View Full Version : Doc's Knob Shelter
Former Admin
10-19-2002, 12:18
Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - Doc's Knob Shelter
Past/Present hikers - what can future hikers expect here? Have any good stories or memories from here?
Future hikers - any questions?
ez-does-it
10-21-2002, 16:42
This shelter is the last shelter going North bound before Pearisburg,Va. it has a decent water souce and the area is very,very rocky and there are no real good spots for tentig,so if you plan on staying here it will be in the shelter with all the mice,but will put you with in app. 8 miles of Pearisburg,Va.
Kerosene
09-05-2005, 19:41
I didn't like this shelter. The spring was a little small, with the overflow running underneath massive boulders before trickling out into the front yard of the shelter and under the picnic table. You have to step up on a rock to reach the platform (so of course I almost killed myself stepping down).
Think about stopping at Woods Hole Hostel about 3 miles north, which then gives you an easy 11-mile day into Pearisburg to arrive mid-afternoon to check into a motel (try the Plaza) and do your shopping.
BlackCloud
05-30-2006, 07:23
Muggy, buggy, and souppy. The front yard of the shelter is pure mud & It hadn't rained for almost a week. Privy is about 25 yds away, so I couldn't imagine it in the heat of summer.
Not a good place to stay.
Unfortunately, the only reliable water between there & Pearisburg is @ the campsite .5 south of Angel's Rest, which is .2 off the trail...
I just stayed there this past weekend. The water source was in good order, it wasn't too muddy (no surprise given the drought) Agree about the rockiness, not good tent sites at all in near the shelter. The "stench pipe" in the privey was busted and rusted so I am sure it is very rank in the summer (it was in the 30's when we were there) The next water source northbound is just short of Angel's Rest, lots of good water there even though it was at the top of the ridge in in the middle of a nasty drought. We had no issues with mice at all (too cold?), no bear poles that I could see, no journal in the shelter.
Pack Mule
06-01-2009, 00:48
I stayed at Doc's Knob two weeks ago. All that is said is true: close water source but turns ground in front of shelter and under picnic table into mud even if it hasn't rained; poor tenting opportunities; smaller, older shelter sleeping 6 at best; buggy and muggy (if muddy isn't enough. This shelter leaves MUCH to be desired. I HIGHLY recommend pulling off the trail 2.5 miles south at Sugar Run Gap and staying at Wood's Hole Hostel. It is one great hostel!
Thanks to this thread I will change plans for a night at Doc's Knob and head for the hostel when I hike by in a couple of weeks.
Well, I hiked by both (5/23/10) was in Pearisburg from south of Watipi by 7:15 PM. The shelter had nice afternoon sun and the stream is off to the left. It was not visible at first, but I heard it flowing beneath the rocks. There was a lot of plastic trash in the fire pit, I guess since the shelter is only 2.2 from the road. Muddy in front. There is a nice easy stretch of wide, slightly downhill grade of trail going north for 2-3 miles of easy hiking. There would be good camping 5 miles beyond and before Angel's rest.
are there any good places to tent a little farther South of this site?
there is a campsite about 50 yards north of the shelter close to trail though. if you start up the ridge right behind this campsite there are some flat spots to set up tent. At this campsite go across the trail 20 or so feet off the trail there is a decent hole between the rocks to get water from. I was by there a couple weeks ago on my b-day hike
Berry Belle
06-26-2012, 01:14
The rhododendron thicket that surrounds the front of this shelter made it feel very gloomy as rain approached in the evening. I can see why European settlers called these thickets "dismals" or "hells". Maybe if the rhodos had been in bloom, I would have liked it better. In any case, the roof kept us from having to batten down for a downpour, so I can't complain too much.
FlyPaper
06-26-2012, 13:26
Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - Doc's Knob Shelter
Past/Present hikers - what can future hikers expect here? Have any good stories or memories from here?
Future hikers - any questions?
I've actually stayed at Doc's Knob twice. I would more classify it as "typical" of the area as far as quality. Rocky? Sure, but where is it not rocky? Bugs/mice? Sure, but I didn't find it worse than other places.
As far as tent spaces, there are no "great" tent spots, but there are many "adequate" tent spots for one or two man tents.
The biggest problem is that the water is less reliable here than at most other shelters. If the weather is good, the place others have mentioned about 1/2 mile south of Angel's rest is much much better. The water is more reliable (in spite of it being near the top of the mountain), it has a great view, and more open space. Just no picnic table nor shelter.
Cookerhiker
06-26-2012, 14:40
No bugs when I stayed there - in the dead of winter.
16391
carouselambra
06-25-2017, 22:07
I hiked past this shelter this weekend. As mentioned earlier in this thread, it is in a damp, dank, depressing setting with very little tent space. We decided to move past the shelter and carried water 3.3 miles up the hill to the power lines. On the south side entry of the power lines is a nice area for hammock camping. At the north exit of the power lines is a nice spot for three tents and several hammock opportunities. We were glad we moved on as the views on each side of the mountain were tremendous.
LittleRock
06-26-2017, 07:54
Exactly. Why stay there when you're less than 2 miles from Woods Hole, one of the best hostels on the trail?
Gambit McCrae
06-26-2017, 08:23
Exactly. Why stay there when you're less than 2 miles from Woods Hole, one of the best hostels on the trail?
Woods Hole is not for everyone. Didn't say its not a good hostel.
SteelCut
06-26-2017, 16:10
I hiked past this shelter this weekend. As mentioned earlier in this thread, it is in a damp, dank, depressing setting with very little tent space. We decided to move past the shelter and carried water 3.3 miles up the hill to the power lines. On the south side entry of the power lines is a nice area for hammock camping. At the north exit of the power lines is a nice spot for three tents and several hammock opportunities. We were glad we moved on as the views on each side of the mountain were tremendous.
I passed through there this past Friday. I was so glad I decided to stay at Woods Hole rather than deal with tenting somewhere around that horrible shelter.