after trail days

[tagg]

I'm doing a 200 mile section heading north from the Hurricane Creek Campground/Troutdale area in Virginia beginning on May 22. My starting point is a 2-3 day hike north of Damascus, and I see that Trail Days ends on May 18. It's not going to change my plans, and I don't stay at shelters very often, but I'm just curious about how big of a crowd I should expect. I'm picturing a mass exodus of northbound hikers clogging up the trail all leaving town at the same time. How long does it take for that crowd to spread out and get back to "normal?"

[ChinMusic]

If you are not a Shelter Dweller it is no big deal at all.

[evyck da fleet]

Not a problem as long as you don't plan on staying at the Partnership shelter. I, like a lot of hikers, shuttled back somewhere within 100 miles of Damascus from Trail Days two years ago and went through Damascus again three days after Trail Days. There wasn't a noticeable crowd at any of the shelters I tented at other than that one since it was a tenth of a mile from the road and a place hikers could chill at after resupplying.

[Slo-go'en]

It's hard to predict how many head north from Damascus after trail days. Trail days does build up a bubble of hikers as those who get there a few days early might stay for the duration and more are showing up every day. Then you have those who skipped up the trail to get to TD and decide to continue on from there instead of going back south. There can be a fair number of these. There will be some small percentage who will decide to end thier hike there. Most will head out either Sunday afternoon or Monday morning - unless it's raining. It will take a while for that crowd to disapate as the faster ones out pace the slower ones.

I'm starting NOBO from Marion on the 18th. I hope I can stay ahead of the crowd for at least a few days I'll be almost a week ahead of most of them.

It's only 42 miles from Damascus to Hurricane shelter, but I think most will take 3 days to get there. If the big crowd leaves on Monday, they should all show up on the 22nd. So when you head out from the Hurricane Creek campground on the 23d, there will be a good size crowd following on your heels. Good luck!

[rafe]

Hikers tend to migrate to Damascus from points north or south of there, for TrailDays. When the festivities are over, they find ways to pick up where they left off, which may be north or south of Damascus. Trail Days is timed to agree with the northbound bubble, but it also tends to shape the northbound bubble.