View Full Version : Thunder Hill Shelter (VA)
Kerosene
11-08-2003, 14:53
Basic 6-person design with a spring just out front on the Trail itself. Privy just across the Trail. Fair amount of sun in the afternoon.
The shelter is located very close to the Blue Ridge Parkway, although the closest parking area is an easy 2 miles to the north.
Stopped in for the night on Friday, October 28. Good, basic shelter, but, as you might expect in late October at nearly 4000 feet, very cold!
Spring was flowing nicely.
frequency
09-18-2006, 07:47
Spent night with Farther (Father) Al in Thunder Ridge on 9.15.06. Water source was good and plentiful. Mice population was not disturbed by our presence. Had two encounters with bobcat(s) close to the shelter during the night.
brooksto
07-05-2009, 16:31
stayed here on the night of the 4th. Water was nice and plentiful. Heard what I assume was a bobcat shrieking several times during the night. Privy was infested with flies. There are several campsites in addition to the shelter. There are 2 other water sources nearby (note in shelter) in case that one dries up. As noted it can get chilly up there, even in july!
We have a short section hike this weekend, and are leaving late Friday afternoon from Sunset Field parking lot. We are planning to stop at Thunder Hill Shelter, and prefer to tent camp near the shelter as opposed to sleeping in it. Does anyone know if there are suitable areas around the shelter to pitch a tent? All the pics I can find are not zoomed out enough to see. Thanks.
HikerMom58
04-30-2014, 07:12
There are a lot of tenting areas around this shelter. The privy is new too. There are also quite a few Wber's out in this neck of the woods hiking this week and weekend. Y'all have fun! :)
There are a lot of tenting areas around this shelter. The privy is new too. There are also quite a few Wber's out in this neck of the woods hiking this week and weekend. Y'all have fun! :)
Thanks for the help! What worried me is that AWOL's AT Guide had a shelter symbol, but no tent symbol. Every other shelter in the book seemed to have a tent symbol. Hope we spot some WBers. We are doing the hike down to the James River, only 17 miles, but it will be our first trip all year after my tax season hibernation!
The shelter was occupied, but there were some pretty good tent sites a 100 yards north of it on the left. There was an existing fire ring. Not very flat, but close enough. Then a little further up on the right (we saw these the next morning) was an even better, flatter spot. Maybe a 1/4 mile from the shelter.
The spring was more like a cistern, and it was full of water, and the privy was pretty much a luxury item...it still smelled like fresh wood inside and not the other thing. lol