quick question....

[clegg318]

Hi, I am planning on doing a thru hike in acouple weeks and im not sure how getting into towns work. I read that the trail goes through towns, is this true for every town? or will i have to take some side trails to get to towns? I appreciate any help on this...

[Thru Hiker Wife]

Nope, some you'll white blaze straight through. Others there will be side trails. And still yet others you will have to shuttle or hitchhike into.

[clegg318]

is there a guide book that tells me where the side trails and shuttles are? and also how many towns will I have to hitchhike to? thanks for the quick response!

[Heater]

is there a guide book that tells me where the side trails and shuttles are? and also how many towns will I have to hitchhike to? thanks for the quick response!

Two weeks is cutting it close.

Well one of the owners of this site has a guidebook for sale but there is no link I can find to it.

The Thru Hiker's handbook (http://www.trailplace.com/hb_2008edition.html) is a good bet.

The ATC Databook (https://www.atctrailstore.org/catalog/iteminfo.cfm?itemid=597&compid=1) and Companion (https://www.atctrailstore.org/catalog/iteminfo.cfm?itemid=604&compid=1)

Baltimore jacks article has info on this.
Here. (http://whiteblaze.net/index.php?page=resupplypart1)

What about maps (https://www.atctrailstore.org/catalog/iteminfo.cfm?itemid=190&compid=1)?

[Tennessee Viking]

You will want the ATC maps and Guide books. The companion is also another great source. For town info. There will also be hostels just off trail that will shuttle you into town. A few places were you will have to walk or hitch into town. Other places where you walk through town.

After coming out of the Smokies, your first real town will be Hot Springs which the trail runs through.

At Allen Gap, there is a small gas station/market at the stateline. A few more north on TN 70. But most of everything is in Greeneville 15-20 miles from trail.

At Devil Forks Gap, there is small community of Flag Pond. A couple gas stations/markets.

For my section in Tennessee, your first town will be Erwin. Actually Unaka Springs/Temple Hill, just on the outskirts of Erwin. Johnnys and Nolichucky Campground will shuttle you into town for resupply. There is a small outfitter here. But the only real one in between Hot Springs and Damascus is in Johnson City.

The next town will be Roan Mtn. Some will either walk into Elk Park where there is a small motel. Others will stay at Mountain Harbour B&B and get shuttled into town. Not much in Roan Mtn except for some gas stations, small market, and Dollar General. Nearest grocery will be in Newland, NC and Elizabethton. Others will camp out around Apple House Shelter.

Next stop is Hampton. You wont actually go into Hampton. But the hostels in Dennis Cove will shuttle you in. Staying at Kincora is usually a bargain because Bob will take hikers into town if is heading out. Then there is Braemar Castle a couple blocks off the blue blaze. Hampton has a Family Dollar, Dollar general, a couple gas stations, and nearest grocery is about 5 minutes in Elizabethton.

While crossing Iron Mtn/Little Rock Knob, Buladeen/Greasy Creek will be right below. There is a trail that leads down. Thought its just a gas station/market. And then a small country gas station down the road from Hughes Gap on the TN side.

There is Shady Valley at both the TN 91 and US 421 crossings. There is not much there except some general store/gas stations. Great little Gernman restaurant though.

Damascus is your next town after crossing into Virginia. Trail runs through town. And everything can be reached by walking. Food City, MRO, restaurants, hostels, B&Bs.

[ofthearth]

http://www.appalachianpages.com/

[clegg318]

thanks for the help. Regarding the maps, are they that detailed where i can see the two trails intersecting, so i will know where I am(like 2 highways?)? Or do people usually bring some kind of step counter or go by landmarks which are in the guidebook? And again thanks for the responses and links, they are all very much appreciated!

[GGS2]

I think mostly people go by the blazes and the trail tread, except when they don't. They don't when those marks lead them astray, or get obscured somehow, which probably happens a few times a day. Some people say they can go the whole length of the trail with no more than this, while others say this is somewhat foolhardy. Maps, if you know how to use them, will tell you where you are most of the time. If you don't know how to use them, learn, and carry the maps for the section you are hiking, unless you really know what you are doing. http://hikinghq.net/compass/compass_nav.html will tell you the basics of map reading, terrain finding and compass work.

As to the guide books, I generally find them useful for answering questions about local features like water sources and landmarks. I can hike without a guide book, but it is useful to have one with accurate info.

Opinions on these things vary widely. The less experience you have on a given trail section, the more useful maps and guides are. Also, the more experience in hiking you have, the more info you can glean from such aids. Suit your self. There are many threads here about all of these subjects.

[bigcranky]

It's very helpful to have a guidebook with specific mileage listed. The Databook is bare bones -- just mileage. The new Appalachian Pages and the Thru-Hikers Handbook have both specific mileage and plenty of info about what's at those places.

It's very helpful to know what's coming up at a road crossing or a town. You could, in theory, hike the whole trail with just one of those books. I like having the maps, and would recommend them, but others disagree.

Mostly the maps are pretty good, but they are fairly small scale and don't show the detail available in the books.

The state-by-state ATC guidebooks are too big and heavy to carry.

[max patch]

The state-by-state ATC guidebooks are too big and heavy to carry.

Not everybody agrees with that statment.

I carried them on my thru.

Jack Tarlin was planning to carry them with him this year.

I agree that most people choose not to carry them.

But they are not too big and heavy.

[Lilred]

I recommend getting the appalachian pages. you can order them here. Ask ATTroll for a rush shipment.

[bigcranky]

Not everybody agrees with that statment.

I carried them on my thru.


You are correct - I was projecting.

I should have said that "I think they are too heavy." Otherwise they are great books with plenty of information.

[CaseyB]

German Restaurant in Shady Valley? Do tell.

[Lone Wolf]

German Restaurant in Shady Valley? Do tell.

closed.....

[Lone Wolf]

At Allen Gap, there is a small gas station/market at the stateline. A few more north on TN 70. But most of everything is in Greeneville 15-20 miles from trail.

At Devil Forks Gap, there is small community of Flag Pond. A couple gas stations/markets.


The next town will be Roan Mtn. Some will either walk into Elk Park where there is a small motel.

Next stop is Hampton. You wont actually go into Hampton. But the hostels in Dennis Cove will shuttle you in. Staying at Kincora is usually a bargain because Bob will take hikers into town if is heading out. Then there is Braemar Castle a couple blocks off the blue blaze. Hampton has a Family Dollar, Dollar general, a couple gas stations, and nearest grocery is about 5 minutes in Elizabethton.

While crossing Iron Mtn/Little Rock Knob, Buladeen/Greasy Creek will be right below. There is a trail that leads down. Thought its just a gas station/market. And then a small country gas station down the road from Hughes Gap on the TN side.

There is Shady Valley at both the TN 91 and US 421 crossings. There is not much there except some general store/gas stations. Great little Gernman restaurant though.



the store at allen gap has been closed over 10 years

there is nothing at devils fork gap

it's a 3.5 mile walk to elk park. i know nobody that walks it.

hampton has brown's grocery. no need to go to elizabethton

[Blissful]

Yes, read the guidebook like Appalachian pages, ALDHA guide, etc, to help you. They tell you how far a town is (if you need to hitch or walk) and where the services are. Some towns also have blue blaze trails to them as well. Again, all in the guidebooks.

[Tennessee Viking]

the store at allen gap has been closed over 10 years

there is nothing at devils fork gap

it's a 3.5 mile walk to elk park. i know nobody that walks it.

hampton has brown's grocery. no need to go to elizabethtoni must be blind then. I never noticed a grocery in hampton.

have met a couple souls that picked up mail drops and got pizza & gas station supplies in elk park.

its a defnite hitch to flag pond either from Devils Fork and Sams. not a lot there.

[Lone Wolf]

i must be blind then. I never noticed a grocery in hampton.


Brown's Grocery, it's been there forever. Sutton Brown the owner also owns the Braemer Castle hostel

[Tennessee Viking]

i will defniitely have to go by there then. i am usually grabbing stuff at white's and food city up the road.