View Full Version : Hiking into damascus for Trail Days
Gambit McCrae
05-02-2014, 11:51
Never been to trail days so I am finishing up the Tennessee Section by hiking from TN 91 to damascus the weekend of Trail Days. I am looking for what the best accomadations would be for saturday night? I was pretty much looking at Tenting in Damascus, so I am looking for some direction on that. As well as a place to get a cold beer and good burger :)
mmais68569
05-02-2014, 14:41
Best burger is at Dot's along with a cold beer
Mike (Mr Mean)
Ox97GaMe
05-02-2014, 23:19
Beers may be hard to come by at the bars without waiting in a long line. That is not to discourage you from stopping in at any of the fine establishments. Camping will be at Tent City, which is half mile out of town past the Old Rock School and baseball fields. There is a per hiker fee to camp at the campground. Locals frown upon pitching your tent in their yard.
Lone Wolf
05-03-2014, 06:51
Never been to trail days so I am finishing up the Tennessee Section by hiking from TN 91 to damascus the weekend of Trail Days. I am looking for what the best accomadations would be for saturday night? I was pretty much looking at Tenting in Damascus, so I am looking for some direction on that. As well as a place to get a cold beer and good burger :)
tent at "The Place" hostel in town and get a beer and "Wolf's heart attack burger" at the Blue Blaze cafe
Slo-go'en
05-03-2014, 12:10
Unless you've already made reservations at one of the B+B's in town, your going to have to tent somewhere. "The Place" might be a little crowded, but do check that out first. Just hope it isn't raining if you get stuck in tent city - which can become mud city.
I like the Dairy Bar for a good burger and a milk shake at a fair price.
In 2010 a minor issue I had with tenting in "tent city" was that I was on a thru-hiker schedule, and almost everyone else there ... wasn't. It stayed very loud, very late. Overall a fun time and I'm glad that I went, but I would have enjoyed it more if I could have slept a few more hours.
My point is that if you can find somewhere else to sleep, I would avoid tent city. My hiking partner and I had rented a car to drive back from where we were on the trail and he slept in the car, and got a whole lot more sleep than I did as a result.
The PCT kickoff separates out "current year" hikers. I don't know how many current year hikers attend Trail Days each year, but it would be a great kindness if they could find a (substantially) separate area where quiet hours start not too much later than hiker midnight.
Gambit McCrae
05-05-2014, 08:41
I would think that after 3 thrus that one would consider ear plugs to solve alot of these issues? :datz
Pottsalot
05-05-2014, 19:40
There are plenty of flat spots in a open grassy field before you enter the tent city trails. The noise isn't as loud there. There was a big drum circle last year that lasted a few hours, I fall asleep easier listening to music so that worked out perfect.
"I would think that after 3 thrus that one would consider ear plugs to solve alot of these issues?"
Perhaps each year is different, I don't know --- I've only been the once. My experience was with earplugs in, definitely. Earplugs can only do so much.
Not meaning to complain here, just a heads-up to folks who might be on more of a hiker sleep schedule when attending the event. It wasn't something I considered when I pitched my tent.