Best time to hike SNP?

[Donde]

April or Sept/Oct are the best. IF you have the extra time hit some of the blue blazes see the waterfalls, maybe do Old Rag. Truth is the AT is like the crappiest hiking in SNP, you can just drive skyline, and then go hike all the cool trails (some good ones across page valley in GWNF too), and you will not have missed a thing.

[Cookerhiker]

Late April is perfect. Wildflowers are in bloom alongside the trail . Some early thru's but the main bubble is 4 weeks away.

My thoughts precisely - flowers are out but trees are not, so you get more views and sunshine.

[Coffee]

April or Sept/Oct are the best. IF you have the extra time hit some of the blue blazes see the waterfalls, maybe do Old Rag. Truth is the AT is like the crappiest hiking in SNP, you can just drive skyline, and then go hike all the cool trails (some good ones across page valley in GWNF too), and you will not have missed a thing.

I hiked the AT through the park last April and then drove Skyline Drive about a month later. The difference in experience is like night and day. You will not experience the park the same way at all. I agree that the SNP side trails are the highlights of the park but the AT is very nice as well as long as you're hiking when there aren't 1,000 loud motorcycles per hour passing on nearby Skyline drive!

[saltysack]

I hiked the AT through the park last April and then drove Skyline Drive about a month later. The difference in experience is like night and day. You will not experience the park the same way at all. I agree that the SNP side trails are the highlights of the park but the AT is very nice as well as long as you're hiking when there aren't 1,000 loud motorcycles per hour passing on nearby Skyline drive!

What is a avg amount of days it takes to hike the entire AT through the the park? I usually hike 15-17 mpd on southern AT....isn't SNP mostly ridge walking?


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[Coffee]

What is a avg amount of days it takes to hike the entire AT through the the park? I usually hike 15-17 mpd on southern AT....isn't SNP mostly ridge walking?

I thought it was fairly easy hiking overall and it took me about 5 days to cover the length of the park. I started out around mid-day at Rockfish Gap and made it to camp along Sawlog Ridge for night #1 (about 12.4 miles). Day two took me to Pinefield Hut - 20.8 miles. I hiked 20.8 miles on Day three and ended up at Bearfence Mountain Hut. Day 4 was great - 22.4 miles to Byrd's Nest #3 with a late breakfast at Big Meadows and a mid afternoon meal at Skyland. Day 5 was 20 miles to North Marshall Mountain (although apparently camping on Mt. Marshall has since been closed). Day 6 took me out of the park and to the Manassas Gap shelter - 21.6 miles. I finished the section in Boiling Springs PA.

[saltysack]

I thought it was fairly easy hiking overall and it took me about 5 days to cover the length of the park. I started out around mid-day at Rockfish Gap and made it to camp along Sawlog Ridge for night #1 (about 12.4 miles). Day two took me to Pinefield Hut - 20.8 miles. I hiked 20.8 miles on Day three and ended up at Bearfence Mountain Hut. Day 4 was great - 22.4 miles to Byrd's Nest #3 with a late breakfast at Big Meadows and a mid afternoon meal at Skyland. Day 5 was 20 miles to North Marshall Mountain (although apparently camping on Mt. Marshall has since been closed). Day 6 took me out of the park and to the Manassas Gap shelter - 21.6 miles. I finished the section in Boiling Springs PA.

Thx for the info....shuttle reccs? Nobo or sobo?


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[Coffee]

I had a ride to Rockfish Gap so no shuttle rec. I liked NOBO but I'm not sure it makes a huge difference.

[illabelle]

Thx for the info....shuttle reccs? Nobo or sobo?


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Bill Gallagher, 540-456-8078, shuttled us on the south end of the park. Don't know how far north he goes. He was reliable and reasonably priced.

[saltysack]

Thx


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