Harpers Ferry Hostel

:confused: Anyone stayed here? Comments?

Thanks!

A few months ago our Boy Scout troop did a bike/hike down the C&O Canal from Antietam to Harpers Ferry and we stayed at the hostel. Being fairly new to hiking, etc, this was the first time I'd ever stayed at ANY hostel. Being scouts, we of course camped out on the lawn but we had access to the building and used the well-equipped kitchen. Everything looked pretty good to me: laundry, beds, common room with a library and a computer... I'd give it two thumbs up, but then again I have no other hostel experience to compare it against.

good enough place to stay..........

If you fill your Nalgene from the hose beware...the water tastes like hiker feet

Are you talking about the AYH (American Youth Hostel) just outside the city off the tow path ?? If so, I stayed there in 2003 on my thru and was treated well. The caretakers shuttled hikers back and forth into the town area and also had a great picnic on the 4th of July while we were there.

'Slogger

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Originally Posted by Footslogger

Are you talking about the AYH (American Youth Hostel) just outside the city off the tow path ?? If so, I stayed there in 2003 on my thru and was treated well. The caretakers shuttled hikers back and forth into the town area and also had a great picnic on the 4th of July while we were there.

'Slogger

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if you stayed there before the fourth of july then the caretakers were ray and loretta johnson, i don't think this one shuttles hikers...............

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Originally Posted by The Only Wanderer

if you stayed there before the fourth of july then the caretakers were ray and loretta johnson, i don't think this one shuttles hikers...............

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YUP ...it was Ray and Loretta.

'Slogger

Harpers Ferry Hostel Web Site

The facility itself was everything a hiker needs. However, there was no thru hiker discount (every dollar saved means more piggin out somewhere else!) and even though there was a bicycle on the porch, I couldn't use it to ride into town (Harpers Ferry, the hostel is actually in Maryland). There was a good restaurant within walking distance. Don't recall the name.

I stayed there Friday evening and even though there was a large group staying there it was a good nights rest. There is a discount for thru hikers and ATC members ($17). The hostel is a good 2 miles from Harpers and the trail going from the canal sucks. What I didn't like is there are no restaurants in the area that deliver so if you are going NOBO make sure you eat in HF if you need food. And I will also concur that the water sucks. I would have been better off pumping it thru my filter from the toilet. There is a restaurant about .25 miles away but after a 22 mile day that was no sounding very good. Fortunately I was able to yogi some spaghetti from the group staying there!!!

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Originally Posted by fredmugs

I stayed there Friday evening and even though there was a large group staying there it was a good nights rest. There is a discount for thru hikers and ATC members ($17). The hostel is a good 2 miles from Harpers and the trail going from the canal sucks. What I didn't like is there are no restaurants in the area that deliver so if you are going NOBO make sure you eat in HF if you need food. And I will also concur that the water sucks. I would have been better off pumping it thru my filter from the toilet. There is a restaurant about .25 miles away but after a 22 mile day that was no sounding very good. Fortunately I was able to yogi some spaghetti from the group staying there!!!

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you pretty much suck.:)

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Originally Posted by fredmugs

I stayed there Friday evening and even though there was a large group staying there it was a good nights rest. There is a discount for thru hikers and ATC members ($17). The hostel is a good 2 miles from Harpers and the trail going from the canal sucks. What I didn't like is there are no restaurants in the area that deliver so if you are going NOBO make sure you eat in HF if you need food. And I will also concur that the water sucks. I would have been better off pumping it thru my filter from the toilet. There is a restaurant about .25 miles away but after a 22 mile day that was no sounding very good. Fortunately I was able to yogi some spaghetti from the group staying there!!!

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this sounds like u had a hard day and want to tell us about it!

A "restaurant about .25 miles away" sounds pretty good to me... I guess I have to be a thru-hiker to understand where u r coming from, oops I am a thru-hiker... Btw, I believe i got some finger lickin' good chicken at this restaurant & I think they serve breakfast.

so all in all I believe u r saying that the HF Hostel is a good stop...

Enjoy the AT north of HF, there r many places to eat but not all of them r on the trail....