View Full Version : Elk Garden Parking?
I'm considering parking for three days at the Elk Garden (VA600) AT trailhead a few miles south of Mt. Rogers in VA this summer. Does anyone know if this is a safe place to park? Any recent (past year or so) vandalism?
StarLyte
05-09-2007, 07:32
I'm considering parking for three days at the Elk Garden (VA600) AT trailhead a few miles south of Mt. Rogers in VA this summer. Does anyone know if this is a safe place to park? Any recent (past year or so) vandalism?
Hey Skyline - I've parked here before. The area is open, and there's usually trail angels around.
I've never heard anything negative about this parking area. I hope Lone Wolf sees this post.
Great hiking here, lots of blue blazes going north. Have fun.
The Solemates
05-09-2007, 09:31
why not just park in damascus and get wolf or MRO to shuttle you? It would cost very little and be worth it in my book.
why not just park in damascus and get wolf or MRO to shuttle you? It would cost very little and be worth it in my book.
Good idea, but we're just doing a circuit up in the High Country, not hiking into Damascus. Normally went I've done this I've parked at Massie Gap. Just thinking about cutting down on driving by parking at Elk Garden. Grindstone would be another option, but it's twice as long of a hike to get to Deep Gap before starting up into the High Country.
Once a few years ago when I hiked from Massie into Damascus for TD, I recall seeing broken glass in the lot at Elk Garden. Probably 2003 or so; haven't noticed glass the last three years when I hiked in. That may have been the year all the activity was occuring at Fox Creek, but they caught those guys, right? So if that was an aberration and there hasn't been vandalism since, Elk Garden would be the place to park this time.
bigcranky
05-09-2007, 10:04
There are signs posted at several trailheads in the area warning of vandalism and outright vehicle theft. IIRC Elk Garden is one of them. If you want to do a loop in that area, it's probably safer to park at Massey Gap in Grayson Highlands State Park.
i was a volunteer u.s.f.s. ranger at mt.rogers in the early 90's.there were some problems with break-ins back then,but luckily we had a l.e.o. who wasn't a 9 to 5 guy.he staked the area out for a couple of weekends-hi-tech style,n.v googles vid.cam, and apparently caught those responsible.call up mt.rogers h.q. and ask if they've been having any problems. you could ask for paul dory or tim ealing if they're still there....just call h.q.
The Solemates
05-09-2007, 12:20
Good idea, but we're just doing a circuit up in the High Country, not hiking into Damascus. Normally went I've done this I've parked at Massie Gap. Just thinking about cutting down on driving by parking at Elk Garden. Grindstone would be another option, but it's twice as long of a hike to get to Deep Gap before starting up into the High Country.
Once a few years ago when I hiked from Massie into Damascus for TD, I recall seeing broken glass in the lot at Elk Garden. Probably 2003 or so; haven't noticed glass the last three years when I hiked in. That may have been the year all the activity was occuring at Fox Creek, but they caught those guys, right? So if that was an aberration and there hasn't been vandalism since, Elk Garden would be the place to park this time.
you could get em to drive you up and and pick you back up when your done for very little.
D'Artagnan
05-09-2007, 14:38
you could get em to drive you up and and pick you back up when your done for very little.
I've done that a few times and for my money, the peace of mind is worth every dollar.
I appreciate all the responses, and will definitely call MR HQ. They would be the best source of info on this.
I know Wolf does shuttles way cheap but being a sometimes shuttler myself I know what a hassle it is for all concerned to have to meet someone days later at an appointed time and place. Kind of takes the spontaneity out of it all, and there are too many opportunities for missed connections. If I was doing a one-way hike I definitely would use a shuttle; in fact every year I hiked into TD I used Mark and Janet Holmes of the Fox Hill Inn in Troutdale because we've been friends for a long time. They moved away last year, so can't call them anymore.