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Hang R
03-11-2014, 10:11
I am newer here so I thought that I would reach out to the group for some possible hiking suggestions for over Memorial Day Weekend.

A little about myself. I am hiking alone. I have not been able to find anyone to hike with since getting back into backpacking last year. I hiked on average around 12-17 mile per day on weekend hikes last year in Pa on the AT. I live in SE Pa. I am planning on doing multiple weekend hikes in the NJ,PA,MD,WV and northern Va this summer. I am thinking since this is a longer weekend that I would push beyond these areas possibly since I have more time to travel.

I would like to hear feedback on good long weekend hikes that would fit into my average MPD pace. I would also ask for places where there are easy options on getting rides back to my car when done. Being the holiday weekend I know shuttle drivers may not be as available at the end of the weekend.

mak1277
03-11-2014, 11:49
Only looking for the AT, or are you open to other areas (e.g., Dolly Sods, Cranberry Wilderness in WV)?

Hang R
03-11-2014, 12:12
I am open to other areas but most of my information and what I am familiar with is the AT. Since I am alone the AT seems to have the most support for me in getting back to the car after the hike.

HikerMom58
03-11-2014, 13:19
Welcome Hang R. I wish you could find someone to hike with.. If you join the AT Section Hikers Facebook page you might be able to find someone going out around Memorial Day weekend.

Here's the link

https://www.facebook.com/groups/179997858744135/

daimonpaul
03-11-2014, 14:02
If you're looking for a good weekend in Pa that's not on the AT, look up Old Loggers Path in Lycoming County. It's a 26 mile loop and has some of the most remote, untouched beauty in the whole state...lots of views and waterfalls.

FarmerChef
03-11-2014, 14:38
A great hike can be found down around McAfee Knob/Tinker cliffs in "middle" Virginia. The Shennies are a blast but likely packed that weekend. It's easy to grab a shuttle off the BRP/Skyline Drive. In 3 days you could easily hike all of Maryland. Several road crossings along that hike. The northern end of NJ into NY has some nice overlooks. Some road crossings in there depending on your pace.

I'm shooting for the Smokies that weekend and expect to have to walk down the trail and say, "Pardon me, excuse me, sorry, excuse me." over and over and over again. :D Gonna be packed in the parks that weekend. Your best bet if you want to avoid crowds is to get out in the less traveled portions of the trail (less traveled by the day hikers/weekenders). Most of my recommendations are either in parks or very popular (McAfee knob comes to mind). NJ into New York I *think* is less likely to be packed.

HikerMom58
03-11-2014, 14:55
A great hike can be found down around McAfee Knob/Tinker cliffs in "middle" Virginia. The Shennies are a blast but likely packed that weekend. It's easy to grab a shuttle off the BRP/Skyline Drive. In 3 days you could easily hike all of Maryland. Several road crossings along that hike. The northern end of NJ into NY has some nice overlooks. Some road crossings in there depending on your pace.

I'm shooting for the Smokies that weekend and expect to have to walk down the trail and say, "Pardon me, excuse me, sorry, excuse me." over and over and over again. :D Gonna be packed in the parks that weekend. Your best bet if you want to avoid crowds is to get out in the less traveled portions of the trail (less traveled by the day hikers/weekenders). Most of my recommendations are either in parks or very popular (McAfee knob comes to mind). NJ into New York I *think* is less likely to be packed.

Good suggestion FC... I'll be gone myself so I can't help out with a shuttle but Homer Witcher might be around. I would call Outdoor Trails in Daleville for a list of shuttles in the area.

Hang R
03-11-2014, 15:30
Welcome Hang R. I wish you could find someone to hike with.. If you join the AT Section Hikers Facebook page you might be able to find someone going out around Memorial Day weekend.

Here's the link

https://www.facebook.com/groups/179997858744135/

I do not mind hiking by myself because the trail always has people on it but it could make the end of the trail logistics a little easier at times. Thank you for this link. I may look them up but to be honest I do not find myself on Facebook very often.

Hang R
03-11-2014, 15:32
If you're looking for a good weekend in Pa that's not on the AT, look up Old Loggers Path in Lycoming County. It's a 26 mile loop and has some of the most remote, untouched beauty in the whole state...lots of views and waterfalls.

I actually have this down as weekend hike to do this summer because it is close enough and short enough to complete in a regular weekend.

Hang R
03-11-2014, 15:39
A great hike can be found down around McAfee Knob/Tinker cliffs in "middle" Virginia. The Shennies are a blast but likely packed that weekend. It's easy to grab a shuttle off the BRP/Skyline Drive. In 3 days you could easily hike all of Maryland. Several road crossings along that hike. The northern end of NJ into NY has some nice overlooks. Some road crossings in there depending on your pace.

I'm shooting for the Smokies that weekend and expect to have to walk down the trail and say, "Pardon me, excuse me, sorry, excuse me." over and over and over again. :D Gonna be packed in the parks that weekend. Your best bet if you want to avoid crowds is to get out in the less traveled portions of the trail (less traveled by the day hikers/weekenders). Most of my recommendations are either in parks or very popular (McAfee knob comes to mind). NJ into New York I *think* is less likely to be packed.

Thank you for the ideas. I am going to try and avoid the parks over the holiday weekend. I will be in SNP a couple of weekends in June. I will be hiking from Caledonia SP to WV this summer on one of my three day weekend hikes. I wouldn't mind looking into McAfee Knob area but I am not sure if the crowds would be worth it. I will have to look into the NJ/NY options.

mak1277
03-11-2014, 17:03
I'd suggest Dolly Sods in WV. Plenty of loop options of various mileages so you wouldn't have to worry about a car shuttle. *should* be less crowded than popular AT stretches over that weekend.

If you haven't before, you should check out midatlantichikes.com for other possibilities.

rafe
03-11-2014, 19:53
I would think Shenandoah National Park (SNP) would be a nice intro to the AT. Thru-hikers like it because of the frequent access to food and facilities, but also -- it's very pleasantly graded, and with lots of good views and lookouts. It's a heavily engineered section of the trail, you can see a lot of the old CCC handiwork still. On the downside, it's not the best stretch of trail if you're after solitude or a wilderness feeling.

The trail in New Jersey is also surprisingly nice. No huge climbs, lots of really nice views.

Malto
03-11-2014, 20:36
I would think Shenandoah National Park (SNP) would be a nice intro to the AT. Thru-hikers like it because of the frequent access to food and facilities, but also -- it's very pleasantly graded, and with lots of good views and lookouts. It's a heavily engineered section of the trail, you can see a lot of the old CCC handiwork still. On the downside, it's not the best stretch of trail if you're after solitude or a wilderness feeling.

The trail in New Jersey is also surprisingly nice. No huge climbs, lots of really nice views.

NOOOOOOO not this.

i hiked SNP two years ago and that weekend is when thousands of motorcycles make N. Va their home. I would suggest heading elsewhere. There will be the constant drone of Harleys.

ALLEGHENY
03-11-2014, 20:37
Hi Hang R
I'm here in W. PA. Have you seen http://www.pahikes.com?
I have hiked Laurel Highlands and some loops in the ANF.
Hope to get out this month on the Baker Trail.

rafe
03-11-2014, 20:47
NOOOOOOO not this.

i hiked SNP two years ago and that weekend is when thousands of motorcycles make N. Va their home. I would suggest heading elsewhere. There will be the constant drone of Harleys.

OK, you've got a point. I hiked it Labor Day weekend, and traffic noise was a problem. But you know, after years of hiking New England wilderness, the excess civilization was almost OK and it was a new and funky way to hike the AT.

Hang R
03-12-2014, 05:25
I'd suggest Dolly Sods in WV. Plenty of loop options of various mileages so you wouldn't have to worry about a car shuttle. *should* be less crowded than popular AT stretches over that weekend.

If you haven't before, you should check out midatlantichikes.com for other possibilities.

Thank you for this information. Dolly Sods is close enough that I can go there on a regular or three day weekend.

Hang R
03-12-2014, 05:27
NOOOOOOO not this.

i hiked SNP two years ago and that weekend is when thousands of motorcycles make N. Va their home. I would suggest heading elsewhere. There will be the constant drone of Harleys.

I agree with trying to avoid SNP over the holiday weekend. I will be there two weekends in June though.

Hang R
03-12-2014, 05:29
Hi Hang R
I'm here in W. PA. Have you seen http://www.pahikes.com?
I have hiked Laurel Highlands and some loops in the ANF.
Hope to get out this month on the Baker Trail.

I have seen this site before. Thank you and enjoy Baker Trail this month.

Hang R
03-12-2014, 05:32
Has anyone done the Grayson Highlands to Damascus section over a holiday weekend. Would this area be too crowded to enjoy?

fredmugs
03-12-2014, 09:41
Has anyone done the Grayson Highlands to Damascus section over a holiday weekend. Would this area be too crowded to enjoy?

Yes - it will be crowded. I did Atkins to Damascus over Memorial Day weekend a few years ago. That double decker shelter where the ponies are was over flowing with kids and there were tents everywhere. Fortunately I took my hammock and found a nice spot not far past the trail to Mt Rogers.

If you avoid shelters it will be still be an enjoyable hike. Very easy to park in Damascus and get a shuttle as far up the trail as you want.

Hang R
03-12-2014, 18:40
Yes - it will be crowded. I did Atkins to Damascus over Memorial Day weekend a few years ago. That double decker shelter where the ponies are was over flowing with kids and there were tents everywhere. Fortunately I took my hammock and found a nice spot not far past the trail to Mt Rogers.

If you avoid shelters it will be still be an enjoyable hike. Very easy to park in Damascus and get a shuttle as far up the trail as you want.

Thank you for this information. I will be in a hammock as well and will not be staying in the shelters.

rafe
03-12-2014, 19:28
OK then I'll repeat my suggestion of New Jersey... I dunno how crowded it gets, honestly, on Memorial Day weekend. The Kitatinny Ridge has some nice views. Sunfish Pond near the south end. You could jump on at Culver Gap and walk to DWG, something like that.

Or if you want more serious climbs and (probably?) more solitude, maybe the Three Ridges or the James River area in VA.

Hang R
03-12-2014, 20:40
OK then I'll repeat my suggestion of New Jersey... I dunno how crowded it gets, honestly, on Memorial Day weekend. The Kitatinny Ridge has some nice views. Sunfish Pond near the south end. You could jump on at Culver Gap and walk to DWG, something like that.

Or if you want more serious climbs and (probably?) more solitude, maybe the Three Ridges or the James River area in VA.

Thanks rafe. I will look into the Va areas that you mentioned. I am fortunate to have a good number of three day weekends off this summer which will allow me to hike the NJ easily on those weekends since it is not that far from me. I am going to try and take advantage of the extra time for this holiday. Right now I have 4 1/2 days off for Memorial Day so I would like to try and take advantage of that extra time and see an area further away.

excuses
03-12-2014, 22:10
Harper's Ferry to Front Royal, about 55 miles. Harper's to Bear Den. Bear Den to Dick's Dome. Then into Front Royal. Maybe enough away from the crowds. Alot of people will be getting out for the first time that weekend.

rafe
03-12-2014, 22:14
Harper's Ferry to Front Royal, about 55 miles. Harper's to Bear Den. Bear Den to Dick's Dome. Then into Front Royal. Maybe enough away from the crowds. Alot of people will be getting out for the first time that weekend.

Ah the roller coaster... And the ugliest little shelter on the AT. (Dick's Dome.) Skip that one. Either of the next two (sobo) are much nicer.

excuses
03-12-2014, 22:23
It is not the best but this was my stops when I went through in 2010.

Demeter
03-13-2014, 02:21
If you are looking for someone to hike with, I would recommend meetup.com. I am a Assistant Organizer for the DC Backpackers Meetup, and leading a trip to the Black Forest Trail in PA at the end of the month and a hut-to-hut hike of the Whites in August. Not everyone "fits" with a particular meetup group, but the benefit is you can hook up with a group to explore a new area where you may not be comfortable hiking alone.

There are a lot of different groups in the Mid-Atlantic area. Our group does hikes in PA, NH, NY, VA, and *a lot* in WV, where our group does a ton of trail maintenance (Dolly Sods, Roaring Plains).

Hang R
03-13-2014, 18:17
Harper's Ferry to Front Royal, about 55 miles. Harper's to Bear Den. Bear Den to Dick's Dome. Then into Front Royal. Maybe enough away from the crowds. Alot of people will be getting out for the first time that weekend.

Thanks excuses. I will look into this.

Hang R
03-13-2014, 18:20
If you are looking for someone to hike with, I would recommend meetup.com. I am a Assistant Organizer for the DC Backpackers Meetup, and leading a trip to the Black Forest Trail in PA at the end of the month and a hut-to-hut hike of the Whites in August. Not everyone "fits" with a particular meetup group, but the benefit is you can hook up with a group to explore a new area where you may not be comfortable hiking alone.

There are a lot of different groups in the Mid-Atlantic area. Our group does hikes in PA, NH, NY, VA, and *a lot* in WV, where our group does a ton of trail maintenance (Dolly Sods, Roaring Plains).

I will look into the meetup group. It really does not bother me to hike alone because I always run into people on the trail. Thanks for the tip.

Spirit Walker
03-13-2014, 20:51
If you want to avoid crowds on a holiday weekend, go to northern PA. We've hiked the Chuck Keiper trail on July 4th and Memorial Day and though there were others out there, we never saw a soul. Black Forest Trail will have more people, but will still be much less crowded than the AT. Both are 45 mile loops that can be broken up into smaller loops if you choose. Quehanna Trail is larger, but again it can be broken into a good three day loop. You can also do the Greenridge loop in western MD which combines very remote trail with the C&O. It's a good 3 day weekend. You'll see people (esp. bikes) on the C&O, but probably nobody on the Greenridge.

Hang R
03-14-2014, 17:48
If you want to avoid crowds on a holiday weekend, go to northern PA. We've hiked the Chuck Keiper trail on July 4th and Memorial Day and though there were others out there, we never saw a soul. Black Forest Trail will have more people, but will still be much less crowded than the AT. Both are 45 mile loops that can be broken up into smaller loops if you choose. Quehanna Trail is larger, but again it can be broken into a good three day loop. You can also do the Greenridge loop in western MD which combines very remote trail with the C&O. It's a good 3 day weekend. You'll see people (esp. bikes) on the C&O, but probably nobody on the Greenridge.

Thanks for the information Spirit Walker. I appreciate the ideas.