PDA

View Full Version : Walk in to Trail Days



squirrel bait
04-04-2004, 15:26
If leaving on May 2nd and walking in to Trail Days where is a good spot to be dropped off and walking north? South? I really hope these questions don't bug ya all. I got the Data book and the Companion but the mileage does not compute to this worn brain. I can't visulize it and hence.....duh. Thanks
Hopefully with some practice.

A-Train
04-04-2004, 16:24
Squirrel,

It would help if you gave more clues as to your pace, avg miles per day and hiking style. Starting on may 2nd you would have 12 hiking days to get there on the night of the 13th, as Trail Days mostly kicks off on friday. It is 116 miles from Erwin Tennessee to Damascus. This would allow you to go at a nice pace of almost exactly 10 miles/per day. This is a pretty great section specifically the miles a couple days out of Erwin which include Beauty Spot, Unaka Mtn, Roan Mtn, Overmountain shelter, Jane and Round Balds and the Humps. You can take a nice rest/break/zero day/slack at Kincorra Hostel which is about 50 miles shy of Damascus. For more of a challenge you could start from Hot Springs tackin on an extra 70 miles making it about 190 miles which is a bit more adventurous mileage wise.

from the north heading south: You could start at Bland Virginia and walk back to Damascus. That is about 120 miles as well, so same miles per day, though this walking is a bit easier than the miles south of Damascus so you could make better time. A bit more of a challenge would be to start from Pearisburg, a pretty large town 160 miles north of Damascus. The only advantage to starting in Bland is that it is virtually on I-77 which would make for an easy entry if coming by car. This section boasts some good sites as well like Dismal Creek Falls, Chestnut Ridge and Burke's Garden, Partnership shelter, and of course the Grayson Highlands.

You can't go wrong with either section. Walking south from Bland/Pearisburg would give you the opportunity to get in shape easier with some flatish miles compared to the terrain out of Erwin which is tough. Both are very pretty areas and Grayson Highlands is one of the best on the Trail, as is the Humps. Personally at that time of year I'd probably walk south because of the hoards of NOBO headed for Damascus. If you don't mid crowds then fine. Not to say you wouldn't run face into tons of NOBO's who are past Damascus, but the most people will still be set on walking into Trail Days too. Which ever you choose, enjoy! yOU can't go wrong

squirrel bait
04-06-2004, 08:20
Thank you.

Peep
04-06-2004, 11:09
I'll be walking into Damascus but won't be starting out until May 8th - NOBO -and wanting to arrive at Trail Days on Thursday or Friday. I'd like to hike an easy pace - about 10 -12 miles per day. I haven't hiked that section and, like Squirrel's post above, am somewhat confused as to the best place to park my car, get a shuttle, and dropped off. A-Train - you gave great information for a 100+ mile but for a 50 miler does Kincorra sound like a good place to start (going into Damascus) ??? My plan is to hike NOBO as I don't mind the crowds - or should I anticipate tent space problems (I can skip the shelters) anywhere? Or if I hike SOBO where would you suggest I start out to give me a 50 miler in? Thanks. Hope to meet a lot of you out there!
Peep

The Old Fhart
04-06-2004, 11:40
Squirrel Bait,
As usual A-Train has given some great advice. I hiked north to Damascus in 2000 and south in 2001 so I'll tell you what I experienced. Hiking north you may actually see fewer hikers because you are going with the flow but depending on your speed you will get to see some of the hikers for a longer time. Heading south you will see more NOBO hikers but only in passing unless you are staying the same spot at night and then you will see that days hikers for a few hours. I found going from Pearisburg south that there were some NOBOs that had got to Damascus early and rather than sitting there for 2 weeks or missing the event had flipped to Pearisburg to hike south into Trail Days. I got to hike with some of them most of the way to Damascus and had a great time. After Trail Days they got rides back to Pearisburg and got ahead of the huge crowd that leave Damascus after the event.

From the standpoint of beauty, trail ease, as A-Train says, it is pretty equal which way you go. I guess I liked going south to Damascus slightly better because just getting on the trail to do a short section you generally aren't in the same shape as a thru hiker and will be going slower. When I headed north I was always getting passed by the NOBOs with many miles of conditioning and that can get to your ego after a while. Either way you go I believe it is the hikers you'll meet that will really make your trip. Last year doing a section north from Pearisburg I met A-Train a couple of times and enjoyed his upbeat attitude. I will be doing another section north this year and will get a ride to Trail Days so hope to see you there. Good luck.