View Full Version : 3 to 4 day hikes
Duramax22
12-30-2011, 13:25
Anybody know of any good 3 to 4 day hikes in tennessee north carolina or virginia at the moderate level? looking to do point to point and have available camping and water as 2 of the members will be less experienced. thanks
Lone Wolf
12-30-2011, 13:28
VA 603/Fox Creek southbound back to Damascus. it's 40 miles and goes thru some of the prettiest sections on the southern AT. plenty of camping and water. and fairly easy terrain
Duramax22
12-30-2011, 13:42
another guy told me that would be a great hike. do you know if mt rogers outfitters still provide rides to the start? you know any info about daily mileage goals etc? thanks
Lone Wolf
12-30-2011, 13:53
i provide shuttles
Duramax22
12-30-2011, 14:00
i was thinking of doing this
fox creek to wise shelter 7.6miles
wise shelter to white top mountain rd 11.8miles
white top mountain rd to saunders shelter 11.9miles
saunders shelter to damascus 9.4miles
Lone Wolf
12-30-2011, 14:03
i was thinking of doing this
fox creek to wise shelter 7.6miles
wise shelter to white top mountain rd 11.8miles
white top mountain rd to saunders shelter 11.9miles
saunders shelter to damascus 9.4milesthat's perfect. there's always the option of walking the Creeper trail the last 10 miles into town
Duramax22
12-30-2011, 14:07
yea i seen that were kinda new to this we have done smaller 1 or 2 day hikes like mt leconte in GSMNP and some things here in ohio. im not realyy familiar with the shuttles and setting them up and what not any info would be great
Duramax22
01-01-2012, 01:51
Do you have to go shelter to shelter of can you camp wherever whenever?
Shelters are typically located near good springs and water sources but there are flat tent spots along the trail here and there and there are no restrictions to tenting along the trail around Damascus -- fyi, you might consider staying at Thomas Knob Shelter -- it's really the best shelter near Damascus - much better than Wise Shelter - plenty of tenting around there too -- this is the Grayson Highlands area - high mountains but lots of open grassy balds (and some wild ponies) - Thomas Knob Shelter (near Mt. Rogers, which is highest mtn in VA) is a big shelter with a neat 2-story sleeping loft - water source is good spring about 200 feet behind the shelter - pretty views, the works. Since you are kind of new to this, I'd plan on spending some time with the guys at Mt. Rogers Outfitters in Damascus - pick their brain a bit - let them "shake down" your gear and so forth - might make for a cleaner trip -- and it's winter right now - I assume you are waiting a few months -- unless you want the "full" treatment.
Duramax22
01-01-2012, 11:40
Haha yea are waiting till late April May. The reason I asked is we got a 6hr drive to damascus and starting around 3 I doubt we could make it to wise but we can Def pass old orchard. I wasn't sure about camping I know in some places you gotta stay near or at shelters. Just kinda trying to plan our route. Do you know what mph most people average thru here? Thanks for the info.
Springer is probably five hours from me. Funny though because of the AT route most of north Carolina is also at most five-six hours drive from my house. I would like to start 3-4 day hikes there in the spring, after the big rush of thru hikers leave. Are there enough road crossings and shuttles available for this sort of thing? I would leave my car at my planned exit. I'm a little OCD, I wouldn't want to start in the middle of NC and half to go fill in other southern parts later.
Haha yea are waiting till late April May. The reason I asked is we got a 6hr drive to damascus and starting around 3 I doubt we could make it to wise but we can Def pass old orchard. I wasn't sure about camping I know in some places you gotta stay near or at shelters. Just kinda trying to plan our route. Do you know what mph most people average thru here? Thanks for the info.
mph - is miles per hour - do you mean mpd (miles per day)? On pretty easy sections of the trail newish, not so experienced backpackers should plan on about ONE mile per hour (maybe just a little faster). An experienced backpacker might be around TWO miles per hour. A thru-hiker or really conditioned hiker might go THREE miles per hour - that would be hauling aass