McKeever
04-13-2009, 19:03
As requested, here is some infor for section hikers wanting to hike from Dismal Fall to Pearisburg in two days (Part 1 Camping options around the North Ribble Trail.)
Section hike from Dismal Falls to Pearisburg
From Dismal Falls, consider getting you shuttle to take you just past the falls as a starting point. Ford Dismal creek just above the falls and pick up the blue blaze falls trail leading back to the AT. This will save you an unnecessary mile rather than starting at the 606 road crossing. The water might be knee deep, and cold too, (For Carl from Sling-blade) but it's an invigorating way to start a section hike!
It's best to start early in the morning to avoid locals who frequent the Falls to party down in the evenings. With that in mind, allot of locals ride the Forest Service road that goes from the Falls, on by the northern terminus of the Ribble Trail, on around to Sugar Run Road (Woods Hole to the east and access to Docs Knob shelter to the west). There have been allot of beer cans tossed out all along the FS road lately so stealth camping anywhere around the Ribble Trail is mandatory, but possible.
Hiking up the six miles of Dismal Creek from the Falls is so peaceful it makes you want to stop and camp beside the water at one of the numerous sites no matter what time of day it is or how far you have gone (or need to go on this section). There are numerous camp sites and stream crossings on the approach to Sugar Run Mountain but stopping short on the first day would add mileage to the second day to Pearisburg. Wapiti shelter is along the way but I personally would not stop long. A strenuous alternative to camping at the north Ribble Trail is to get water at the Shelter and pack it up Sugar Run and camp somewhere on the ridge miles prior to the northern Ribble Trail junction.
The hike up Sugar Run is an Avery style trail, it goes up, and up, and up, and not many switchbacks. The ridge hike along Sugar Run has several long saw teeth, but alas, you will reach the side trail up to Radio hill and the microwave towers, and on to the Ribble Trail. I do not recommend camping in the tower area because of the proximity of the FS road access. After the side trail to the towers, you will unexpectedly cross the FS road, which is actually the northern junction of the Ribble Trail. Look closely for the blue blazes to your left (for nobos). Continue several hundred yards to the old hunters shack, picnic table, stream, drained pond, and out of service privy.
There is an old dilapidated hunting cabin and an old out of service privy that sits right in the middle of the Ribble Trail and has blue blazes painted on it! In all my hiking, this is the only privy I have even seen with a trail going right thru it! There's an old picnic table that's had it's better days of use. It can still be used to cook on. There is a spring cascading down a long grade that makes up a mini water fall. Go high for your water.
This point is about half way to Pearisburg and a good place to stop and cook on the table if no locals are around from the FS road or Ribble Trail. The next section of AT north is a peninsula that is intersected by the the FS road again so I do not recommend camping on the AT until you are north of Docs Knob shelter. That brackets your camping options to around the north Ribble Trail if you wan to hike less than 12 mi to Pearisburg the next day.
After dinner at the table and waiting until sunset, I would bush whack down hill 300-500 yards, away from the water and Ribble Trail, and setup a stealth camp with no fire. Make absolutely sure no locals see you tramp off from the table to go camping. I believe that would be very safe. It's a adventurous section hike but the halfway point at Ribble Trail puts you into a stealth situation. It's not as nice as all the campsite along Dismal Creek but don't make a big deal out of it. Remember, don't make it obvious that you are staying overnight while cooking at the table if a day hiker walks by and starts chatting. The next days hike is endless green tunnels of Laurel on Pearis Mountain and very much a worth while section hike.
Section hike from Dismal Falls to Pearisburg
From Dismal Falls, consider getting you shuttle to take you just past the falls as a starting point. Ford Dismal creek just above the falls and pick up the blue blaze falls trail leading back to the AT. This will save you an unnecessary mile rather than starting at the 606 road crossing. The water might be knee deep, and cold too, (For Carl from Sling-blade) but it's an invigorating way to start a section hike!
It's best to start early in the morning to avoid locals who frequent the Falls to party down in the evenings. With that in mind, allot of locals ride the Forest Service road that goes from the Falls, on by the northern terminus of the Ribble Trail, on around to Sugar Run Road (Woods Hole to the east and access to Docs Knob shelter to the west). There have been allot of beer cans tossed out all along the FS road lately so stealth camping anywhere around the Ribble Trail is mandatory, but possible.
Hiking up the six miles of Dismal Creek from the Falls is so peaceful it makes you want to stop and camp beside the water at one of the numerous sites no matter what time of day it is or how far you have gone (or need to go on this section). There are numerous camp sites and stream crossings on the approach to Sugar Run Mountain but stopping short on the first day would add mileage to the second day to Pearisburg. Wapiti shelter is along the way but I personally would not stop long. A strenuous alternative to camping at the north Ribble Trail is to get water at the Shelter and pack it up Sugar Run and camp somewhere on the ridge miles prior to the northern Ribble Trail junction.
The hike up Sugar Run is an Avery style trail, it goes up, and up, and up, and not many switchbacks. The ridge hike along Sugar Run has several long saw teeth, but alas, you will reach the side trail up to Radio hill and the microwave towers, and on to the Ribble Trail. I do not recommend camping in the tower area because of the proximity of the FS road access. After the side trail to the towers, you will unexpectedly cross the FS road, which is actually the northern junction of the Ribble Trail. Look closely for the blue blazes to your left (for nobos). Continue several hundred yards to the old hunters shack, picnic table, stream, drained pond, and out of service privy.
There is an old dilapidated hunting cabin and an old out of service privy that sits right in the middle of the Ribble Trail and has blue blazes painted on it! In all my hiking, this is the only privy I have even seen with a trail going right thru it! There's an old picnic table that's had it's better days of use. It can still be used to cook on. There is a spring cascading down a long grade that makes up a mini water fall. Go high for your water.
This point is about half way to Pearisburg and a good place to stop and cook on the table if no locals are around from the FS road or Ribble Trail. The next section of AT north is a peninsula that is intersected by the the FS road again so I do not recommend camping on the AT until you are north of Docs Knob shelter. That brackets your camping options to around the north Ribble Trail if you wan to hike less than 12 mi to Pearisburg the next day.
After dinner at the table and waiting until sunset, I would bush whack down hill 300-500 yards, away from the water and Ribble Trail, and setup a stealth camp with no fire. Make absolutely sure no locals see you tramp off from the table to go camping. I believe that would be very safe. It's a adventurous section hike but the halfway point at Ribble Trail puts you into a stealth situation. It's not as nice as all the campsite along Dismal Creek but don't make a big deal out of it. Remember, don't make it obvious that you are staying overnight while cooking at the table if a day hiker walks by and starts chatting. The next days hike is endless green tunnels of Laurel on Pearis Mountain and very much a worth while section hike.