Sam Moore Shelter

[Former Admin]

Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - Sam Moore Shelter

Past/Present hikers - what can future hikers expect here? Have any good stories or memories from here?

Future hikers - any questions?

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[Mini-Mosey]

I stayed there on an overnight, pretty area, I love the area. Has a covered picnic spot. I had no problems that I can remember. Like I said, I love the area it's in.

[Mini-Mosey]

I just noticed there's another thread entitled "Sam Moore Shelter(VA) further down this forum; this Sam Moore Shelter that I stayed at was in Virgiinia, about 3 miles south of Bears' Den Hostel.

[Mini-Mosey]

OK-I get what happened now-they're one and the same. (Just read Kerosene's post)

[swampfoxygirl]

I just stayed here a few weeks ago. The hike in either direction is pretty hilly as its on the "Rollercoaster". It is a very nice shelter about .2 off the trail with a seperate covered cooking pavilion. Very convenient. Water source was plentiful and easily accessed and the privy was relatively clean. I hiked in with Just Ducky and there we met Pop Tart a current thru hiker. He was the only other person in the shelter that nite. There are several nice flat tentsites just to the left of the shelter too. Great campfire and good conversation as darkness fell. A very enjoyable evening!

[CitronellaMan]

Ate lunch here on a stint on the rollercoaster over spring break in '06. Nice shelter with a good privy and a good area for eating. Good rest before the climb to Bear's Den, where we stayed the night. Good creek close to the shelter, so water won't be a problem.

[FlimFlam]

Overnighted end of March on a Saturday. Shelter was ours for the taking. Room for up to 8. High winds were hitting the back of the shelter (perfectly situated) and the firepit's log benches were also perfectly situated upwind of the firepit (upwind of the hot blowing ashes). Also someone put a huge old stump beside the pit to try and catch the potential wind-blown ash before they hit the dry leaves. Due to this fact, be very careful of your fire's ashes. Inside the shelter itself there were wall pegs galore....awesome. Whoever designed/built the shelter deserves a high-five.

[Blissful]

Guess the mad raccoon was still slumbering... (?)

[FlimFlam]

Well several of us heard something moving around on the roof of the shelter in the middle of the night but we thought it was a large rat or heavy-footed mouse. Coulda been your raccoon. Didn't hear any of the usual accompanying raccoon talk though....although who knows, maybe it climbed into my pack and secretly hitched a ride home with us...[turns around and looks at pack in corner, just then raccoon attacks from opposite direction with water filter as weapon. to be continued...]

[ChimneySpring]

Also someone put a huge old stump beside the pit to try and catch the potential wind-blown ash before they hit the dry leaves. Due to this fact, be very careful of your fire's ashes.

Not to be a kill-joy, but wasn't the nature of the winds a pretty strong indicator that building a fire might not be such a good idea? When you head up the first hill from SM Shelter on your way to Bear's Den, you only need to look about 75-100 yards down and to the southeast to see some remnants of what can happen when winds of that type and campfires mix.

[FlimFlam]

Are you telling me there's something wrong with building a bonfire in category 5 hurricane winds?

[astrogirl]

I remember seeing forest fire remnants there. I day-hiked the roller coaster since it's so near my home, and I lunched at Sam Moore. I really like the place -- it just has a good vibe.

I think it gets less use from thru-hikers because of Bear's Den is so close.

[ChimneySpring]

Can't recall any Cat 5 winds around here in recent memory, but the fire danger is very real. I noticed that there are 2 fire rings at SMS now, with one closer to the creek. I've never known it to be a crowded shelter (except during early summer when the scout groups noisily roll through for their overnights), so go figure. Bits and pieces of this mountain have burned over the past 20 years, with 100+ acres going up about 9 years ago nearby and a similar amount burning in 2006 about .5 miles north of Bear's Den. Kind of makes me wish that there were "fire danger" signs at parking lots and trailheads. For every skilled outdoorsperson who can start, maintain, and properly extinguish even the smallest fire there are dozens who haven't a clue.

[FlimFlam]

Chimney,

Bonfires in Cat 5 was a bit of an exageration. I realize the danger of fire. My colorful description of the "high winds" and "POTENTIAL wind-blown ash" may have uneccesarily alarmed you (maybe it didn't). When making a fire, first thing I want to do is maintain safety and last I want to do is burn some forest or people. I feel like I know enough about fire safety. Actually one of the people with me that night is a firefighter in training.

Thanks for bringing up the safety issue though, its a good reminder. Word to Smokey. You dig my jive?

[Xroader]

Pitiful! I stopped at Sam Moore yesterday, ready to stay the night, but it was too filthy. Three fire rings all with lots of trash in them, and trash in and around the shelter. I had a very small pack (just out for a couple of days) but I cleaned up what could and moved on down the trail the camp - Come on people - Pack it in, Pack it out! (I know I'm preaching to the choir on this forum, but had to vent)

X

[Front Royal Mike]

Stayed overnight here 4-2-11,very nice spot with a babbling brook out front and a spring(no pipe)very close.The picnic table shelter is nice as is the privy.Couple nice tent sites by the creek and trees for hammock hanging nearby.Could not find a bear bagging pole nor any suitable trees.No trash present

[Plodderman]

Ate lunch on my way through. Has a nice easy access water source.

[GoldenBear]

And had no complaints. Some things to know:

Picnic table is away from cabin, but still covered. It has a hanging line, which allowed me to hang my undershirt -- and the roof kept it dry in a thunderstorm that night.
Floor only, no bunks.
There's a steel fire circle near the picnic table
Place was clean the night I stayed, but (as always) the stone fire pits were covered in ash, dirt, and trash.
Several logs that seemed to be burned had been thrown in the stream. Great for fire prevention, not so great for LNT camping.
The water is the spring looked FAR worse than the water in the nearby creek. The former was full of a green, slimy material; the latter was flowing well.

[Patrickjd9]

Stopped there today during a section hike; the idiot who hauled in the fifth of Bacardi full should have been able to haul it out empty. It's in my recycle bin now.

[Patrickjd9]

Shelter was otherwise in fine shape.

[Just Bill]

Enjoy your hike

[Patrickjd9]

Thanks, Bill! My conditioning was kind of discouraging, but it was a very nice day to be out.

[Kaptainkriz]

Great little shelter. It has a nearby spring that is a rock surrounded little pool with a white sandy bottom...need to scoop or pump this one. Flowing good. 36921

[eugalc]

Was here on a nice November weekend. Nice spot, but it was crowded. Would like to revisit, hopefully without the crowds.

[ldsailor]

Nice shelter. I stayed there on June 13, 2017. It was only myself and one other hiker in the shelter with several tents nearby. I have a vivid memory of waking up the next morning to find a hiker sleeping on the picnic table in the covered picnic area. Apparently she had hiked in late at night and decided this was the best place to sleep. Strange. There was plenty of room in the shelter, but maybe she didn't want to disturb us. I left here the next morning and went to the Bear Den Hostel to stay the night, shower and wash clothes. It was very hot and I needed a break. Everyone at the shelter did the same.

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