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poison_ivy
09-01-2003, 16:55
This is a huge, beautiful shelter just short of the summit of Glastenbury Mountain. It has two-levels and sleeps about 12, with water available just south on the AT. It has a great view south toward Greylock and be sure to check out the stars at night... I've never seen so many! Totally worth the uphill effort to get there. Head up to the Glastenbury Mt. summit firetower for sunrise. so pretty!

Only downside was the privy, which is the scariest I've ever seen. It was covered with hundreds of big blue flies, both inside and out. The woods were much more appealing!

I spent Saturday night at the shelter with some terrific company!

- Ivy

oruoja
11-21-2003, 07:44
Goddard is definately nice, but consider camping up near the firetower as there are lots of level sites up there. I spent the night up in the tower back in '81. Water sourse is a good spring at the shelter.

broodX
09-02-2004, 12:33
It is a big shelter but I somehow missed this 2nd level both times I have stayed there. Definitely my favorite shelter on the trail. COLDEST water source too.

poison_ivy
09-02-2004, 13:03
I guess two-level could be misleading... perhaps a better way to describe it is as having a step up to the sleeping area from the cooking area.

- Ivy

YltooBemj
02-13-2006, 14:12
Could someone please tell me if the Goddard shelter is located North of US 9, and if not, which is the first shelter located North of US 9 on the AT/Long Trail? thanks.

Lone Wolf
02-13-2006, 14:16
It is 10 miles north of route 9. Melville Nauheim shelter is 1.6 north of Route 9.

Squeaky 2
02-13-2006, 14:27
thats what i like to see L.Wolf!!! knowledge of the distances between roads!!! you da man!!!
very cool shelter. it very cold last time i slept there!!

neighbor dave
02-13-2006, 16:23
it's been rebuilt as of last fall

dreamhiker
06-27-2006, 09:49
I was at this shelter this weekend it was rebuilt in sept of 05 its in good shape with a very larg and clean privy. The couple that built it and dedicated it the there son who passed away where at the shelter when I got there about 4pm on sunday great people. But the clouds moved in so no sunset on this trip. took the west ridge trail back down to vt 9 if you take this route have a compus as the trail ends at an old fire road about 3 miles from the shelter and can be hard to follow. also there there is about 4 mile road walk at the end to get back to the parking lot. NO FUN IN THE RAIN ON MONDAY 6/26.

dreamhiker
06-27-2006, 09:51
one more thing it was the third aniv. of there sons death on Sunday. there is a photo and story about him in the log book.
DreamHiker

emerald
06-28-2006, 16:56
Isn't the rockwork at the spring nice and those rock steps just beyond the shelter too! I wonder who did that?;)

Time To Fly 97
06-29-2006, 10:22
Some of the best water on the AT, IMHO

Tosto
07-15-2008, 20:42
Spent a very rainy and windy night there on 7/3/08. Very nice shelter despite the wind blowing in, and the rain only got on one corner of the lower platform. The guy next to me left out the pot he cooked ramen in, an apple, a half eaten bag of cookie dough, and some cookies (in the open, right next to my sleeping bag) and we didn't have any problems with critters of any kind. See photos for a picture.

dsquid
06-21-2010, 08:40
Fire ring @ Goddard Shelter 6/18/2010 (http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1119/4720241047_b0291b015d_b.jpg)

dsquid
06-21-2010, 08:41
Goddard Shelter @ 6/18/2010 (http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1255/4720885288_af20850f9d_b.jpg)

swantekkie
03-05-2011, 01:15
Going to be at goddard shelter sat march 19th with some friends if anyones up for some cards and ghost storys

swantekkie
03-25-2011, 14:43
Stayed here solo this past sunday march 20th. Stayed at melville the night before then got up early and started hiking while the surface was still crispy. I didnt start post holing til about the last half mile. Any sort of tracks ended at about the fifth mile, so i was stuck trying to follow the blazes, which was a bit difficult at times. Lots of moose activity. Got to the shelter around 1:45 or so to see that no one had been there for a while. The last log was around mid December. The shelter was nice and clean, but a bit windy on the hill. Watched the sunset from the tower, and got an early nights sleep. Woke up to find i had to hike back i a little snow storm. By the time i got back to rt. 9 my legs were jelly.

High Life
05-15-2011, 11:51
It is 10 miles north of route 9. Melville Nauheim shelter is 1.6 north of Route 9.

Goddard ...The place that I met Lone Wolf and Gypsy :banana
very nice shelter ..

StubbleJumper
05-15-2011, 17:25
Good water too! You go about 8-ish miles with stained, crappy tasting water and then you hit a beautiful, ice-cold spring 60 yards before Goddard. Life is great!

Yukon
05-15-2011, 17:42
I was up there last weekend, and it was a poor sight :(

The bench that was outside by the fire pit had been busted up and burned. Someone decided to build a fire ring INSIDE the shelter. There was food, garbage, and half burnt wood everywhere. Someone tried to enclose one side with a tarp that had candle wax all over it, and just left it there. It was really disheartening to see all this because this is one of my favorite places to stop and rest on the Southern LT....

Chaco Taco
10-10-2011, 20:33
cleanest shelter we have seen. Didnt stay but did notice the cleanliness. We were up there last night

4eyedbuzzard
10-10-2011, 20:44
I stayed there in August with my daughter and her friend during a pretty bad rainstorm. Eight total + a dog in the shelter and it was dry thanks to the big overhang. It was clean as well and we had no mice or insect issues. Spring just before shelter was running okay even before the rain. The privy is pretty disgusting though - literally thousands of flies and bees and all sorts of bugs.

nehiker
10-10-2011, 21:06
The privy is pretty disgusting though - literally thousands of flies and bees and all sorts of bugs.

That privy was very nice when I stayed there in the beginning of July. I guess the season was just starting then.

elray
10-10-2011, 22:36
My first section hike on the AT many years ago included a stay at the Goddard Shelter and I assumed every shelter would be as nice, I look forward to my next stay there very much!

Grayhair
01-19-2012, 16:22
14941Stayed at the Goddard Shelter July2011. Nice place, clean and yes, great water. Side note: If you’re interested in hiking intoBennington and don’t want to hike down to Highway 9, you can take the BlueBlaze which will dump you out on the east side of town, just a couple of blocksfrom the business district.

Nar Nar
07-22-2012, 16:37
Passed this shelter back in June, the bugs were so bad that we ended up moving on after only a few minutes stay. Went up the fire tower and then spent the night at Kid Gore.

Jeff
07-22-2012, 17:01
Passed this shelter back in June, the bugs were so bad that we ended up moving on after only a few minutes stay. Went up the fire tower and then spent the night at Kid Gore.

Bugs are a big problem around Goddard in June. Things are better now that it's late July. The spring at the shelter is still running nicely.

Nar Nar
07-25-2012, 11:40
Bugs are a big problem around Goddard in June. Things are better now that it's late July. The spring at the shelter is still running nicely.
I would love to return if the bugs aren't as bad, beautiful shelter with a beautiful view. The water source was perfect when we were there too, and what would beat watching the sunset in the tower?:rolleyes:

Dahoyt
11-09-2013, 13:50
Favorite shelter, favorite mountain, the Dr. Seuss writing on the privy wall kept me busy for a minute... Lovely fire tower.

Dahoyt
07-12-2014, 15:43
up 27720 Was up there a few weeks ago, did a weekend hike. Met 4 awesome guys who meet up every summer and hike a section of the LT. Got a picture with 3 of them (Me on far left, and my puppy Vix in front). Hung out all evening, and all morning, and hiked out with them halfway to Route 9 where I broke ahead to get water quicker. A lot of garbage and items (water gun, fire crackers, Coleman propane stove, two t shirts, 3 things of sunscreen), made my walk out quite annoying as I had a heavier pack walking out instead of lighter. Oh well, I believe in LNT ethics, maybe one day, they will too.

mrcoffeect
07-13-2014, 08:18
I have always wanted to stay there the night of the 4th of july to hang in the tower and see if you can see any fireworks shows in the area. I think that would be cool.

Dahoyt
07-14-2014, 11:39
You can see fireworks from every direction. Did it a few years ago. Def worth doing.

Cosmo
07-17-2019, 07:30
"Problem Bear" at Goddard no longer a problem. They killed the bear.

https://www.benningtonbanner.com/stories/bear-killedby-wardenson-long-trail,579435?

Most likely, this bear was habituated because hikers could/would not store their food appropriately. Admittedly, it's physically difficult to hang food in this location as it's mostly sub-alpine fir/spruce. I have seen food hung from the fire tower structure nearby. Of course the problem never would have occurred if hikers were required to use bear canisters on the AT (trolling a bit here, I'll admit). Still, the death of this animal can be said to be directly a result of LT/AT hiker behaviour. We should think about that, and consider the broader ramifications of our actions in the backcountry.

Cosmo