Water situation right now between Groseclose and Pearisburg?

I'm planning to backpack this section this week. There's a lot of ridge walking with spotty water, so current condition info would be helpful.

Reliable: (1) source 1.8 miles south of Chestnut Knob Shelter; (2) Walker Gap; (3) Hunting Camp Creek; (4) Laurel Creek; (5) Jenny Knob Shelter; (6) Dismal Creek; (7) Wapiti Shelter; (8) spring near Angel's Rest.
Unreliable: (1) Davis Farm campsite; (2) Helvey's Mill Shelter (reliable but a haul to get to?); (3) Doc's Knob Shelter.

Is that info accurate? Are there other reliable sources?

This part of Virginia currently isn't in drought, but it is July.

Also, are the meadow/pasture walks coming north from I-81 pretty overgrown (due to Covid-lack of maintenance)?

Thank you for input.

If you don't already have it, get the Guthook app for this section. That is your best bet for up to date info. People comment on the state of the water sources as they go along. it will also show you exactly were the water is.

Okay, I just checked my copy for current comments. The few reliable sources I checked look okay. Not a lot of reporting for obvious reasons.

Just did Groseclose to Bland last week. Walker Gap was sketchy, might be close to dry now without rain storms.

Reliables # 1, 3, and 4 are solid

Thanks, gents.

Slo-go-en, I don't have a smartphone. Never had. I'm trying my best to get through life without one. But that nixes Guthooks in favor of good ol' trail scuttlebutt.

Pastor Bryan, were the meadows and pastures north of I-81 overgrown? I've seen posts by Valley Forge on TrailJournals.com indicating they are, but current info/insight welcome.

Yup. Some stretches were waist high. Staying on trail wasn't too bad except in one of the cow pastures. Just keep an eye out for the sign posts and trust your instincts and you should be fine.

I didn't pull any ticks off, but I would still highly recommend wearing long pants.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dan Roper

Pastor Bryan, were the meadows and pastures north of I-81 overgrown? I've seen posts by Valley Forge on TrailJournals.com indicating they are, but current info/insight welcome.

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Dan,

How was your hike? Water supply and trail conditions OK?

I'm planning Atkins to Pearisburg starting August 8.

Thanks.

I only hiked one day, from I-81 to Va. 42, about 13 miles, but spoke with southbound hikers who gave detailed info about the stretch further north.

On the stretch I did, Reed Creek (near Walker Mountain) was flowing modestly, as of course was the North Fork of the Holston River. They should be fine.

Key information was that Lynn Camp Creek a mile north of Knot Maul Shelter was flowing well. Ditto the spring-fed pond near Chestnut Mountain Shelter. Water was obtainable at Walker Gap, a few miles north of CM Shelter, but may be iffy if its been dry since my trip (July 14). There's a dry stretch of some miles heading north from Walker Gap, though the shelters reportedly had the usual water sources and Hunting Camp Creek is flowing. Thereafter there are reliable creeks (like Dismal) so that water didn't seem to be as much of an issue. The key stretch seems to be that between Chestnut Mountain Shelter and Jenkins Shelter, about 11 miles. If you have trouble finding water at Walker Gap, that 11-mile stretch would be tough.

The pastures north of I-81 had been recently mowed or cut back. The pasture north of Walker Mountain, heading downhill, was nearly overgrown and, unless cut since then, might be tough. Lots of briars.

There's a lengthy pasture-climb between Walker Mountain and the North Fork of the Holston that is pretty brutal on a hot summer afternoon. So if you reach that vicinity under the sun on a hot afternoon, watch out. It might be a half-mile or mile and is doggone tough.

I'm planning to return to compete the trip sometime in August, though I'm trying to tailor it to catch somewhat cooler weather (by cooler, I mean low 80s instead of low 90s). If it turns out I'll be on the trail about when you will be, I'll send you a note.

At Trents grocery now going NOBO. VA has been dry (except for the rain!), fields overgrown, but water sources have not been completely empty just low flow. The ‘gusher’ spring that shoots out of what mountain is it? is not the torrent I’ve seen before, for example. Carry water on ridges or keep moving!

Thanks for the update, treroach.

By "gusher spring," do you mean the piped spring on Whitecap Mountain, near the Grayson Highlands?

Thanks for the info Dan and treroach.