Loft Mountain Campground SNP

[Rmcpeak]

I'm planning on hiking approx 20 miles into Loft Mountain Campground on day 1 of an upcoming section hike on a Saturday in mid-Oct. Can somebody who's done it before tell me if I need a reservation, how/who I pay, and what the best campsite is for AT hikers hiking in late in the day (maybe after dark)? I'm going to have my significant other with me and a dog so I want this to go very smoothly. BTW: are dogs allowed at Loft Mountain Campground?

Help!

Thanks.

[Furlough]

Try going to the link below. It is for reservations, probably going to need reservations in Oct. The AT winds its way around the backside of the campground. In Oct. you will be able to see up into the campground. It can be pretty crowded in Oct, particularly on the weekends with all the leaf peepers. Last I checked dogs are allowed in the campgrounds as long as they are on a lead/leash.

This link will take you to a pdf of the campground, shows AT on the perimeter.

https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvis...p_combined.pdf

1st come-1st served & reservation sites. Reservations available 5/6 - 10/29 through: www.recreation.gov Groups only; Reservations through www.recreation.gov

[Slo-go'en]

Dogs are required to be on leash AT ALL TIMES when in the park. Pease don't let your dog run free to protect both your dog, the wildlife and other hikers.

From the campground map, there looks to be quite a few tent only sites, but making a reservation would be prudent. If you just walk in, you'll have to go to the campground store to register and pay.

20 miles in October on day 1 with a dog and significant other? Good luck with that plan!

[tdoczi]

20 miles in October on day 1 with a dog and significant other? Good luck with that plan!

dont let the resident doomsayer dissuade you, if youre used to walking 20 a day and know you can do that mileage SNP is an easy place to do it.

[jimmyjam]

There are a few camping spots nearby that are outside of the campground. The AT makes a semicircle around the east side of the campground. About halfway around on your right there a few spots. It is a dry camp but you could walk into the campground to get water. Hang your food and keep your dog leashed at all times. The Loft Mtn area is full of bears. Loft Mtn will fill up on the weekends by Friday afternoon.

[johnnybgood]

Try going to the link below. It is for reservations, probably going to need reservations in Oct. The AT winds its way around the backside of the campground. In Oct. you will be able to see up into the campground. It can be pretty crowded in Oct, particularly on the weekends with all the leaf peepers. Last I checked dogs are allowed in the campgrounds as long as they are on a lead/leash.

This link will take you to a pdf of the campground, shows AT on the perimeter.

https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvis...p_combined.pdf

1st come-1st served & reservation sites. Reservations available 5/6 - 10/29 through: www.recreation.gov Groups only; Reservations through www.recreation.gov

Use the link above to reserve a walk-in site on "A" loop. These camp sites border the outer perimeter of the campground within feet of the AT. These sites are very popular for tent campers that want that feel of not being mixed amongst the RV crowd so reserve soon.

While dogs are allowed at Loft they must be on a leash. If you can't reserve a site for a walk-in then I would try "F" loop where no RV's are allowed...hence no loud generator noise.

[Rmcpeak]

Thanks for the info everyone. Very helpful. I'm used to a little skepticism about my mileage but after you've been on the trail for 500 or 600 miles, you start to know what you can and can not do. I know what 20, 30, even 35 miles with an 10lb pack feels like over the kind of elevation were looking at between Rockfish and Swiftrun. I think we'll be ok.

[Rmcpeak]

Alright, it looks like there are a bunch of tent-only walk-up only sites near the AT that aren't reservable. I guess we'll just hope for the best. Thinkgs like this usually seem to work out.

[Scaper]

Slo go en post says it all. Keep your dog on a leash . A small dog off leash was killed by bear near the visitors center in August. Scaper

[thestin]

That is usually the peak weekend for visitation (leaf peepers) in the fall. Very little chance that any tent sites will be available late in the day on Saturday.

[Rmcpeak]

Even the "walk-in" ones? I assume that means you literally have to walk-in -- no cars...??

[BillyGr]

Even the "walk-in" ones? I assume that means you literally have to walk-in -- no cars...??

Seems that some places use that term just to mean that you can't drive to the actual camping area, but not that you can't use those sites if you come by car. You would just have to park in a main lot somewhere then carry your stuff to the site. Also possibly to indicate that since vehicles can't access the sites, campers would have to use tents rather than a camping vehicle.

Not sure if that is what SNP means by it, though.

[thestin]

Most walk-in sites in SNP are just a few steps away from the parking lot. It's been my experience that all sites, including walk-in sites, fill up during peak times. You may get lucky, especially if the weather isn't good, but have a backup plan just in case the campground is full.

[Rmcpeak]

Yeah, the backup plan will be to stealth camp (per SNP guidelines)... or hike 6 more miles to next shelter and pitch there.

[Slo-go'en]

Yeah, the backup plan will be to stealth camp (per SNP guidelines)... or hike 6 more miles to next shelter and pitch there.

Easier said then done in the dark. Be that as it may, will this be over Columbus day weekend? If so, that could be trouble. For Sat the 8th the reserve web site shows all but one drive-in site are reserved. But there are a 125 first-come-first-served sites which can't be reserved on line. Of those 44 are tent only sites. Since the rest of the campground is booked, I'd guess those FCFS sites won't last long into the day.

If your going after the holiday or mid week, you'd have a better shot.

[Rmcpeak]

The next weekend, Saturday night, 10/15 to be precise.

[thestin]

That is usually the peak weekend for visitation. Last year the line to get into the park snaked all the way through Front Royal and onto Interstate 66...a distance of about 10 miles.

[Rmcpeak]

Yeah, well it's when we can go and it's my next section -- connecting big stretches of already hiked trail. We'll just have to deal with it I guess.

[johnnybgood]

Yeah, the backup plan will be to stealth camp (per SNP guidelines)... or hike 6 more miles to next shelter and pitch there.

I assume you're referring to Pinefield Hut going north. There are plenty of tent sites behind this shelter and six more atop the hill in front of it. The Skyline Drive is 450 yards from this hut and is a 5 minute walk on flat terrain...tops. If you're meeting someone coming down the SD this is a true walk-in campsite. The gravel pull off is at the Pinefield Gap sign .

While there may be hoards of leaf peepers during this time many will either be day visitors or they will fill up the lodges at Big Meadows & Skyland. Loft Mountain is a large campground that typically has sites available even if the sign out front says full. Your option is make a reservation for any site to ensure having one or hike past to the next shelter.

[Rmcpeak]

I assume you're referring to Pinefield Hut going north. There are plenty of tent sites behind this shelter and six more atop the hill in front of it. The Skyline Drive is 450 yards from this hut and is a 5 minute walk on flat terrain...tops. If you're meeting someone coming down the SD this is a true walk-in campsite. The gravel pull off is at the Pinefield Gap sign .

While there may be hoards of leaf peepers during this time many will either be day visitors or they will fill up the lodges at Big Meadows & Skyland. Loft Mountain is a large campground that typically has sites available even if the sign out front says full. Your option is make a reservation for any site to ensure having one or hike past to the next shelter.

That's good to hear. All of the reservable sites appear to be booked already. I can't imagine 45 walk-in-only first-come-first serve sites filling up, but you never know. Hopefully it'll rain a little! We can probably throw down on a site already taken by another long distance backpacker if we have too. I'm not against politely asking to share It'll be late; it's not like we're going to be roasting weenies or anything. Pitch and sleep. That's it.