View Full Version : Need recommendations for hiking 3 days in virginia on the a.t.
RockyRacoon
10-08-2013, 00:40
Howdy, excited to hit the trail next week in Virginia, but we don't know what section to do in just 3 days.
What section of the Virginia A.T. would you try to do if you only had three days?
Kindly asking for any tips, please.
We will be leaving from D.C. (without a car), so we need to know what is accessible by bus/train (details appreciated).:D
I don't foresee us hiking more than a 12 or 13 mile section of the trail per day.
Happy Trails!
hikernutcasey
10-08-2013, 14:03
Howdy, excited to hit the trail next week in Virginia, but we don't know what section to do in just 3 days.
What section of the Virginia A.T. would you try to do if you only had three days?
Kindly asking for any tips, please.
We will be leaving from D.C. (without a car), so we need to know what is accessible by bus/train (details appreciated).:D
I don't foresee us hiking more than a 12 or 13 mile section of the trail per day.
Happy Trails!
I'm not sure how to help you make this work without a car but a great 3 day/2 night trip in VA is from Craigs Creek north to Daleville. This section would include Dragon's Tooth, McAfee Knob and Tinker Cliffs.
Or you could take the train to Harpers Ferry and do something from there.
Lots of possibilities in VA. Just not sure how to do it without a car. :confused:
not even sure how you would get from DC to anywhere on the AT in VA without spending hours on the Greyhound. And even then you would have to get a taxi or shuttle to and from the trail head.
One possible option is to take Amtrak or the MARC train to Harpers Ferry and hike southbound to Front Royal. There is an Enterprise Rental car location in Front Royal so it might be possible to do a one way rental back to DC. But that could be expensive. There is lots of traffic on I66 eastbound to the Vienna metrorail station but I'm not sure how much luck one would have hitching a ride.
Another idea that could work well in normal times is to take the train to Harpers Ferry and hike back to DC on the C&O Canal. However, the C&O canal towpath is closed due to the government shutdown. And the C&O is not the most exciting hiking either.
It can be quite cheap to rent a car for a few days at Reagan National airport so maybe doing that is a better option. I know it would provide much more flexibility.
Tennessee Viking
10-08-2013, 16:18
Amtrak is going to really restrict you. You will need to Greyhound and shuttle some of it.
Cookerhiker
10-08-2013, 16:28
Because of your transportation limitations, I think your best bet is take AMTRAK or MARC to Harpers Ferry and arrange for a shuttle either to PenMar on the MD/PA border or Ashby Gap (Rt. 50) in VA and hike back to Harpers Ferry. You can find a shuttler and other transportation info. from the ATC shuttle list (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/docs/default-document-library/at-shuttles-parking-vandalism-9-29-13.pdf).
Studlintsean
10-08-2013, 16:52
Agree with cookerhiker. Be sure to check the train schedules for weekday/weekend schedules.