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dosjohns
03-22-2020, 05:43
The Shenandoah NP website has an alert that all AT Huts (shelters) are closed due to the pandemic, as of 3/20/2020. Anybody in the Park now care to comment? Hopefully they will be open again when I come through later this Spring. Thanks!

Traveler
03-22-2020, 07:25
I'm not sure there's a lot more to comment on by Park personnel beyond what their website states. I doubt anyone will offer re-opening date speculation given current circumstances, wise planning suggests they will not be available over the next 2-months or so (spring).

BlackCloud
03-22-2020, 13:08
NPS personnel can get into trouble for making unapproved public statements.

Slo-go'en
03-22-2020, 18:14
I think the OP was asking about people hiking in the park right now. I suspect there aren't many.

TexasBob
03-22-2020, 18:43
I was planning to drive from Houston to SNP in April and go car camping at Lewis Mountain so I could day hike the central section of the park. Not going to happen now.

BlackCloud
03-23-2020, 22:55
I'm not at that or any other park but media reports show pictures of full parking lots and people parking along Skyline Drive.

One Half
03-23-2020, 23:02
I was planning to drive from Houston to SNP in April and go car camping at Lewis Mountain so I could day hike the central section of the park. Not going to happen now.
dude! if you do this later in the year hit me up if you want someone to share travel expenses with. Or maybe we could coordinate and take 2 cars and do a "key swap" each day.

TexasBob
03-24-2020, 09:48
dude! if you do this later in the year hit me up if you want someone to share travel expenses with. Or maybe we could coordinate and take 2 cars and do a "key swap" each day.

Looks like April 2021 is more likely for me.

johnnybgood
03-24-2020, 13:39
I think the OP was asking about people hiking in the park right now. I suspect there aren't many.
This past weekend saw the most popular hikes in the park overcrowded with hikers so much so that access points from outside the park have been closed.

The access roads to Old Rag and the Whiteoak Canyon boundary trailhead are closed indefinitely per the Madison County Sheriff’s Dept.

However the popularity of these hikes will not keep hikers from accessing them from inside the park.
Park Rangers will be monitoring these trailheads within SNP for the coming weekends to limit crowds.

I didn’t see many hikers 3 weeks ago when I hiked the backcountry trails away from the Drive.

Megapixel
03-24-2020, 15:33
The Shenandoah NP website has an alert that all AT Huts (shelters) are closed due to the pandemic, as of 3/20/2020. Anybody in the Park now care to comment? Hopefully they will be open again when I come through later this Spring. Thanks!

Last week,3/17 Tuesday, since my wife is still in rehab mode from a healed previously fractured ankle, we walked the Limberlost Trail. We drove from the entry point at Thorton Gap to Swift Run. The ranger at the entry point was intelligent and did not touch our yearly pass & DL...but did look at it from a distance. He then encouraged social distancing while hiking. There were a few people out and about, and many more cars at the prime spots... hawksbill, the falls trails near big meadows, etc. I saw quite a few out of state license plates out and about as well. Saw some people with week long packs at a few trail crossing too. The week prior we entered the park late in the day for a sunset viewing and dinner and likewise there were people out and about. About normal traffic really for SNP given the decent weather and both visits being on a weekday. IT felt like a safe place to be with most individuals practicing social distancing as much as possible when passing one another on trail or in public spaces such as restroom areas.

dsccwells
03-24-2020, 21:53
I hiked through the park last week on a section hike of Virginia and finished in Front Royal on Monday. I wasn’t aware of the closures until this afternoon, Tue the 24th. There was no indication or notification of the closure within the park or at the permit stations on either end. There were a few thru hikers in the park and a number of folks out for a few days. The thru hikers were all getting off Trail due to closures in Maryland and NJ. Most of the short section hikers said they had time off due to Virus related job shutdowns. Quite a few day hikers in the park on Sat and Sun. I’m not sure how or if they intend to enforce the closure. The shelters were not crowded. I was going to go on to Harpers Ferry but stopped as it was getting hard to find resupply and I had someone available to pick me up in Front Royal.

Wesgoat
03-25-2020, 04:58
where did you start at? Rockfish Gap?

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dsccwells
03-25-2020, 11:37
I started in Damascus and entered the park at Rockfish Gap on the 17th.

QiWiz
03-25-2020, 12:43
If you choose to be hiking on the AT at this time, you and others will both be safer if you camp by yourself in your own tent/tarp/hammock rather than using AT shelters. So shelter closings are probably a good idea overall, not a problem. Just saying . . .

Wesgoat
03-26-2020, 18:35
no more backcountry camping in SNP. Of course, money rules huh. I see cabins, campground and a wayside is opening but the backcountry is closed....hahaha.

maybe these so called leaders should help educate backpackers on safer ways to practice social distancing while hiking and backpacking in the backcountry. but no. they would rather deny. take the easy way out. we are the boss. you have to listen to us. it's really sad

I guess me and my tent wouldn't be practicing social distancing when camping by myself in the middle of the woods......would we?

Leaders don't tell. they listen. they teach.

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Wesgoat
03-26-2020, 18:49
sorry. meant camp store not campgrounds

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