Lynchburg, VA and AT Access

[peacefrog]

I am a Leftcoaster (Native Los Angeleno) and have zero experience with actually hiking the AT. (I have read several wonderful AT journals/accounts/books and read here for years). I have a friend who would like to hike on the AT when she visits a son in Lynchburg. She knows zero about the AT in that area.
I have checked maps (I know where Lynchburg lies in relation to the AT) but only vaguely in a road atlas-kinda-way.
My Question:
What is the closest point of access on the AT to Lynchburg?
Are there multiple hiking options? Any outdoor retailers in Lynchburg or clubs/hiking groups she can contact? (I realize people on WhiteBlaze who actually live in Lynchburg will probably know best).
ANY info you can supply would be greatly appreciated.
(access points, mileage and direction from Lynchburg, etc)
Thanks very much!

[Cookerhiker]

Press (his WB name) lives in Lynchburg and often provides hikers with lots of good advice. If he doesn't respond to the thread, send him a PM.

[ocourse]

Snowden (Rt. 130 and Rt. 501) is about 20 miles from Lynchburg. You can contact this group http://www.nbatc.org/. They have scheduled hikes, and also have a women's group. I don't understand exactly what you might need. I might be available to shuttle depending on the timeframe.

[Press]

I think best place to get on the trail from Lynchburg as stated above is at the James River Foot Bridge on Rt. 130, good hikes either north or south from there. In roughly the same area you can get on the Blue Ridge Parkway with several points of access within 10 miles or so, especially to the south. Or you could drive about 45 miles north of Lynchburg and start off between the Priest and Three Ridges in beautiful Nelson County on the Tye River and if you like to drink craft beer, hit the Brew Ridge Trail of small breweries as well. Although that's a driving "trail" not an actual walking trail. Trail club as stated above also a good option, although I personally am not that into organized hiking.

[peacefrog]

@ ocourse - Thanks for the info. I was interested in "pointing" her in the right direction (once she's in Lynchburg). The nabtc was a nice reference. I don't know how long she will be there or her exact dates, but just wanted to have something to hand her, besides saying: "The AT is due NW on highway 501, you'll find it!" ;-)

@ Press - thank you for the info also. I wouldn't know about James River footbridge, so thats a start.
I think she just wanted to know where she could get on the AT from Lynchburg and then hike depending on her time constraints. (which Im not aware of at this time).
Could she get on at James River footbridge and hike south and still find an egress (exit road) within a half day hike? full day hike? If her son dropped her off, could he pick her up south.
What roads would that be?

I don't think she was planning any overnights.

Q: Also, are there any outdoor retailers in Lynchburg? A place where she can go and find maybe some maps or other needs.

[kofritz]

just head to the Blue Ridge Parkay(BRP). The trail is maybe 3 miles from the BRP on the road to Lynchburg.

[ocourse]

@ ocourse - Thanks for the info. I was interested in "pointing" her in the right direction (once she's in Lynchburg). The nabtc was a nice reference. I don't know how long she will be there or her exact dates, but just wanted to have something to hand her, besides saying: "The AT is due NW on highway 501, you'll find it!" ;-)

@ Press - thank you for the info also. I wouldn't know about James River footbridge, so thats a start.
I think she just wanted to know where she could get on the AT from Lynchburg and then hike depending on her time constraints. (which Im not aware of at this time).
Could she get on at James River footbridge and hike south and still find an egress (exit road) within a half day hike? full day hike? If her son dropped her off, could he pick her up south.
What roads would that be?

I don't think she was planning any overnights.

Q: Also, are there any outdoor retailers in Lynchburg? A place where she can go and find maybe some maps or other needs.

From James River footbridge heading S on the AT, it is 10 miles to Petites Gap (accessed by Blue Ridge Parkway). It is uphill a lot so she might want to go S to N. There are also a few loops on blue blaze trails back to the footbridge - I can't elaborate right now. There are very good hikes from the footbridge going N too. She could hike up Rocky Row and back down to Rt. 812 (across the road from the footbridge) several ways. Again, I can't be more specific at the moment.
We have a very good outfitter in Boonesboro Shopping Center http://www.outdoortrails.com/

[Roughin' It]

I can't believe I've never met any of you other Lynchburgers here on WB.

[Berserker]

I think best place to get on the trail from Lynchburg as stated above is at the James River Foot Bridge on Rt. 130, good hikes either north or south from there. In roughly the same area you can get on the Blue Ridge Parkway with several points of access within 10 miles or so, especially to the south. Or you could drive about 45 miles north of Lynchburg and start off between the Priest and Three Ridges in beautiful Nelson County on the Tye River and if you like to drink craft beer, hit the Brew Ridge Trail of small breweries as well. Although that's a driving "trail" not an actual walking trail. Trail club as stated above also a good option, although I personally am not that into organized hiking.

Haven't been up on the Three Ridges/Priest section in a long time, but that's some good hiking from what I remember...very strenuous though.

Another good access point in my opinion is near Roanoke where the AT crosses Highway 220. That's probably a 45 minute drive. There's a big parking lot there. Hiking South from there gets you up on a nice ridgeline. Haven't hiked North from there yet. If you don't mind driving a little further from there you can take I-81 South (from where 220 crosses) for 9 miles to exit 141, get off there and head up 311 to the parking for McAfee Knob (large rock outcropping with awesome views). It's 2.7 miles to the top from the lot. 5.6 miles further North on the AT is Tinker Cliffs, which also have great views.

As someone else mentioned there is also the section of the BRP (Blue Ridge Parkway) between 43 and 501 that's probably roughly an hour away. I'd have to look at my maps again, but the AT parallels the BRP for part of this, and several of the scenic overlook pullouts serve as parking for accessing the AT. I remember doing the section with Apple Orchard Mountain in it a year or two ago, and was able to park at one of those pullouts on the BRP.

Although not part of the AT the Peaks of Otter (which are 2 prominent peaks that can be seen from certain parts of Lynchburg) are off of 43 before you get to the BRP, and they are pretty cool. Sharp Top is a 3 mile round trip hike...it's usually crowded on there if the weather is good though. So not a good choice for solitude.

Can't give you much advice on outdoor retailers/clubs as I usually hike by myself or with a bud. I can say that the outfitter scene here is pretty sparse...which I find kind of surprising considering the proximity to the mountains.

[ShoelessWanderer]

I can say that the outfitter scene here is pretty sparse...which I find kind of surprising considering the proximity to the mountains.

I've noticed that about a lot of mountain towns, which I find surprising. I live in Virginia Beach and have better gear sources here than when I head back to Blacksburg or Roanoke. Find it strange since I'm at least a 3 hour drive to the mountains.

[peacefrog]

@ Berserker - Thanks for the info. I sent you a PM on backcountry.net forums before posting here, because I saw your Lynchburg location. But then I saw you hadn't been online in a long time. I should have checked recent postings before posting.

@ ocourse - yeah, that looks like a nice store for her to drop in on.

Maybe all you Lynchburgers should get together. (If you are of a sociable mind)

Thanks for everyone's input!

[peacefrog]

@ Shoeless Wanderer - Almost always the case. Mountain towns are usually small and can't support the stores.
Lone Pine (at the foot of Mount Whitney never had a decent store).
Bishop had a nice shop Wheeler/Wilson, Mammoth had a mountain shop.
I live in Yucaipa (at the western foot of Mt. San Gorgonio) and you have to travel to Rancho Cucamonga to hit the closest REI.
Many factors involved in putting a great outdoor retailer in a trail/mountain town. (rents, traffic, etc.)

[Berserker]

I've noticed that about a lot of mountain towns, which I find surprising. I live in Virginia Beach and have better gear sources here than when I head back to Blacksburg or Roanoke. Find it strange since I'm at least a 3 hour drive to the mountains.

Wierd thing is that Lynchburg and the surrounding area is not what I would consider small (>100K population I believe). So it should be able to support a couple outfitters. I guess they don't do well here though as evidenced by the one that closed last year (in a neighborhood called Wyndhurst...can't remember the name of the store). Probably partially my fault cause half my gear is from cottage makers on the net .

@ Berserker - Thanks for the info. I sent you a PM on backcountry.net forums before posting here, because I saw your Lynchburg location. But then I saw you hadn't been online in a long time. I should have checked recent postings before posting.

Yeah, sorry about that. I regularly read stuff here and on BPL (Backpacking Light), but I have kinda gotten slack on hitting up the other one (backpacking.net), which is a good site...I need to get back on there some .

[Cookerhiker]

I've noticed that about a lot of mountain towns, which I find surprising. I live in Virginia Beach and have better gear sources here than when I head back to Blacksburg or Roanoke. Find it strange since I'm at least a 3 hour drive to the mountains.

Is it because the Tidewater/Hampton Roads area has a much larger population base than even the largest VA mountain towns of Lynchburg & Roanoke?

[Press]

I think a lot of people around here take the mountains for granted and don't realize that you can drive a half-hour west, walk for 10 minutes, and be in the middle of National Geographic-quality spectacular terrain. Plus a lot of people are too out of shape to walk even that far, especially uphill. Plus online is no doubt diminishing local hiking retailers just like bookstores.

[rainmaker]

There is, or at least there was, an outfitter in a small mall off Rivermont/Boonesboro Rd. I've used it occassionally while hiking that area. They were pretty well supplied at the time.

[Berserker]

There is, or at least there was, an outfitter in a small mall off Rivermont/Boonesboro Rd. I've used it occassionally while hiking that area. They were pretty well supplied at the time.

Yeah, that store is called Outdoor Trails (I think), and it's still there...and it's a decent store by the way. It's the only backpacking store I know of in this whole area. I believe it's owned by the same person that owns Outdoor Trails in Daleville.

[ShoelessWanderer]

Is it because the Tidewater/Hampton Roads area has a much larger population base than even the largest VA mountain towns of Lynchburg & Roanoke?

Population yes, backpacker population no.