WhiteBlaze Pages 2024
A Complete Appalachian Trail Guidebook.
AVAILABLE NOW. $4 for interactive PDF(smartphone version)
Read more here WhiteBlaze Pages Store

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 1 2
Results 21 to 28 of 28
  1. #21

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by tdoczi View Post
    and i again put forth the notion that as equally prohibitive as the idea of only hiking the AT while visiting SNP is, so is the notion that one cant get in a car and drive to else where ion the park at some point as opposed to going through all sorts of contortions to string everything into 1 single unbroken hike.

    truly experiencing old rag, it seems we both agree, is best not done as part of a long backpacking hike. so why not do it not that way? seems an easy solution.

    is camping anywhere on or near the loop hike allowed? i had thought it wasnt. i jsut recall initially thinking id try and work it into my AT hike through the park and almost instantly abandoning the notion as a waste of time. so i hikjed through the park on the AT, spent a night in front royal, then drove to the old rag trailhead. easy enough solution.

    Tdozi, this is exactly what I was considering and alluding to, breaking up the 8 days into shorter period hikes or loops involving a car or Skyland Lodge or an established home campsite base as the beginning/ending pt for each Loop hike.

    When you pull out a S NP trial map like Nat Geo Trails Illustrated or look at the SNP trail map the Back Country Office uses IT IS EASILY recognized how even the most moderately paced hikers with a creep along smell all the roses along the way philosophy can easily design a route criss crossing S NP in two days from east west and vice versa while simultaneously changing your N/S locations utilizing some of SNP's more than 500 miles of trails. S NP is not a hugely wide NP like some are that may take a wk to cross!

  2. #22
    •Completed A.T. Section Hike GA to ME 1996 thru 2003 •Donating Member Skyline's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-08-2003
    Location
    Luray, Virginia
    Posts
    4,844
    Images
    3

    Default

    I wholeheartedly second the suggestions for the Jones Run/Doyle River loop; the Rose River loop with or without the Dark Hollow Falls Trail (you'll get to enjoy the bottom of the Falls anyway); Cedar Run/White Oak Canyon loop; and the Rapidan Camp excursion. For the latter (assuming NOBO) I'd leave the AT at the Laurel Prong Trail just after Bootens Gap, and take that down to the Cat Knob Trail intersection and continue to the former Camp Hoover area via Laurel Prong, then the Mill Prong Trail back up to the AT at Milam Gap. There are (very) primitive camping opportunities off-trail along the Laurel Prong as it descends beyond the intersection with the Cat Knob Trail; except in dry season a spring nearby runs across the trail so when you see that, start looking for a campsite.

    Easier to visualize with aid of the SNP maps published by PATC; you can purchase online with a guidebook at www.patc.net. The National Geo map is OK too, but the PATC maps provide better detail and are graphically easier to navigate.

    In fact, rather than being focused on completing the entire AT within SNP, you would probably better enjoy the diversity of a hike that included all of these diversions even if you had to end your hike significantly short of the northern SNP boundary. The AT in the Park's North District has some occasional nice views but IMHO missing those in favor of the loops is a good tradeoff. Also: Camping in hollows near the water features available within the loops described often provide better experiences than at shelter areas along the AT.

    Further thoughts, anyone?
    Last edited by Skyline; 11-04-2015 at 00:07.

  3. #23
    Registered User
    Join Date
    08-12-2009
    Location
    Spring Lake, MI
    Age
    58
    Posts
    1,470

    Default

    I took my 13 year old there and completed Rockfish Gap to Front Royal.

    Favorite treats included the following: burgers at Big Meadows, breakfast at Skyline, Shakes at Elkwallow. (and a shower at Lewis Mtn Campground store).

    Other than those "treats," we only ate on the trail, and we always slept on the trail. We saw 14 bears!

    SNP was awesome!!!

  4. #24

    Default

    Easier to visualize with aid of the SNP maps published by PATC; you can purchase online with a guidebook at www.patc.net. The National Geo map is OK too, but the PATC maps provide better detail and are graphically easier to navigate.


    In fact, rather than being focused on completing the entire AT within SNP, you would probably better enjoy the diversity of a hike that included all of these diversions even if you had to end your hike significantly short of the northern SNP boundary. The AT in the Park's North District has some occasional nice views but IMHO missing those in favor of the loops is a good tradeoff. Also: Camping in hollows near the water features available within the loops described often provide better experiences than at shelter areas along the AT.

    +1 All this. Again, don't get burdened down with limiting yourself to the AT. Too many people do that. The AT, not just in S NP either, definitely does NOT always take in the most interesting sites!.....intentionally designed that way!

    FWIW, even though I was in the midst of a NOBO thru-hike, in thru-hiking mental and physical condition, and doing it as a series of day hikes, I was able to take in all of what Coffee, Skyline and myself have depicted in S NP in two longish days of day hikes...in torrential downpours... as Skyland Lodge as my home base. Again, the hiking in S NP is not terribly strenuous overall.

  5. #25
    Registered User Marley15's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-18-2015
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Posts
    4

    Default

    Thank you all so much! I definitely think we will change our plan, and try to do many more of the side trails and less focus on completing the AT through SNB. If we are able to complete all of the experiences we are looking for and are still looking for more, we can always shift our attention back to completing it. I will definitely purchase the PATC map and guidebook, so we can get a better idea of the routes many of you have suggested. Thank you again, I really appreciate all of the feedback! This really helps us to be able to prepare and make the most of our time while visiting SNP.

  6. #26
    •Completed A.T. Section Hike GA to ME 1996 thru 2003 •Donating Member Skyline's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-08-2003
    Location
    Luray, Virginia
    Posts
    4,844
    Images
    3

    Default

    Marley15,

    Be sure to post here after the hike and let us know how it went. Or, start a free online journal at www.Trailjournals.com to provide more detail day-by-day, and post a link to it here.

    BTW, the PATC maps are better than Nat Geo, in part, because there are separate maps for the South, Central, and North Districts. This allows for better detail, plus the map committee uses better design techniques (IMHO). The guidebook sold with these maps (you could buy individual maps but buying the entire three-map set might make more sense in your case) covers the entire AT, plus all of the side trails, within the Park. There are detailed descriptions of what you'll encounter plus spreadsheet-like mileage grids for the AT and also Skyline Drive. Also other good info about the Park in general from its inception to the present.

    The one thing not included in the guidebook is a listing and description of primitive campsites. This is intentional, so as to not cause specific backcountry sites to become overused. If you get your (free, required) backcountry camping permit at Byrd Visitors Center or elsewhere in the Park, you may be able to prevail upon a Ranger or information specialist to point you in the general direction of decent campsites in particular areas. Part of the fun of backpacking is scoping out good, usable sites yourself but having a general idea of where to do said scoping can be helpful.
    Last edited by Skyline; 11-05-2015 at 00:57.

  7. #27
    Registered User
    Join Date
    02-04-2013
    Location
    Washington, DC
    Posts
    4,316

    Default

    While SNP does not publicize a list of backcountry campsites (and should not), they do publish a number of very good trip plans that either allude to or directly mention backcountry sites. However, these trip plans do not seem to be widely used. I have found them to be a good resource for identifying possible campsites: http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisi...trip_plans.htm

    I agree that the PATC maps are very good. I have had a National Geographic SNP map for years and it has been fine, and so I never bothered to purchase the PATC SNP maps, but I have seen them and they are very good. I do have PATC maps extending from the north border of SNP into Pennsylvania and I found them very detailed and useful. The three PATC SNP maps will weigh more than the one Nat Geo map but probably not by much, and each individual map would be lighter, an advantage if a hike only takes you to one of the districts.

  8. #28
    •Completed A.T. Section Hike GA to ME 1996 thru 2003 •Donating Member Skyline's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-08-2003
    Location
    Luray, Virginia
    Posts
    4,844
    Images
    3

    Default

    Coffee,

    That is an excellent online resource for backcountry trips in SNP. Thanks for sharing!

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 1 2
++ New Posts ++

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •