SNP in June

[Locutus]

I have heard that SNP suffers from crowding, with actual lines queued up to use certain parts of the trail. I was thinking about hiking it this June, but I don't want to feel like I am hiking around the county fair.

I hike to get away from people, otherwise I would hike around some of the huge flea markets we have here. :) Are these reports exaggerated? Will this really be an issue?

[Blissful]

Yes, it's crowded then. And a lot of thrus come by there in early June as well. But there are parts of SNP where you can get away from it all. If you don't want to do just the AT, you can find some backcountry trails where there are much less people and good camping (like the Big Run Valley in the southern section. Huge stream, nice camping, different trails). But the AT and the huts will have a lot of hikers and day folk.

[jlb2012]

if you avoid the campgrounds and waysides (ie no blackberry shakes), hike on weekdays, hike early, etc you will be OK for the most part. If you go up Old Rag or Whiteoak on a Saturday at 11 am expect the crowds. If you hit a wayside at noon expect a crowd. wrt the huts - again Friday night and Saturday night expect a fair number of other weekend campers - the hut and campsites near the hut may be filled.

[envirodiver]

If you go in mid-week you won't see nearly as many folks. They come in more on weekends. There are some portions of the park that don't havce as much traffic as the AT also. But, if you want solitude in June you may want to think about other trails outside SNP. Because it is a "destination".

[Pedaling Fool]

SNP is crowded, but the only lines I had to wait in were at the waysides. Some of the more famous peaks can be crowded, like Mary's Rock, Stony Man... I have heard, never witnessed, lines and timed crowd releases at Old Rag (not in SNP, but close).

[Rain Man]

Can't speak to June, but I did "thru hike" the SNP last July and had absolutely no problems with crowds. Started at Rockfish Gap on a Friday and finished at Front Royal the next Friday.

Stood on Mary's Rock without a soul in sight, for instance, though that was early on a weekday morning. Visited all the waysides we went anywhere near, with no problems with crowds. Nor at the campground nor hut we stayed at.

Crowds simply was a non-issue for us last July, anyway. Temps were mostly in the 70's with sunny skies and slight breezes, for the most part. I think it was near 100 back in Nashville.

I found the SNP officials very helpful on the phone, so you might simply call and ask them. There is a web site.

Rain:sunMan

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[zoidfu]

You'll be crawling over people at the waterfalls.

[Scaper]

The campgrounds will be crowded. On the A-T itself you will most likely see 5-10 thu-hikers coming northbound each day.

[Lellers]

I've found SNP to be pretty busy in June. Just as others have said, it's the waysides, Big Meadows, and Skyland that are pretty bad. Those are also drive-in destinations, and you get lots of weekenders. The waterfalls can be a problem, too. But I love SNP anytime. There are enough backcountry trails to hike, away from the crowds. I'm planning an SNP sobo in August, and then probably another jaunt down there to stay at Big Meadows Lodge with my non-camping hubby in the fall. Can't wait for that!

[Alligator]

Why would a borg be worried about a queue:confused:?