Looking for recommendations on a week long hike

[algernon]

A friend and I are looking to do a hike for about 4-7 days. Pretty flexible on time because we're both recently unemployed. Haven't hiked in a while and this will be a much needed escape for the both of us. I started doing some research today and the Mt. Rogers area around Damascus has a 40 mile hike that caught my eye. Here's a link to said hike: https://www.hikingupward.com/JNF/MtRogersGraysonHighlands/

Any recommendations for other hikes around that length would be appreciated. The more options I have to pick from the better. Again time isn't that big of a factor so if there is something longer you can recommend I am definitely open minded to that!

ALSO does anyone have recommendations on water purification? I've done aquamira in the past but would like to hear from others what they use.

[Gambit McCrae]

Damascus to Fox Creek is a good hike. Direction is your choice, you can either end or begin your trip in the town of Damascus. I would prefer to end there, parking my car in Damascus and get driven up to fox creek.
However if your looking for an escape to relax, you could save the shuttle cost and spend 4 days in the Mt rogers/ Grayson Highlands area and I personally would not get bored with this option. Get yourself the Nat Geo Illustrated map and just wonder around for however long you desire on different trails, ending where ever you parked 4 days earlier. Here is the map covering this area Grayson Highlands Map
(https://shop.nationalgeographic.com/products/mount-rogers-high-country-grayson-highlands-state-park-trail-map-318?code=SR50004&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvIvj_rbZ3QIVRFcMCh1pnQ7REAYYASAB EgL_PfD_BwE)
If you have 7 days and want it to be a more focused linear hike, it is hard to beat Shenandoah National Park. Which would be 110 miles of pretty easy trail including many amenities along the way.

Water purification: I cant see how you get any better than a sawyer squeeze. No mechanical parts, simple back flush and it is cheap. Been using them for years at about $20 a pop.

[JPritch]

Unfortunately, the bulk of the trails through the Grayson Highlands, including 17 miles of the AT, are still closed to camping due to aggressive bear activity. Unless you plan to day hike through the Highlands, this option may be out.

Check out the Roan Highlands (it's on Hiking Upward as well). I highly recommend those balds!

You could also do an entire park, like the AT through the Smokies or Shenandoah.

[spfleisig]

A friend and I are looking to do a hike for about 4-7 days. Pretty flexible on time because we're both recently unemployed. Haven't hiked in a while and this will be a much needed escape for the both of us. I started doing some research today and the Mt. Rogers area around Damascus has a 40 mile hike that caught my eye. Here's a link to said hike: https://www.hikingupward.com/JNF/MtRogersGraysonHighlands/

Any recommendations for other hikes around that length would be appreciated. The more options I have to pick from the better. Again time isn't that big of a factor so if there is something longer you can recommend I am definitely open minded to that!

ALSO does anyone have recommendations on water purification? I've done aquamira in the past but would like to hear from others what they use.

For water purification, I'd suggest the BeFree water filter by Katadyn and get the Hydrapak Seeker 3 liter water bladder. Put dirty water in the bladder and screw the BeFree on the bladder then drink away. No waiting.

[HooKooDooKu]

does anyone have recommendations on water purification?
Seems like THE most common form of water purification today is Sawyer, either Squeeze or it's smaller brother the Mini.
For those that want the most in light weight, seems like many will get the Squeeze (for the higher flow rate), fill a SmartWater bottle with dirty water, screw the Squeeze on top and drink directly from the bottle.
While the Sawyer comes with "dirty water" bags, I don't like the fact they are opaque. So I prefer the Evernew Water Carry. There are other bladders that the Sawyer will directly screw onto, but the Platypus bladders are not one of them. The Platypus uses a custom thread pitch, so you can only screw the platypus onto a Sawyer with about 3/4 of 1 turn rather than the full two to three turns needed to make a decent seal.
What I personally like to do is use the Sawyer as a gravity filter... I use a Platypus Hozer (with a replacement hose that's easier to deal with) as the clean water bag.


The one weakness of the Sawyer filters is that once used, they can not be allowed to freeze. It's impossible to ensure you get all the water out of the filter, and if any water freezes while in the filter, it can rupture the hollow tubes basically making the filter holes larger, and there is no way to field test a Sawyer to know if it has been compromised.

[DownYonder]

This is a beautiful section:
0.0 US19E-Elk Park, NC
0.6 Apple House Shelter, TN
9.2 Overmountain Shelter Side Trail, NC
11.1 Stan Murray Shelter, TN
16.3 Roan High Knob Shelter, NC
24.8 Clyde Smith Shelter, TN
33.9 Cherry Gap Shelter, TN
46.7 Curley Maple Gap Shelter, TN
50.9 Nolichucky River-Erwin, TN

Lots of tent or hammock spots along the way if you want to avoid the shelters.

[A.T. Hiker]

I noticed you are in Orlando if you are willing to consider a trail other than the A.T. Check out the Foothills trail it would be less of a drive than traveling to the Smokies or the Shenandoahs. It is an awesome hike but there are not any shelters so you need to have a tent. http://foothillstrail.org

[Gambit McCrae]

This is a beautiful section:
0.0 US19E-Elk Park, NC
0.6 Apple House Shelter, TN
9.2 Overmountain Shelter Side Trail, NC
11.1 Stan Murray Shelter, TN
16.3 Roan High Knob Shelter, NC
24.8 Clyde Smith Shelter, TN
33.9 Cherry Gap Shelter, TN
46.7 Curley Maple Gap Shelter, TN
50.9 Nolichucky River-Erwin, TN

Lots of tent or hammock spots along the way if you want to avoid the shelters.


one should note that the apple house shelter has been removed, now a tent site by the river

[algernon]

Thanks for the reply, it would be nice to save on the shuttle cost and hike around Mt rogers/ Grayson Highlands but now I'm hearing about aggressive bear activity... Might go for Shenandoah if I can commit to 7 days.

Hadn't heard of the Sawyer Squeeze (been out of the loop with hiking gear the last few years). Seems perfect for my needs.

[algernon]

Thanks for the heads up on bear activity! I'm definitely going to consider Roan Highlands and maybe commit to something bigger like Shenandoah. I've spent a lot of time in the Smokies over the years and would like to mix it up a bit.

[algernon]

Don't really ever winter hike so I should be fine but good to know frozen water could compromise the filter.

[algernon]

I'm no stranger to long drives but that does look like some good trail. I'll keep that one in consideration, thanks.

[algernon]

I like the look of this one. What would you recommend as the best way to get a shuttle from one end to the other?

[cneill13]

I noticed you are in Orlando if you are willing to consider a trail other than the A.T. Check out the Foothills trail it would be less of a drive than traveling to the Smokies or the Shenandoahs. It is an awesome hike but there are not any shelters so you need to have a tent. http://foothillstrail.org
+1 on the Foothills Trail. AT hiker beat me to the punch. You will love it. Jim Simpson is a great shuttle driver. He is in the F H T directory.

[DownYonder]

I like the look of this one. What would you recommend as the best way to get a shuttle from one end to the other?

Which "one" are you referring to?

[colorado_rob]

This is a beautiful section:
0.0 US19E-Elk Park, NC
0.6 Apple House Shelter, TN
9.2 Overmountain Shelter Side Trail, NC
11.1 Stan Murray Shelter, TN
16.3 Roan High Knob Shelter, NC
24.8 Clyde Smith Shelter, TN
33.9 Cherry Gap Shelter, TN
46.7 Curley Maple Gap Shelter, TN
50.9 Nolichucky River-Erwin, TN

Lots of tent or hammock spots along the way if you want to avoid the shelters. I sure like this option, one of my favorite parts of the southern AT, right up there with Grayson Highlands. I plan on repeating cherry-picked parts of the AT, this is definitely one of them (and Grayson is not, given I hiked through Grayson three times now).

And yeah, keep that Sawyer protected, no worries, just blow it out, carry it inside your pack during the day (as opposed to on the outside, on a bottle or whatever), in your bag at night if really cold, else just wrapped up in clothes and in your tent.

[algernon]

Meant it to be a response to your post. Seems as if I may have replied in the wrong spot.

[Uncle Joe]

Check out The Georgia Loop. AT, BMT, and Duncan Ridge Trail as a 50-55mi loop.

[LIhikers]

If you're willing to travel farther I bet you'd enjoy the Laurel Highlands Trail in Pennsylvania.
See info for the trail here. (https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Recreation/WhatToDo/Hiking/LaurelHighlandsHikingTrail/Pages/default.aspx)