The last two relos I'm aware of involved the south side of Compton Peak (ND), and the north side of Beagle Gap (SD).
Some are just off the trail, others require a short side trail. Often the AT goes wide around the far side of the ridge to avoid the campground/wayside/developed area, and there is a spur trail to the wayside from the AT on each end. This way you can cut over to the wayside, grab a burger, and head back the other side (unless you are a purist about seeing each white blaze, in which case please ignore this).
The AT maps show the waysides pretty well, you can figure it out on the trail.
Big Meadows Wayside (separate from the lodge) had an awesome breakfast, as did Skyland. We spent the night in an historic cabin at Skyland, which was great, though I was less impressed by dinner in the lodge.
Elkwallow had great burgers and shakes. Loft Mountain had a nice breakfast, and the camp store had cold beer.
I did the same exact thing, Coffee. The trail descended and I lost it somewhere in the rocks. Took me about five minutes to find the trail again.
I know this is over a year old, but I'm looking at doing the section from thornton gap - penmar, or rockfish gap - front royal. can't make up my mind.
Important to note:
1) As Big Cranky wrote: Big Meadows Wayside and Big Meadows Lodge are two separate places, about a mile apart. The WAYSIDE actually is visible from Skyline Drive, and the best way for hikers to access it from the AT is to turn walk uphill at the crossing of the Lewis Springs Fire Rd., then turn north (left) for perhaps a quarter mile on Skyline Drive. Unless extremely foggy, you can't miss it. The AT wraps fairly closely around the LODGE, and there are two or three access trails from the AT to the Lodge.
2) In case anyone has an old map or guidebook, there hasn't been any kind of commercial facility at Panorama near Thornton Gap for over a decade. There is still a large parking lot, and at the far eastern end of that is a nice newish restroom facility.
3) The Wayside identified with Loft Mt. is actually about a mile downhill from the AT and the campground/campstore/amphitheatre. It's on Skyline Drive across from the access road to the campground.
Yes, and for me it was well worth the detour. I got there just as they opened for breakfast, and enjoyed eggs, pancakes, and bacon on the porch on a lovely early summer day. I was heading sobo, so I took the side trail down to the wayside, then took the trail from the wayside to the campground and camp store, where you can get back on the AT past the store.
Remote for detachment, narrow for chosen company, winding for leisure, lonely for contemplation, the Trail beckons not merely north and south, but upward to the body, mind, and soul of man.