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View Full Version : New Backpacker looking for a 4 night section hike in virginia



metsrule64
02-16-2012, 17:16
I want to know if anyone has some awesome 4 night section hikes in west Virginia or Virginia. I have all the maps and the guide so it will be easy for me to find and map out my hike. I want to disperse hike along the trail, so shelters are not a must. Some good views and stuff would be awesome. Oh and before you say you should not start with a 4 night hike, we are going to be doing some one or 3 nighters in anticipation. Oh and also northern Virginia is our option. I prefer wooded trails. Harpers ferry looks cool but i do not think i would like being near the bay, i want to be farther south. I like on the border of DE and Maryland in pa so harpers ferry is about a 2 hour 30 minute drive, 5 hours is our limit, 4 is a good number though.

metsrule64
02-16-2012, 17:18
Oh also, i would prefer a hike where we can turn around after 2 nights and not have to get a shuttle

kofritz
02-16-2012, 17:55
between I-77/US 52 (north of Wythville) to I-81 (Marion), turn around where you want...there are loop hikes around Mt. Rogers too.

metsrule64
02-16-2012, 18:16
between I-77/US 52 (north of Wythville) to I-81 (Marion), turn around where you want...there are loop hikes around Mt. Rogers too.

I cannot seem to find these roads on my map. how far south are these?

Lone Wolf
02-16-2012, 18:24
I cannot seem to find these roads on my map. how far south are these?

near Wythville, Va. way south

metsrule64
02-16-2012, 18:26
that is way to far away form me. my limit is 5 hours in the car, anything over that would be too long. Does anyone know if anywhere on blue ridge is good?

Del Q
02-17-2012, 06:49
Going South from Daleville is pretty awesome, (can park at one of the hotels) great hike from there to Tinker Cliffs, then McAfee Knob.............try to grab a meal at the Homeplace, then the Dragon's Tooth...............home, many reliable shuttle drivers in that area. Home Wichser is one, super, super guy. Not expensive.

BabySue
02-17-2012, 14:10
Shenandoah may be right for you. Though it's a beautiful area, the trail is never far from a road. The road is Skyline Drive, which is the northern extension of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's easy to hitchhike in SNP, so you can go as far as you want and then hitch a ride back to your car. The northern terminus of SNP is Front Royal, VA, which is between 3.5 and 4 hours from your town.

BabySue
02-17-2012, 14:15
While I'm on the topic, Shenandoah is good for these reasons: The National Geographic/Trails Illustrated map of SNP give mileage markers for Skyline Drive, which "parallels" the AT and gives you an excellent guide for how far from point to point. Second, park rangers are a common sight in the park, which adds to the safety and would presumably make your parents happy. My former post mentions hitching, which can of course be a risky venture. I'd say that hitching on Skyline Drive is much safer than doing so elsewhere, and you might even get a ride from a ranger.

metsrule64
02-17-2012, 15:58
we are looking for a pretty remote place. If the at is parallel to this trail, should we go on that?

Majortrauma
02-17-2012, 16:28
George Washington and Jefferson Natl forest are far better than SNP in my opinion. SNP has a lot of great conveniences and it is well maintained but there are too many people trapsing through there, camp sites get filled, can't build fires except in designated areas if at all, Rangers chasing you out of camp sites at 1900 bc you don't have a permit and there are no other campers/hikers anywhere.
My backpacking experiences have always been far better outside of the SNP but for new hikers/campers, that may be the best way to do it.