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susquehannaslim
02-18-2009, 21:53
I'm planning a walk in Maryland from Harpers Ferry to Pen Mar Park and I have some questions about the shelters supporting this part of the AT. Didn't there used to be a Hemlock Hill Shelter north of Pine Knob? Also, does Rocky Run really only sleep 4?

Toolshed
02-18-2009, 22:34
I don't recall a shelter N of Pine Knob, but with all the dayhikers overrunnning the place, who would want to camp there....
RR Sleeps 4 - There is a nice deck next to it with a built-in table that luxuriously sleeps 1.
There is a brand new shelter just across the valley from RR.

brianos
02-19-2009, 00:17
Hemlock Hill was removed. Not sure exactly when... I stayed there in 1986 on a weekend trip on the north half of the MD trail. Now there's the Ensign Cowall shelter a bit farther north from the former site of HH.

Thought I read here on WB that Rocky Run also has some tent sites available. If it were at capacity, Dahlgren is only about a mile farther north.

jhedrick
02-19-2009, 16:35
There are 6 shelters in Maryland and good camp sites at Dahlgren and Annapolis Rocks. The old CCC shelter at Rocky Run remains with the addition of a new one a short distance away.

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veteran
02-24-2009, 09:42
The refurbished Rocky Run Shelter

GitRdone
02-28-2009, 17:10
I understand that Devil's Racecourse Shelter has been shut down and replaced with another shelter. I stayed at Devil's September of 07.. in really bad shape at the time...

maddi
02-28-2009, 18:57
Here is a picture of the new Rocky Run Shelter, which can hold about 16. Stayed there two weeks ago, and got a nice snow. It is a beautiful shelter, with a very interesting privy.

Ensign Cowell shelter is also very nice, and is about 8 miles north of Pine Knob. See picture.

Halfway in between Pine Knob (which is run down and often crowded with non-hikers) and Ens. Cowell is Pogo, which is not a bad campsite (treat the water - you will notice the stream is downhill from the privy, and perhaps not as far away as it should be). Not a ton of flat spots, but it is a lot bigger than it looks if you explore a bit.

I would personally avoid staying at Devils Racecourse, but Ed Garvey is pretty awesome. If you had a few days to do the trip, you could do Garvey, Rocky Run, and Cowell, which would spread things out nicely.

Vadayhiker
04-20-2009, 16:43
Rocky Run is still operational, I went by there 4/19/09. The new shelter is still under construction and I went by and the footers are in, but it has a long way to go. Should be done by Summer 09.

Vadayhiker
04-20-2009, 16:44
Sorry I meant Devils Racecourse not Rocky Run.