Shennies to Harpers Ferry Questions

[Goonky]

Hey,

Please help, I'm torturing myself.

I've mapped out a 125 miles from Harpers Ferry to Duncannon for early May, but I find myself wondering if I should move south a bit and do some of the Shennies.

If I started at Big Meadows and walked to Harpers Ferry, that's about 100 miles according to AWOLs.

What's the resupply like from BM to HF? I average 8 - 10 miles a day. Can I resupply at Elkswallow and Front Royal? Is that enough?

Any opinions on these two options are welcome. I'll have a dog with me, seemed to be a little tougher to find dog friendly places to stay north of waynesboro. If I'm out 100 miles, I'd like to do two town stays if possible.

[burger]

My first-ever AT section hike started at Waynesboro and went north through Shenandoah and beyond. The park was WAY better than the sections outside the park to the north--better trail, easier grades, more wildlife, more food options. Why not just do Shenandoah instead? You can easily resupply in the park plus get lots of "town food" at the waysides and restaurants.

[Goonky]

My first-ever AT section hike started at Waynesboro and went north through Shenandoah and beyond. The park was WAY better than the sections outside the park to the north--better trail, easier grades, more wildlife, more food options. Why not just do Shenandoah instead? You can easily resupply in the park plus get lots of "town food" at the waysides and restaurants.

I've had the exact same thought. What if I did Rockfish Gap to Front Royal or Rockfish Gap to Harpers Ferry? Can you talk a little about the resupply in the park? Where do I do that? at the waysides?

[Slo-go'en]

Big Meadows is the big campground with a fairly well stocked camp store for car campers, but a bit marginal for hikers. Waysides are fast food. Pricey but how can you resist a burger and ice cream for lunch, no matter what the price? There are some PITA sections but overall its a walk in the park. You'll do much better then 8-10 miles a day.

I would start out with enough dinners to get through most of the park and enough lunch and breakfast for the first couple of days. Lunch at the waysides more often then not and pick up snacks along the way for breakfast and days you miss a wayside for lunch. Pick up a few Mountain House meals at Big Meadows to get you to Front Royal.

[joshuasdad]

8-10 miles in Maine (with the exception of the relatively easy northern HMW) is like 14-16 miles in Shenandoah -- if you can handle the heat, that is. There is decent resupply at some of the waysides and campground stores, I remember Loft Mountain Campground being particularly good (w/single beers for sale, as well as a nice tub of potato salad). Here's the list of stores, and their opening dates.

http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisi...g-schedule.htm

I agree that most of NoVA outside of Shenandoah is not something I would travel to get to. The drone of lawnmowers is almost always heard, as you are huffing and puffing up countless PUDs.

[jarofkla]

I've section hiked the Southern and Central districts of SNP and they are beautiful and in close proximity to civilization. My only experience with a bear came in the south. The trail runs through/next to Loft Mountain and Big Meadows. Both of them offer treats you won't get outside of the park.

I plan on finishing the North district and the roller coaster to Harper's Ferry as a finish line experience when I complete the Damascus portion of my VA sections.

Good luck!

[jimmyjam]

Inside the park you can resupply at Loft Mountain (campground store & wayside restaurant), Lewis Mountain Campground store, Big Meadows Campground store & restaurant, Skyland restaurant only, and Elkwallow Wayside store.

[shelb]

Inside the park you can resupply at Loft Mountain (campground store & wayside restaurant), Lewis Mountain Campground store, Big Meadows Campground store & restaurant, Skyland restaurant only, and Elkwallow Wayside store.

Only bring 3-4 days of food. You can resupply at the above places; however, I suggest that you reward yourself with the following:
Burger at Big Meadow
Breakfast at Skyland
Blackberry Shake at ElkWallow...

[fredmugs]

Best advice I ever received about SNP: Blackberry shakes. There are self registration kiosks at either end of the park on the trail so if you're starting inside the park you'll need to take care of that before you begin.

[QHShowoman]

People really refer to them as "the Shennies"? Is that like and outside Virginia thing?

[WingedMonkey]

People really refer to them as "the Shennies"? Is that like and outside Virginia thing?

It's one of those "hike your own hike" excuses.

We aren't supposed to tell them that there is no such place...geographically, geologically or historically.

[dzierzak]

Yeah, there is Shenandoah, Virginia (town), Shenandoah Mountain (west of Shenandoah), and Shenandoah National Park. Never any mountains to make it plural like the "Rockies".

[QHShowoman]

It's one of those "hike your own hike" excuses.

We aren't supposed to tell them that there is no such place...geographically, geologically or historically.

Oh good. Because I've lived in VA for more than a decade now and was starting to think that maybe there was a whole mountain range hiding somewhere that I've been missing out on. :-)