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Pringles
02-03-2010, 12:52
My guidebooks list a campsite near Bland, between the Jenkins and Helvey’s Mill Shelters. I believe it’s maybe called Laurel Creek camp. Is this just a trail-side campsite, or a NFS or private campground? Is it right on the road? If it is, has it been fairly safe over the years, or is camping there a beacon saying “come harass me, I don’t mind”? If anyone has more information about this camp, I’d really like to hear it. Thank you.

Pringles

CrumbSnatcher
02-03-2010, 13:09
i remember the campsite just passed the road on VA. 615 basic campsite just out of view from the road!
alot of locals camp right on the banks of the Laurel creek.
this might be the site where two people were shot in 08' or 09' ?
the old-old guide books listed camping at the bland town pavillion and thats exactly what i've done 3 times. the helveys mill shelter isn't too bad but the water source is way down the hill! it was loaded with beer one year:D

DAKS
02-03-2010, 14:30
IIRC, this was a decent campsite albeit just a few steps from the road. it was fairly flat and even had a picnic table where i ate lunch one day. my guess is that it prolly' receives pretty heavy use by the locals. someone else might chime in with more details regarding how secure a site it is. if this is indeed the campsite i am thinking of, there is one gigantic tree there with the remains of many failed attempts at hanging food?

John B
02-03-2010, 14:56
I camped there and had no problem. Let me describe exactly what it is:
If you are hiking north bound, you will be hiking up a gravel road and the trail cuts off the gravel road to the LEFT. On the other side of the gravel road is a decent creek. I think that it is on that side of the road that most "car campers" would stay.

On the left side, however, there was a bear-proof trash can that is maintained by the Green River (Baptist?) Church. When I was there, the same church had kindly left a styrofoam cooler filled with Gatorade, a bible for anyone who decided that would be a perfect time and place for Jesus to save their sorry a$$, and a 5-day printed weather forecast that was taped to the top of the cooler. There is also a picnic table there. There are plenty of very flat campsites.

I was there in April and me and a fellow hiker were the only ones there.

If I were hiking that section again, I would continue further up the trail about 200 yards, where there is ANOTHER campsite (room for 2-3 tents) that is also adjacent to a smaller stream. It has been my experience that people having little better to do than drive around drunk at night never want to get too far away from their cars. So while the first camp site is good in that it is on the other side of the gravel road away from the stream, the second camp site is even better in that it's a bit further removed.

At least that's my .02

tenbeer
02-03-2010, 16:40
i remember the campsite just passed the road on VA. 615 basic campsite just out of view from the road!
alot of locals camp right on the banks of the Laurel creek.
this might be the site where two people were shot in 08' or 09' ?
the old-old guide books listed camping at the bland town pavillion and thats exactly what i've done 3 times. the helveys mill shelter isn't too bad but the water source is way down the hill! it was loaded with beer one year:D
This is not the sight where Randall Smith shot the fishermen. That was Dismal Creek.

Pringles
02-03-2010, 18:53
Thanks for the information! I'll try to get to the campsites that are further from the road.

Pringles

CrumbSnatcher
02-03-2010, 18:58
This is not the sight where Randall Smith shot the fishermen. That was Dismal Creek.thanks for the correction