stocking up in SNP

[Lemming Fleming]

Hi there,
I was wondering what are good stock up / refuel points through SNP up to harpers ferry? How many days apart are they roughly?

Thanks.

[Cookerhiker]

First of all, it depends on the time of year. As of this writing, the only open facility for "stocking up" in SNP is Big Meadows in the middle of the Park. Check this SNP website (http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/facilities-opening-schedule.htm) for seasonal hours.

Secondly, everyone talks about eating your way through SNP but what that usually refers to is all the restaurants. You can discern the locations and mileages from this section of the Companion (http://www.aldha.org/companyn/va09.pdf). Since you asked about "stocking up," you're probably more interested in stores. Keep in mind that the SNP grocery stores are more geared for drive-in tourists and car campers. You can get Lipton sides, ramen noodles (yuk!:(), trail mix, oatmeal but the selections are more limited - and prices higher - than towns. The stores are located at Loft Mountain, Lewis Mountain (very small), Big Meadows, and Elk Wallow.

Beyone SNP, I'd stock at Front Royal for the rest of the way to HF. Check sources in the Companion referenced above.

[Lemming Fleming]

Thanks, wish I could start tomorrow, all this sitting around thinking about it is rubbish! :) it's like waiting for christmas when you were a kid.

[Lyle]

Thanks, wish I could start tomorrow, all this sitting around thinking about it is rubbish! :) it's like waiting for christmas when you were a kid.

When do you start?

[Lemming Fleming]

I fly out to the US on 9th May, hoping to be on at Rockfish gap on the morning of 11th May. I've been training, I'm in good shape (probably not trail shape though - time will tell :eek:) but like I said, I feel ready to start now, I'm starting to think about it too much I think.

[Skyline]

The Big Meadows Wayside is open at this time. Big Meadows Lodge has delayed its opening until May 22.

Skyland Resort is also open now, but they do not offer a resupply-capable store.

This Friday, April 10, both Lewis Mt. Campstore and Elkwallow Wayside are scheduled to open.

Loft Mt. Campstore will not open until May 15 this year.

As for town resupply or to take a town zero, the one that is closest to being halfway between Waynesboro and Harpers Ferry is Luray--not Front Royal. Now that Front Royal no longer has an outfitter (and Luray has two, plus most other town services that any other trail town offers) Luray will predictably get more hiker visitors this year. You can hitch into Luray using US211 to the west, or call toll-free 1-877-789-3210 (local number 540-743-1355) from the pay phone at Thornton Gap for a reasonably priced shuttle. It's best to arrange the shuttle a day ahead from wherever you can get a phone call in, then call when you get to Thornton Gap.

[Lemming Fleming]

Thanks, good advice.

[TrippinBTM]

Definitely don't carry more than 2 days of food with you. Even the small campstores are stocked well enough to get you to the next one. Plus there's the restaraunts. With beer. And icecream.

SNP was like a vacation on my vacation. Luxury hiking...

[fredmugs]

There is also re-supply available at the Bears Den hostel and I think it's about 35 miles or so after you leave the park boundary. They also have frozen pizzas and ice cream. When I stayed there about 2 years ago they would also provide a shuttle service into town.

[fredmugs]

Oh yeah - make sure you have a blackberry shake at one of the SNP waypoint stores.

[Lemni Skate]

I hiked SNP southbound last year and covered about 11 miles per day. The 4 resupply spots and the Skyland Resort surely made it easy to only carry about a days worth of food at a time. I am one of the most out of shape backpackers around. The only thing is that in eight days of hiking in late May the temperature never got over 62 degrees and I was expecting warmer so the blackberry milkshakes were out of the question. I still suggest Front Royal as a resupply as it's further north so you don't have to carry as much and the traffic there is pretty much looking to pick up hikers. I sat and waited for a planned ride there one day for two hours and watched three hikers (one with a dog) all get picked up by one of the first ten cars to come along. Bears Den Hostel and Blackburn Trail Center are both staffed and right on the trail in Northern Virginia in case you have any emergency needs closer to Harper's Ferry. Warning: the section of trail around Bears Den Hostel is called the roller coaster and it wears out some backpackers who otherwise roll through Northern Virginia.

[Trail Bug]

I contacted the NPS and the wayside Grill at Loft Mountain will open on the 23 April.
It is just the campstore that will not open until the 15th May

[Skyline]

I hiked SNP southbound last year and covered about 11 miles per day. The 4 resupply spots and the Skyland Resort surely made it easy to only carry about a days worth of food at a time. I am one of the most out of shape backpackers around. The only thing is that in eight days of hiking in late May the temperature never got over 62 degrees and I was expecting warmer so the blackberry milkshakes were out of the question. I still suggest Front Royal as a resupply as it's further north so you don't have to carry as much and the traffic there is pretty much looking to pick up hikers. I sat and waited for a planned ride there one day for two hours and watched three hikers (one with a dog) all get picked up by one of the first ten cars to come along. Bears Den Hostel and Blackburn Trail Center are both staffed and right on the trail in Northern Virginia in case you have any emergency needs closer to Harper's Ferry. Warning: the section of trail around Bears Den Hostel is called the roller coaster and it wears out some backpackers who otherwise roll through Northern Virginia.


There is some validity about the strategy of Front Royal as the town stop in a Rockfish Gap to Harpers Ferry section hike--especially if one resupplies often through SNP at the stores.

My advice was particularly directed at two subsets of hikers:

1) Those who may need to visit an outfitter before Harpers Ferry (none in FR any longer, two in Luray).

2) Those who don't want to deal with the poor selection and absurdly high prices for resupply items inside SNP would be better off selecting Luray over Front Royal because it is geographically in the center of that hike.

Luray actually has more that hikers need than Front Royal right in town, and budget lodging as well. Neither town has a hostel, tho there will be one open again this year just for the NOBO thru-hike rush in Chester Gap about less than 10 miles south of Front Royal.

[Gray Blazer]

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=32844&original=1&c=member&imageuser=6217http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=32844&original=1&c=member&imageuser=6217

Luray Caverns Motel west is one of my favorite inns (besides the Sapphire in Franklin). Huge rooms with huge double beds and picture window views of the Shennies-$72 a night. Luray Caverns is right accross the street and is one of the most beautiful in the world. Shennandoah Caverns in Front Royal are not that great. FL Caverns are better thah Shennandoah Caverns-way better. Be on the lookout for my two oldest boys up there. They might pick you up hitch hiking. They are way too busy to shuttle though.