Grayson Highlands Section Hike

[Litefoot937]

We are planning a section hike from the Grayson Highlands area to Damascus over Memorial Day weekend. I have heard this is a great section and we want to take our time and enjoy it.

Our question is are there side trips/trails that should be explored around Grayson Highlands? We are very flexible in regards to how many AT trail miles we complete on this trip. We are planning on hiking Friday through Monday but can add Tuesday if necessary. In general we will leave our car in Damascus, catch a shuttle north and hike SOBO back into town.

Right now the plan is to be dropped off at Grayson Highland State Park on Friday morning. Hike around the park on Friday ending at Wise Shelter Friday night. From Wise take the next three days to hike back to Damascus. Our average miles per day are 10-12 miles.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

[Blissful]

If you stay at Wise, it will likely be crowded and you will have to go beyond the state park to camp.
This will be really crowded, just be prepared to tent (but not in the state park).

[schnikel]

We are planning a section hike from the Grayson Highlands area to Damascus over Memorial Day weekend. I have heard this is a great section and we want to take our time and enjoy it.

Our question is are there side trips/trails that should be explored around Grayson Highlands? We are very flexible in regards to how many AT trail miles we complete on this trip. We are planning on hiking Friday through Monday but can add Tuesday if necessary. In general we will leave our car in Damascus, catch a shuttle north and hike SOBO back into town.

Right now the plan is to be dropped off at Grayson Highland State Park on Friday morning. Hike around the park on Friday ending at Wise Shelter Friday night. From Wise take the next three days to hike back to Damascus. Our average miles per day are 10-12 miles.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

My wife and i just hiked there back in mid-march and really enjoyed the Little wilson Creek Wilderness area to the east of the state park. Hiking around there for a day or alternating your hike to end at Old Orchard shelter or Thomas Knob to head into Damascus might be a better bet. IMHO wise shelter is small, and Thomas Knob is awesome. so I'd try to camp there and head east thru Elk Garden on your way to Damascus. No matter what you do you will LOVE the area!
Schnikel

[Rick500]

I'll be out there during the same time. If you see two late-30ish guys and a yellow lab with a red backpack, say hello! We'll most likely meet at some point; we're doing Damascus -> Grayson Highlands NoBo.

[bigcranky]

You could get dropped off at VA 603 on Friday morning (at the AT crossing at Fox Creek) and hike to Wise Shelter on the first day. It's a good first climb up Pine Mountain, but the rest of the day is pretty easy if you normally do 10-12 mpd. That would be my first choice, and it's an easier shuttle too.

Plan to camp just short of the Wise Shelter -- once you cross the creek to the shelter you are in the state park (no camping.) There are great tent sites along the creek to your right as you approach the bridge. (Careful, there is more than one creek and bridge. This is Big Wilson Creek on the map, closest to Wise.)

There are lots of good trails in the Virginia Highlands, including the Pine Mountain and the Lewis Fork trails. If you are getting dropped at Massey Gap, though, you have fewer options unless you are okay with retracing your steps or repeating a section. For a big first day, do the "state park" loop -- start at Massey Gap and climb to the AT, then head sobo (left) up Wilburn Ridge to Rhododendron Gap, then turn right on the Pine Mountain Trail. At the far end of the PMT it connects to the AT again, where you will head sobo (right) to complete the loop. You can camp near the Wise shelter/Big Wilson Creek, as above. Then the next morning keep going sobo and you'll hit Massey Gap and Wilburn Ridge again to Rhodo Gap, where you will turn left and follow the AT to Damascus. (Nothing wrong with doing Wilburn Ridge twice -- it's awesome.)

Plan to spend some time on the Virginia Creeper Trail as you get closer to Damascus. At the very least, stop into Taylor's Valley and check out a very cool small mountain community. Stop at the Creeper Trail Cafe for second breakfast or a nice lunch before walking into Damascus. You'll find Taylor's Valley and the VCT when you come down from the Saunders Shelter on Straight Mountain on your last morning -- just take the little steps down onto the VCT and turn left for 1/4 mile for the town and cafe. When you are done, walk on the VCT for a mile or so -- you'll see the AT on your right and you can jump back on for the last PUD into Damascus. Note that the VCT will be packed with cyclists this weekend, so do any hiking there as early as possible. (If it were a weekday, I would hike the Creeper Trail all the way from Taylor's Valley -- much more interesting and fun than the AT IMHO.)

Have a great hike. This is one of my favorite sections.

[chelko]

+1 on what Big Cranky said. Great trip.

[aeonderdonk]

Looks like an awesome section.

I'm going there with my wife and brother and his gf but they aren't up to anything over 1-2 days 10-20 miles.

Any suggestions that will get us to the top of Mt. Rogers, maybe see some ponies, and get at least one night out?

[bigcranky]

Easy, do the hike we did last weekend with a friend and her 10-year old son:

Park at the backpacker parking lot at Massey Gap. Hike the blue blaze trail to the AT and turn left (sobo) to climb Wilburn Ridge. Go to Rhododendron gap and keep following the AT (left, sobo) toward Mt Rogers and the Thomas Knob Shelter.

You will begin to see numerous good campsites to your left after half a mile or so. Pick one and set up camp. Then hike to the top of Mt Rogers. On the way back stock up on water at the spring at the shelter, and use the privy if needed. Spend the night, then hike back down the next day.

You'll get great views, open balds, a great ridgeline climb, wild ponies, and a pleasant night out in the woods. Total mileage is maybe 8-9 over two days.

[Ewker]

another easy hike is to park at the backpackers parking lot and take the AT spur up to the AT, turn right and head North to Wise Shelter. You can stay in the shelter or follow the AT until it crosses a creek. Go straight up the bank and there is lots of camping spots.
The next day keep following the AT north and you will end up looking down at Scales. Keep following the AT until north until it intersects with the Pine Mountain trail. Follow the Pine Mountain trail and and you will end up at Rhododendron gap where you will find some nice spots to camp. You should get in there early enough that you can walk on down to Thomas Knob Shelter. You can get water there for the night and the next day. The next morning follow the AT north again and hike back to the AT spur trail

It isn't very far from Wise Shelter to Rhododendron Gap...maybe 6 miles. Right next to where we camped the ponies were 100 feet away from us. The baby ponies were a treat to watch bucking and running all over the place.
That is an easy 3 day 2 night trip. (approx 17 miles)

[Slo-go'en]

I just passed through the highlands this last weekend - a nice climax to my little 500 mile stroll on the AT this spring. We saw about a dozen groups of boy scouts, church groups, family groups in additon to many smaller groups of 2-3 weekend hikers, plus of course, a number of thru hikers. Needless to say, all the camp sites were busy!

I'm sure glad it wasn't Memorial weekend or it would have been really nuts up there! Therefore, be sure to have a tent and try to get to camp sites early before they fill up.

[k.reynolds70]

Man, I would never hit the highlands on a weekend.
The worst, and most unforgiving weekenders I have ever encountered on trail.

[bigcranky]

Well, some of us can hike only on weekends. Oh well.

[aeonderdonk]

another easy hike is to park at the backpackers parking lot and take the AT spur up to the AT, turn right and head North to Wise Shelter. You can stay in the shelter or follow the AT until it crosses a creek. Go straight up the bank and there is lots of camping spots.
The next day keep following the AT north and you will end up looking down at Scales. Keep following the AT until north until it intersects with the Pine Mountain trail. Follow the Pine Mountain trail and and you will end up at Rhododendron gap where you will find some nice spots to camp. You should get in there early enough that you can walk on down to Thomas Knob Shelter. You can get water there for the night and the next day. The next morning follow the AT north again and hike back to the AT spur trail

It isn't very far from Wise Shelter to Rhododendron Gap...maybe 6 miles. Right next to where we camped the ponies were 100 feet away from us. The baby ponies were a treat to watch bucking and running all over the place.
That is an easy 3 day 2 night trip. (approx 17 miles)

This sounds perfect. Any maps online that you can link me to?

[Rick500]

I did the hike on a weekend last October and everything went just great.

[Ewker]

This sounds perfect. Any maps online that you can link me to?

here you go

[gsctx]

I'm bringing a group of 10 girls scouts and six adults up in a couple weeks and we're hoping to do the section from Grayson to Damascus in four days (Monday - Thursday to avoid crowds.) The girls are 12- 18 yrs old and have all done at least a weekend backpacking trip. I'd love any advice on this section - mileage, camping spots that could accomodate us all, water, opinions on whether this would be a good section for us... Thanks in advance! Happy trails to you all!

[aeonderdonk]

Great hike this weekend, saw the ponies and completed the 17 mile loop described above. Thanks for the great advice.

[Ewker]

Glad you had a good hike and enjoyed that route.

[Rick500]

Just got home from GH yesterday. Got drenched Friday afternoon but the weather was great after that. Had an awesome time.