Common stores nearby the trail? (Southern 1/3)

[lilgodwin]

Looking at Guthook, I see the occasional Walmart along the tail, but they're really not nearby. So what, if any, stores are commonly near the trail within 1/2 mile? Or am I dreaming and have to hike/hitch miles to any?

Walmarts would be nice, or some other cheap grocery store that sells fresh rotisserie chicken :-) GNC? REI or other gear shop?

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[Sandy of PA]

Google Earth shows the trail. I use it to help plan my sections including where to resupply. Cyber hike before actual hike!

[lilgodwin]

I did a Google search and searched the forums, I figured it was something that was asked before, but didn't really find anything. I certainly didn't know that Google maps/earth showed the trail.

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[Lone Wolf]

get AWOLs guide. it tells all you need to know

[Slo-go'en]

It's not very often you will find a suitable store close to the trail. There are some, but not many. Mostly you have to hitch to a near-by town which can be up to 10 miles away. Some towns have small, locally owned grocery stores, some will have major chain stores. Food Lion and Ingles are common in the south. Most hostels will provide a ride to town for resupply and a stop at a restaurant as part of the package. It's really not that big an issue.

[lilgodwin]

Thanks Slo. I don't really intend on using hostels or much else generally. I plan on staying away from civilization mostly. Hopefully just once a week resupply and charging my battery pack. I had seen mention here and there about hitchhiking to some stores. Figured that'd probably be a majority of the resupplies, but I was hoping!

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[swjohnsey]

The trail goes through a few towns such as Hot Springs, Damascus, Boiling Springs.

[Slo-go'en]

The trail goes through a few towns such as Hot Springs, Damascus, Boiling Springs.

Yea, but those towns are very far apart. Good luck staying away from Hostels. Lots of people say that, few manage to do so. For what little money they charge, they make life much easier.

[johnnybgood]

The trail goes through a few towns such as Hot Springs, Damascus, Boiling Springs.

Daleville, Va. has a Food Lion.

[bigcranky]

There are a few places on the AT where you'll walk right through a town, but for the most part you'll be best served carrying one of the guidebooks so you know where to resupply, and hitching into town. It's not difficult.

[glenlawson]

In the first 250 miles, you have this twice. Once in Georgia at Mountain Crossing where the trail literally goes under the store (but no rotisserie chicken) and in NC where the trail crosses through the NOC. You have lodging, restaurant, outfitter store, showers and such there. Even at Fontana Village (TN) you have about a 2 mile walk from the trail to the village where you have store and such.

However, hitching a ride isn't a problem. Many of the small towns "near" the trail have a Walmart, restaurants, small groceries and such.

[Bronk]

You will be hitchhiking. A lot of times you're getting resupply from a camp store with limited selection...sometimes even a gas station...if you want a Kroger or a Walmart you are definitely hitchhiking...sometimes you'll have to hitchhike just to find a gas station. If you've never done it before I wouldn't worry too much about it. People that live around the trail know you aren't a vagrant and the vast majority of the time you won't have to even try to get a ride...more often than not I was offered a ride when I got to the trailhead before I even had a chance to ask or stick out my thumb. I don't think it ever took me longer than 5 or 10 minutes to find a ride.

[Venchka]

What I know.
Hot Springs, NC. The trail runs through town. Maybe a 10 minute walk if you sightsee.
NOBO trail direction: Smoky Mountain Diner, do not miss it.
Local grocery store and large convenience store.
Post Office and library.
Restaurants and beer, hardware store, Outfitter with some backpackers food. Laundry.
Bridge.
Ice cream store and commercial campground.
Several motels, hotels, hostel.


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[Starchild]

Thanks Slo. I don't really intend on using hostels or much else generally. ...


Somehostels

Some hostels sell quite a bit of resupply, so even if you're not staying you may want to stock up there. One that comes to mind is Standing Bear, just out of the Smokies, and 2 days from Hot Springs has a ample resupply.

As stated AWOL's guide has all of this, and I recommend it.

[Venchka]

AT crossing at Hwy 19E on the TN-NC border:
Dollar General and Coffee and Bakery shop 1-2 miles from trail in Elk Park, NC.
Supermarket a few miles from the trail in Roan Mountain, TN.
Mountain Harbor B&B/Hostel a skip and a spit from the trail in TN. If you change your mind.
Wayne


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[Carbo]

Port Clinton, PA has a Cabela's about 2 mi from the trail, also a Walmart.

[Slo-go'en]

Port Clinton, PA has a Cabela's about 2 mi from the trail, also a Walmart.

It's a bit of a detour, but you can walk most of the way there on a rail trail and maybe 1/2 mile along the highway. That's what I did since there isn't anything in Port Clinton but a candy store.

Getting resupplied every 3-4 days isn't much of a problem. Some times it's convenient, some times it's a bit of a detour. Any time I can walk less then a mile off the trail for lunch and resupply snacks, I do it. Between GA and ME there are maybe a dozen places you can do that.

Cheshire, MA is the best, you walk right pass a lunch stand severing hot dogs and hand scooped hard ice cream, can't walk past there without stopping. The Creamery in NY is 3/10th off the trail and has great homemade ice cream. I had a banana split. Wasn't cheap but it was good :)

Of course there is Trent's Grocery in southern VA, a convenience store with grill between Dragons tooth and MacAfee Knob in central VA, all the way stations in the Shenandoah's, and so on and so forth.

[evyck da fleet]

Picking up a guide will give you much more detailed info than you can gather on here. As for avoiding civilization but getting hitchs for rotisserie chicken - good luck. The regular town stop to shower do laundry and clean up will help immensely in getting hitches as opposed to the smelly hobo look. As much as I would have liked to avoid civilization it's always nearby with multiple road crossings per day.

[Bockus]

save yourself the hassle and listen to this cat. it is the best guidebook you will find anywhere, for any trail.

[Lone Wolf]

you can get rotisserie chicken in Hiawassee, Franklin, Bryson City, Gatlinburg, Erwin, Elizabethton, Damascus, Marion and Pearisburg. all about .5 - 13 miles from the AT at road crossings. that about covers 1/3 of the trail

[The Kisco Kid]

Support the local economy by spending your hiker dollars at locally owned businesses along the trail!!!