half. Still, I found room between her and the wall, but I had to step over her to get there. I was as quiet as reasonably possible to avoid tarping in the rain and I shielded my headlamp with my fingers.

At 5 am the next morning-before first light-the female hiker got up and made her exit as loud as possible, including dropping boots or pack or something heavy on the floor several times and letting her Lekis drop a few times from some height (I presume all for my benefit). It didn't phase me and I slept on only slightly disturbed, but the other two hikers were laughing about her when we three were up a couple hours later.

One of those hikers was an 80-year old gentlemen on his fifth 2,000 mile trek. He was phenomenal, and he gave me a terrific confidence-boosting compliment by saying that I looked like I would surely finish my thru-hike.

having just been there a few weeks ago, i found it small. not much tent space around - don't count on tenting if its raining, some of the sites downhill from the shelter get really wet

--megabite

I loved this place, maybe my fav shelter on the AT. Got there after a long day expecting to be tenting in the rain. No one was there, spent the night just me and my 2 buds. Slept in the next morning while the rain came down and didnt get hiking till close to noon.

Beautiful stream/flooded trail right outside the shelter. Can't put my finger on it, just one of those special places.

The one before it south is nasty

I wish I could have been there when they told you the salt lick line. I would have paid to see the look on your face. I am, however, very sorry they forced you to stay there.Yea you're right. Caretakers have no responsibility to keep a shelter sanitary; hikers be damned.:-?

Rat + outhouse directly above water source = bad place to hang. Raining & 15 miles in, I was out of options and HUNGRY.

I have hiked 1/4 of the AT, stayed in some shady places, but this one is my personal loser. Sorry.

I spent a night here in Oct 95 during a section hike from HF to Front Royal. So happens that Tropical Storm (formerly Hurricane) Opal passed thru the area that night. It was a tight fit, with 4 additional hikers, but I was glad to be under a roof that evening. Many, many limbs were blown down during the storm, which made for a scary night, as they crashed off of the shelter; not a good night to be tenting!

Toofarafoot

First newbie post-here goes. I passed through about 2 years ago on an overnighter from Manassas Gap North to Sky Meadows SP. The latrine was well above the stream and I didn't feel good about the water. I followed the stream 200 yds or so upstream and found a pool or 2 in the rocks with a fair flow, and collected a couple of quarts to filter. If memory serves, it was abit of a hassle getting to it as the stream bed was very rocky and offered some pretty good chances to twist an ankle. Up hill from the shelter and behind the latrine there's a fire road of sorts. At the time there were several large trees down across the road (either deadfalls or cut to block ORV passage). It struck me as a decent place to pitch a tent if there wasn't too much rain.

I stopped in this summer for a little afternoon nap on my way to bigger and better things for the day. I was quite disturbed by the privy situation but the scenery and location were beautiful. However, it was probably the most poorly designed shelter that I saw...big but can only sleep 3 or 4 people comfortably. Heck, even 2 with gear is pushing in when I stopped in for nap time with someone I was hiking with. What was the designer thinking? Plus it was dirty.

I love this little shelter and the site isn't too bad. We stayed here back in 1993 when we did the AT and you don't see too many shelters with the uniqness this one has. I wouldn't trust the water source out front and it gets a bit buggy in the summer months, but I have fond memories of this great place on the AT. I think it was a father and son project that was completed back in 1989.

It's only big enough for two or three comfortably and in a damp area...........wanderer

Well was planning to nap a few hours at this one when I went thru in late-May of 1993 but fell asleep in the warm sun and didn't wake up till evening so I made it an overnight. An unusaul, but cozy design, peaceful surrounds, very nice except move that privy away from the spring....

However, it was probably the most poorly designed shelter that I saw...
One of the most poorly named as well. :o
What were they thinking? :datz

Stayed there just last week. We managed to get 5 in the shelter, but it was tight.

Be prepared to kill spiders before sleeping. We saw some big ones, and they looked like they had many friends.

I stopped at Dick's Dome for lunch during my Spring 2004 section hike. It was a nice place for lunch but don't think I would want to sleep there. As I was finishing lunch, a teenaged girl walked up and seemed surprised to find me there. She had parked her ATV up on the dirt road and walked down to sneek a cigarette, I'm pretty sure. Anyway, I talked to her for a few minutes and went my merry way. I wouldn't be surprised if this shelter was a big makeout/party spot for teens.

It's a dump and needs to be replaced or eliminated.

I don't even like the name "Dicks Dome". What kind of a name is that. Couldn't they call it something else?

Panzer

Had a very memorable night at Dicks Dome.It was when the remnants of Katrina hit in the area.A nice size chunk of tree hit it in the middle of the storm that night.The next day we had major problems crossing all the blowdowns on the trail.Turns out a tornado touched down.The little shelter came through in flying colors protecting us from the weather.There was enough room for 4 six footers but not much more.

I hiked in here from Front Royal largely after dark in May '03. I got in at around 10 pm and was soaked due to pooring rain and a trailway full of standing water. There were two gentlemen asleep in one half the shelter and a girl sprawled at an angle taking up most of the second half. Still, I found room between her and the wall, but I had to step over her to get there. I was as quiet as reasonably possible to avoid tarping in the rain and I shielded my headlamp with my fingers.

At 5 am the next morning-before first light-the female hiker got up and made her exit as loud as possible, including dropping boots or pack or something heavy on the floor several times and letting her Lekis drop a few times from some height (I presume all for my benefit). It didn't phase me and I slept on only slightly disturbed, but the other two hikers were laughing about her when we three were up a couple hours later.

One of those hikers was an 80-year old gentlemen on his fifth 2,000 mile trek. He was phenomenal, and he gave me a terrific confidence-boosting compliment by saying that I looked like I would surely finish my thru-hike.

the 80 year old guy sounds like the guy i met in may 2003 at the david lesser shelter,this guy had bypass heart surgery 6 months earlier,i really enjoyed meeting him:cool: neo

We stopped by here for lunch on 4/14/06. The shelter seemed intact on the inside though many of the roofing tiles lining the outer walls had peeled off or were hanging. Thus it made it look pretty shabby. The stream is pretty out front but we are told not reliable for drinking water. The design makes it difficult for more than three to stay. And its proximity to a dirt road makes it vulnerable. If I needed a place to stay, I would tent near the spring a mile up on the AT. Some good tenting spots are there.

I don't even like the name "Dicks Dome". What kind of a name is that. Couldn't they call it something else?

Panzer

LOL....couldn't agree more. Call it anything but "Dick's Dome". Actually if you renamed the shelter about 20 miles north (Sam Moore I think) for the growth on the side of the tree on the blue blaze leading up to the shelter....well you could have a complete set of male anatomy.

On a more serious and less disgusting note. I overnighted there with some friends Christmas 2007. We got in around 1:30 AM and no one was there. The rat never showed either...or it was so stealthy we never heard/saw it. The hexagon shape does make for a waste of space. You could maybe fit 5 squeezed in it. Ditto to the privy being too far upstream of the shelter.

Someone needs to go in with a load of cedar shingles and replace the shingles on the walls with cedar shingles - even undercourse shingles would be better than asphalt shingles. As I recall, it is a bit small, but the shape is incredibly strong.

I too lost a pair of laces to the mystery rodent at Dick's Dome.

Just spent my first night on the AT at Dick's Dome, and after reading the reviews, I don't understand what you all have against this place!!!

Of couse, it is early March, so no bugs as of yet, saw 1 mouse out in the leaves about 20 yards from the shelter while gathering wood. Yes, the privy is located up on the bank above the creek, just walk upstream past it a bit and filter the water from there! I was nice sleeing in the shelter (which can hold 5 easy I would assume, judging how much space was left over after my fat a$$ was in there!), listening to the babbling of the creek outside. I would guess that in warmer weather, later in the season, it probably wouldn't be all that great with the bug situation, but for a late winter/early spring hike, I think it was pretty good. Shelter was in good repair and clean, privy was extremely clean and had a fresh roll of TP inside. The good kind too, CHARMIN, lol.

Anyway, I thought it was pretty decent, no rodent activity inside the shelter, and no evidence of any recent pests. Swept out the little bit of dust and webs and it was great!

I was there this summer. Was a bear lurking around but stayed his/her distance.Water good. tent site's looked flooded in the rain. Was just me-so plenty of room. Not for more than 4 though.(if you want to stretch out)

I discoverd that if you go up the hill past the privy another 20 feet or so, you come out to an old woods road which you can follow back to the AT. A much shorter and easier walk to the trail then the "official" route and comes out maybe 100-200 yards north of where the shelter blue blaze trail is.

I don't think I would have stayed in that shelter, even if a group hadn't already been in there!

I was there this summer. Was a bear lurking around but stayed his/her distance.Water good. tent site's looked flooded in the rain. Was just me-so plenty of room. Not for more than 4 though.(if you want to stretch out)

Did "they" ever put permanent hooks into the studs for hammocks? Or is it still just floor space? (I'm thinking in terms of carrying capacity, not in terms of "hangers' preference".)

I thought the water there was contaminated due to farmer's field upstream?

Honestly, nice tent spots a mile north by a spring.

Did "they" ever put permanent hooks into the studs for hammocks? Or is it still just floor space? (I'm thinking in terms of carrying capacity, not in terms of "hangers' preference".)

Nope, no hangers at all, except for mouse hangers on the ceiling. I don't know, I had a nice stay there. Nice tip on the road, I crossed it on the trail, although part of the reason I go out is for the exercise, so I don't mind the extra distance!

Been there on a couple sections. I like the current shelter itself it ain't big but it is in great shape and if you use the angles right you can stay out of any wind. (also as of recently the coolest pencil holder ever thanks Flash) The privy spring issue however is a pretty rondonkulous example of how not to do field sanitation.