2 Different Section Questions

[wornoutboots]

Question#1 - is there any place to camp between Walnut Mountain Shelter & Deer Park Shelter? Maybe around mile 263ish?


Questions #2 - I'm hiking from Erwin to Damascus into Trail Days & a few friends are meeting me at Watuga dam to hike into Damascus, I was just wondering if there are any highlights from Watuga to Damascus?


Thanks?

[fredmugs]

Bears. Btw Watauga Dam and Vandeventer shelter I saw 7 bears in one day.

[Hikes in Rain]

Haven't been there yet (waiting for May!!) but if you grab some water, there's likely to be a spot on top of Bluff Mountain at 261.1. Bit Rock Spring at 262.7 sould like a good campsite, and of course, there's water. That's where I'd head. There's also supposed to be a campsite with water down the road a little from Garenflo Gap, at 265.2.

[wornoutboots]

Thanks Hike in Rain! I am taking my wife on her longest trip so far, Standing Bear to Hemlock Hollow & I am try to avoid killing her with miles the first couple days + trying to avoid camping near roads & known "bad" areas. I love her passion to give this a go & I want it to be an all around great experiience! With that said, the more I research it, I'm not too concerned about the section from Hot Springs North to Hemlock Hollow. But I am now curious of what people think of camping within the area the 1st 5 miles out of SBF to Turkey Gap? I'll keep researching TJ's but I do remember someone having trouble with "Locals" while they were camping near a mountain road somewhere between SBF & Roaring Fork Shelter?? It's hard to tell in the guidebook as to which, branches, gaps & mountian roads are actually indeed roads.

[Hikes in Rain]

My guide (only one I have here at the moment) indicates a campsite with water at mile 243.6, which I've heard is nice. (Is that Turkey Gap?) There's also the campsite on Painter Branch, at mile 240.7, just a couple of miles past SBF, a little less than halfway up Snowbird. Also supposed to be good. Wish I had more than hearsay, but my explorations into that region have yet to happen.

Only roads between SBF and Roaring Fork are Brown Gap (mile 248.8) and Max Patch Road (252.0). Both are pretty easy access. I make it a rule to not camp withina mile of roads, but only in part from any problems with locals. I just don't want to see cars when I hike!