View Full Version : Towns with large supermarkets
I'm putting this here because food and resupplying is one of the most (the only) important pre-trip planning exercises for thruhikers. For those who want/need only large grocery stores for in-town resupply, here is a list of the ones that I know about. You can use these places for buying food and mailing it up the trail.
1. Damascus - Small store in town was closed in May, mega store outside town.
2. Pearisburg. In the main shopping mall area.
3. Daleville. I think I saw a Food Lion here, but I went into Troutville, where there is a small-medium store.
4. Waynesboro. Lots of options, but spread out. Super Walmart was good.
5. Duncannon. The Doyle had arranged for a supermarket employee to come out with a van and shuttle hikers to and fro.
6. Kent. Near the PO.
7. Great Barrington. Way outside town, but close to a motel where I stayed.
8. Williamstown. Big store to the right on the roadway. Next to a terrible AYCE Chinese place. I understand there is another big store if you go left.
9. Manchester Center. Big store right in the middle of town, next to an outfitter of sorts.
I haven't been north of Manchester, so can't really comment on that. Also, there are a lot of places I didn't go in to. So, if you did and found a big store, pass the info along for others.
Port Clinton, PA. - Nothing right there, but a chain supermarket (Weis) in Hamburg, 3 miles away.
Footslogger
01-20-2005, 18:37
Starting from the South you can include Blairsville, GA, Hiawassee, GA and Franklin, NC ...just to add a few.
'Slogger
AT 2003
TJ aka Teej
01-20-2005, 19:04
Millinocket, ME Near the BSPHQ, a Hannaford's chain store with extended hours, takes debit cards, gives cash back, deli, generic selection. Across the street, a family owned IGA, opens later, same info re debits, better prices, premade sandwiches, eclectic selection, local products.
Gorham, NH Just up the highway from Hiker's Paradise, a huge Shaw's chain store, excellent deli, you need a 'Shaws Card' from the customer service desk to get the advertised sale prices, debit w/cash back.
Hanover NH is the next town down the trail with larger markets, I think.
aaronthebugbuffet
01-20-2005, 20:34
I liked the store in Hanover. They had some really good granola.
Front Royal, Virginia has a Martin's grocery store right next to a laundromat. Martin's offers many a buffet (wings, salad, bbq, Chinese, Meditteranean...to name a few).
Jack Tarlin
01-20-2005, 21:34
Since Chris' list stopped at Manchester, here are a few good Northern options:
*The Co-op Food Store in Hanover is one of the best supermarkets on the
Trail; you will literally walk by it on your way out of town.
*The great folks who run the hostel in Glencliff will shuttle you to a good
small market in Warren
*There's a good market in the center of North Woodstock; people needing
more can hitch (a tough one, too) or walk a mile or so to bigger markets in
nearby Lincoln
*Very light (repeat VERY) re-supply is available at the store in the AMC
lodge in Pinkham Notch, but do NOT consider this a market; use it only if
you're flat out of food as you head down the trail towards Gorham.
*Excellent supermarket re-supply in Gorham
*Two small markets in Andover, Maine
*Fine market in Stratton, Maine
*New large supermarket just outside (but within walking distance) of
downtown Rangeley, Maine (There's a small market/convenience store
in Oquossuc, before you get to the Rangeley road crossing, but only go
there if you have to; the hitch to Rangeley is much easier).
*Light re-supply is available at Steve Longley's store, .9 up the road from the
Caratunk, ME road crossing. He has everything you'll need to get you the
33-odd miles to Monson
*In Monson, re-supply at either the general store or the convenience store/
pizza place at the pther end of town; if you need a reral supermarket, you
can get a reasonably priced shuttle from Keith Shaw Jr. to nearby Dover
Together, seems like everyone pieced together almost the whole trail. Only missing (that i can remember) are Erwin and at Kincorra, Bob will drive you into a town with a large supermarket (maybe Elizabethton?)
orangebug
01-20-2005, 21:49
Yup, Erwin has a couple of decent groceries and large convenience stores.
Of course, we have ignored Dawsonville and Ellijay, GA with large chain grocers. I like Ingle's for their broad selection of dried meat and fish.
Front Royal (off A.T. at US522) has a brand new Martin's Super Supermarket, in the same shopping center as Weasel Creek Outfitters; also FR has a Food Lion.
For anyone needing to resupply between Waynesboro and Front Royal, Luray (off A.T. at US211/Thornton Gap) has three supermarkets--in the center of town, Farmer's Foods. To the west of town, both a Food Lion and a Wal-Mart Supercenter (has a supermarket within the store). All three stores have decent delis.
Singletrack
02-05-2005, 00:36
Glasgow, Virginia. Long hitch. Has 2 markets. One has a deli with burgers etc. You can find what you need in both stores. The red brick one is the best, imo.
Lone Wolf
02-05-2005, 06:04
Helen,Ga.
Blairsville,Ga.
Hiawassee,Ga.
Franklin,N.C.
Bryson City, N.C.
Gatlinburg, Tn.
All < 15 miles from the trail and all fairly easy hitches.
Front Royal, Virginia has a Martin's grocery store right next to a laundromat. Martin's offers many a buffet (wings, salad, bbq, Chinese, Meditteranean...to name a few).
Plus the best book store on the trail.
Weary
As part of planning for my thru next year, I pieced together a chart of food resupply sources within five miles of the trail from various (older) sources. It may help someone. And if anyone has updates and corrections, I would appreciate them. You can see the chart at http://www.100megsfree3.com/wordsmith/backpacking/atfoodresupply.html .
saimyoji
07-15-2005, 00:40
Seems like a pretty good list. You've combined NJ with PA without warning though....
Gatlinburg, already mentioned by L.Wolf, has always been an important resupply town. Also, Erwin and Hanover and probably others.
Seems like a pretty good list. You've combined NJ with PA without warning though....Thanks saimyoji. Can't believe I missed that. My mistake has been corrected.