View Full Version : Maupin Field Shelter
Former Admin
10-19-2002, 12:12
Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - Maupin Field Shelter
Past/Present hikers - what can future hikers expect here? Have any good stories or memories from here?
Future hikers - any questions?
Kerosene
10-20-2002, 19:04
Maupin Field Shelter is just north of the Three Ridges Wilderness Area boundary, about two miles south of Reeds Gap. There's no "field" to speak of, just immature trees. The shelter faces east I think (at least relative to the Trail), and there may be some direct morning sunlight, but we were sitting in a cloud for the entire time we were there. Shelter design is similar to the Harpers Creek, Priest and Seeley-Woodworth shelters. Exiting the shelter, the privy is to the right on an unmarked path. Water comes from a piped spring directly behind the shelter, although nothing was coming from the pipe in October of 2002.
We high-tailed it from Rockfish Gap, starting at dawn to reach the shelter before the projected storm system that dumped rain for 18 hours after we arrived. Except for the footing around Humpback Mountain, the walk was very easy, but the Paul C. Wolfe Shelter looked like a nice place to stay.
I was surprised at the lack of food bag hangers, and we did not encounter a mouse that evening. We ended up sitting in the shelter the entire following morning trying to wait out the rain and then finally gave up around noon and started walking over Three Ridges (fortunately the rain petered out just as we started our descent to give us a great view of The Priest).
ez-does-it
10-21-2002, 10:46
This another one of those great shelter area for tenting out. A lot of good spots for setting up your tent
;)
The campsites were nice including steel fire rings and adjustable grills. The shelter does face east and does get some mid morning direct sun - I dried out my stuff on the shelter floor in the sunshine until the picnic table dried off then finished the drying and packing there. New signs have been placed - trail to privy is marked with a pictoral of a generic privy and an arrow pointing to the privy. The piped part of the spring was not producing any water when I was there over July 4th but there was a sufficient amount in the stream so no problems. Note the trail between the trail to the water and the trail to the privy is the Mau-Har trail - marked with a verbal sign for "waterfall" and a TATC "Adopt a Trail" sign. The pictoral signs were a bit confusing at first but once I realized that they were just the same signs used on maps for shelters and campsites they were understandable - a number of enteries in registers in this area mentioned the "hieroglyphic" signs.
Blissful
08-20-2006, 19:00
Report - water not flowing at Maupin d/t lack of rain in VA. Only managed to get water from seepage areas around the spring.
wilconow
08-20-2006, 20:31
Report - water not flowing at Maupin d/t lack of rain in VA. Only managed to get water from seepage areas around the spring.
yeah, even in late june the spring was pretty barren. you can go downhill for maybe a half mile on the blue blaze (mau-har) and there will be water there. tough uphill back thoough
River Runner
12-11-2007, 01:08
Visited this shelter on a day hike from Tye River Road to Reed's Gap 2/8. Enjoyed the checkerboard carved into the shelter floor. The privy path is now marked, and the privy is modern with a vent pipe, similar to the one at Harper's Creek Shelter. This is the only shelter I've visited where the privy path comes directly off the AT & is marked with a privy symbol sign. On our way out, we met 4 hikers headed for the shelter and what promised to be a cold evening.
River Runner
12-11-2007, 01:09
Visited this shelter on a day hike from Tye River Road to Reed's Gap 2/8. Enjoyed the checkerboard carved into the shelter floor. The privy path is now marked, and the privy is modern with a vent pipe, similar to the one at Harper's Creek Shelter. This is the only shelter I've visited where the privy path comes directly off the AT & is marked with a privy symbol sign. On our way out, we met 4 hikers headed for the shelter and what promised to be a cold evening.
Oops, had a typo, and meant 12/8.
visited the shelter today on a short hike from reeds gap. water source was very slow but not that bad. there were some small pools where one could easily dip and fill a bottle. of note, there is a gigantinormous hornets nest abut 20 yards up the trail that connects the AT to the shelter.:eek: the nest is very active and is right next to the trail at about 3 feet off the ground. i'll post a pic soon.
Dumb question: Is it pronounced like the French, "mow-PAN"? Always wondered.
Bucky Katt
01-02-2009, 16:37
Can anyone confirm how far the shelter is from Reeds Gap? I was thinking of doing some sorta of trip up that way sometime soon, but I've never been in the area. I thought I'd start from Reeds Gap off the parkway.
Bucky Katt
01-02-2009, 16:39
Also, is overnight parking at Reeds Gap "safe"?
I have 1.7 miles from Reed's Gap to Maupin Field Shelter. Safe parking is a crap shoot any where on the trail, but I've never heard of problems there.
Added: there's a real nice dry campsite on top of the hill to the left from the gap. Only about .5 mile.
I think this is the shelter you skip so you can stay at Rusty's. Just walk toward the Blue Ridge Drive instead of turning on the AT. Then head south down the Blue Ridge to Rusty's. (that is if he's open this year - lol)
Lone Wolf
01-02-2009, 17:25
I think this is the shelter you skip so you can stay at Rusty's. Just walk toward the Blue Ridge Drive instead of turning on the AT. Then head south down the Blue Ridge to Rusty's. (that is if he's open this year - lol)
i'd rather stay in that shelter than go to rusty's
I'm surprised LW! Lots of others from Hobocentral have been seen there...
visited the shelter today on a short hike from reeds gap. water source was very slow but not that bad. there were some small pools where one could easily dip and fill a bottle. of note, there is a gigantinormous hornets nest abut 20 yards up the trail that connects the AT to the shelter.:eek: the nest is very active and is right next to the trail at about 3 feet off the ground. i'll post a pic soon.
the hornets nest was there in early Oct, when I hiked thru the area. This was posted on the blue blaze trail leading to the shelter.
There's a nice tent site going NOBO just before the blue blaze trail, so you don't have to stay in the shelter or at Rusty's.
Lone Wolf
01-02-2009, 18:56
I'm surprised LW! Lots of others from Hobocentral have been seen there...
just Pirate. he's a grown man. he makes his own choices
Blissful
01-02-2009, 22:36
We've parked on the BRP over a weekend, no problems for us.
Anyone know how the water situation is at this shelter now? And other places south of Rockfish Gap?
Blissful
03-25-2009, 14:02
This time of year is usually fine (but I have not seen it). If we don't get some good soaking rain this spring, it will be a problem this summer. Maupin sometimes dries up.
Trail Bug
03-26-2009, 06:59
The water level was very low at Cow Camp Gap Shelter about 4 weeks ago.
The streams were flowing good this past week between Daleville and Bearwallow Gap VA43.
LTHotSauce
03-26-2009, 13:34
Did my spring break trip there. Water water everywhere. Piped spring was running. Many othersprings that were not piped had to be scooped out, but still plenty of water.
anyone Know How The Water Situation Is At This Shelter Now? And Other Places South Of Rockfish Gap?
We Were There Last Week Got Off Trail Sept 17 The Water South Of Rockfish Is Hit And Miss Most Springs Are Dry And Most Of The Streams We Had To Use A Pan To Filter Water Because Of Silt ,we Carried Extra Water So Good Luck
I was there Oct 1... the shelter was in good shape as well as the campsites surrounding it. The water supply IMO was fine... there is a small creek right behind the shelter and it was running at a decent rate. 5 books in the shelter are all bibles/bible related. I enjoyed a tasty spaghetti meal there before heading out. It's a nice stop for a section hiker... close to Reeds Gap, but far enough away to make you think you're in the middle of no where :[]
Tenderheart
10-09-2009, 15:24
I think Maupin is where I contracted giardia on my thru hike. Someone had left oranges in the stream, and I bit into one to start the peel. This is the only untreated water that I am aware of that I injested. After two days in Waynesboro, I became very ill, and an "urgent care" doctor confirmed the illness. Seven days later, I was back on the trail, feeling very weak. It could have been mental, but I never really felt fully recovered. I should have known better. My own fault!!
litefoot 2000
Hikerhead
01-06-2011, 20:49
Without a lot of trouble can someone tell me the mileage between the Maupin Field shelter and the AT using the blue blazed Mau-Har Trail?
Hikerhead
01-06-2011, 20:52
Never mind...it looks like 3 miles....I didn't think it was that far.
chknfngrs
03-20-2018, 07:13
Was there in Sunday. Stream behind shelter had sign stating it needs to be boiled or chemically treated. Ew?
A lot of the springs in that area have those little signs. Iv personally drank out of that specific one on probably 5 trips. Last August it was a 12x12 inch puddle full of animal tracks, no issues.