Shuttler for Shenandoah Nat'l Park.

[MtDoraDave]

I just checked the Shuttle page here, and didn't see a shuttler close to Shenandoah nat'l park.

My plan is to park on the north side and shuttle back to the south side to walk back north.

Does Homer go that far north? I've used him on past hiking trips, but that was more to the south.

I figured I'd check here to see if anyone knows a reliable shuttler that services that area before just calling Homer and asking him...

TIA

[Gambit McCrae]

Hey Dave!

Gary Serra(spelling) shuttled me from James river to Rockfish gap. I would say he could help you out: 757-681-2254

If he cant you may try Mark "strings" 304-433-0028 - Mark Shuttled me from Halfway through SNP up to HF

I would say with enough notice Homer could accommodate.

[LittleRock]

When I hiked that section in 2018 I parked my car at Mountain Home Cabin near Front Royal and the owner, Scott, shuttled me to Rockfish Gap. The 8 miles to Calf Mtn Shelter made for a nice short first day with the late start.

[Coffee]

If you don't have any luck with a shuttle, check out Megabus. You can go from Front Royal to Staunton in a couple of hours.

From Staunton, there is a bus that'll get you to Waynesboro which is a couple miles from Rockfish Gap, or I'm sure you could use an Uber from Staunton.

I haven't used this option myself but was planning to before I had to cancel my SNP AT fall trip.

[perrymk]

I used Nina and she's excellent. She's based out of Front Royal. Her number is in the WB shuttle list.

[MtDoraDave]

I used Nina and she's excellent. She's based out of Front Royal. Her number is in the WB shuttle list.

I looked and didn't see her number.
I called one number, and either that person moved on or I copied it down wrong ( for some reason the updated list doesn't populate on my cell phone, so I took notes from my laptop to call later, at a decent hour), because it went to some tech company or school.
...
So I called Homer and asked him. He said he could do it, but it would be expensive; and he gave me Sharon's number.
I got in touch with Sharon this afternoon, and have not secured my shuttle. *Oops, I meant to say I HAVE secured my shuttle*

[A/T Spike]

Try Stanimal's in Waynesboro Virginia, he has shuttled me from Glasgow to Front Royal. 540-290-4002

[Mike Goodman]

There's a Trailheads and Shuttles forum, where shuttle drivers may be more likely to see such a post.

[Gambit McCrae]

I looked and didn't see her number.
I called one number, and either that person moved on or I copied it down wrong ( for some reason the updated list doesn't populate on my cell phone, so I took notes from my laptop to call later, at a decent hour), because it went to some tech company or school.
...
So I called Homer and asked him. He said he could do it, but it would be expensive; and he gave me Sharon's number.
I got in touch with Sharon this afternoon, and have not secured my shuttle.

...but thanks for trying guys. seriously.

Dave I also hitched on both of my SNP hikes with no issue.....Very easy hitching area, If you have some extra hours on your trip, I would put some chips on you getting a ride the whole way

[Coffee]

Dave I also hitched on both of my SNP hikes with no issue.....Very easy hitching area, If you have some extra hours on your trip, I would put some chips on you getting a ride the whole way

I'm curious -- have you hitched on skyline drive itself and been able to get a long distance? It seems to me that most drivers along skyline drive are stopping at overlooks and various places, not going right thru. At least that's always what has stopped me from considering hitching on my trips in the park.

[RiverbirchHiker]

You already have a lot of suggestions here, so are probably good and have a shuttle lined up.
But, if not, please take another look at the shuttle list. I think you're just not seeing the opportunities there. Because, there are at least a couple dozen folks who shuttle in that immediate area. I've used Sharon's Shuttles, and had great success. Lovely retired woman who does the shuttling. But, there are plenty of other options.

Here's a screenshot of one section of the list. Everyone listed there covers Shenandoah (the far right blue part is that section of trail).



shuttle list screenshot.jpg

[SteelCut]

Here's a screenshot of one section of the list. Everyone listed there covers Shenandoah (the far right blue part is that section of trail).

Where is that screenshot from ?

[Gambit McCrae]

I'm curious -- have you hitched on skyline drive itself and been able to get a long distance? It seems to me that most drivers along skyline drive are stopping at overlooks and various places, not going right thru. At least that's always what has stopped me from considering hitching on my trips in the park.

I hitched from Bootens Gap to Swift Run - Guy was moving in his honda civic, I had to hold his printer in my lap while he drove me, but he was going all the way thru the park.

I hitched from Rockfish Gap to Bootens Gap - Lady was wrapping up trail magic and didnt mind to drive us.

[chknfngrs]

What about a shuttle for 5 hikers?

[MtDoraDave]

Awe man... I just re-read my last post. I HAVE secured my shuttle. I don't know if my phone did the auto fill thing or what, but I didn't mean to write that I have not secured a shuttle.
For some reason, I didn't even see the two first suggestions. I'd love to blame my phone and the poor internet I had...
Again, thanks for all your help and suggestions.

Lol, I was wondering why I kept getting suggestions when I already had a ride.

Looks like the first night will be cold, but the rest of the week will be great weather.

[RiverbirchHiker]

Where is that screenshot from ?

Sure, here's a link:
https://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/art...1-shuttles.pdf

There's a list of Shuttle Providers on the main page of White Blaze.
I know many of us go right to the 'Forum' and then typically to the 'General' pages.

However, there are some fantastic resources on the main page (another screenshot attached).
I'm a section hiker so the Parking and Shuttle info. is what I regularly use. But, there's ReSupply and Hostel/Lodging info., etc... That info. is pulled from the WhiteBlaze Pages AT Guidebook--which is for sale on that same page.



wb main page screenshot.jpg

[RiverbirchHiker]

Awe man... I just re-read my last post. I HAVE secured my shuttle. I don't know if my phone did the auto fill thing or what, but I didn't mean to write that I have not secured a shuttle.
For some reason, I didn't even see the two first suggestions. I'd love to blame my phone and the poor internet I had...
Again, thanks for all your help and suggestions.

Lol, I was wondering why I kept getting suggestions when I already had a ride.

Looks like the first night will be cold, but the rest of the week will be great weather.

Please let us know how everything goes with your hike! Trip reports are always fun to read, especially when we learn the details before you head off on the trail. Wishing you a fun hike! I've done about 3/4 of Shenandoah in smaller chunks (short section hikes).

[MtDoraDave]

Should I do a trip report here, or a new thread... Perhaps in the Shenandoah section?

[MtDoraDave]

Shenandoah National Park through hike, November 7 - 13, 2021
.
Unable to foresee getting off work early on Friday, I scheduled my Shuttle for Sunday morning, leaving me all of Saturday to drive up from central FL to northern VA, which I did uneventfully. Sharon's Shuttles was prompt, friendly and helpful, picking me up at the 4H center north of the Park's boundary (mile 970.0) and dropping me off where I finished last year at the Humpback Rock visitor's center; mile 858.0. I got started at 11:00 am (Sharon isn't a racy driver ) After walking the 1.3 miles to get to the trail, I made my way to the Calf Mountain Shelter, dropping my SNP registration in the slot along the way. Adding the .3 miles it is off the trail, that brings the daily hiking total to something like 15.5 miles on my first day - a really long first day for me. I barely got there before sunset; this was the first day after the clocks turned back. Lots of day hikers out, being a Sunday. There were two section hiking guys in the shelter already, then two sobo thru hikers showed up a little later. A cool night, expected to be 36, which it may have hit, but I was quite warm in my 10 degree EE Enigma quilt on my X-lite pad.
.
Knowing I had all day Monday to go just 13 miles to the Blackrock Hut, I got up after sunrise and took my time getting ready to leave camp, finally hitting the trail a little after 8:00 am. I was the first to arrive at Black Rock Hut, spent a couple hours reading a paperback and relaxing. A whitetail buck almost as large as an elk strolled by, just across the stream, unaware of me. It was awesome. Again, later in the evening, I got some company in the shelter. This time a sobo thru hiker named Casper. She's a late starter who likes night hiking. Chatty. I love hearing thru hiker stories.
.
The next morning I decided to head out early. I had another short day of 13.2 miles planned, but since it was warm (70 for a high), I decided to do a bit of laundry when I got to camp. I bring a 2 gallon ziploc bag and a couple ounces of liquid soap, which makes doing laundry far from water sources easy. A bit later a local woman and her visiting brother joined me at the shelter, later still, a couple more women arrived. Good company, lots of chatting. I love the social aspect of the trail - and I usually don't get much of it on my November hikes.
'
The trail, to this point was fortunately mild enough that I wasn't having too hard a time of it. It didn't prove too difficult on my 4th day either, which I planned to do a 20.6 mile trek to Bearfence Mountain Hut. I think it was this hut that had a large rat or squirrel living in the upper sleeping platform. it didn't skitter, it thumped. Luckily, it stayed upstairs and left us alone. I don't remember who was in the shelter that night... but earplugs and benadryl helped me sleep through the noisy critter.
'
Thursday: I woke up at 5:30 and hit the trail at 6:20 because I had 22 miles planned. My longest day of the trip. I did not enjoy this day. For one thing, around 12 miles in the middle of this hike (around the lodge), the rocks were painfully annoying. I feel like this may have been a preview of what Pennsylvania will be like. I regretted my decision to give trail runners a try and longed for my old Keens. Then I get to the detour section. Shrug, no problem. After turning into the resort road/driveway, I stopped seeing blazes. wth? Where'd the trail go? So I turned around, walked back down the road (down hill) took a photo of the detour route, then walked back UP the hill and retraced where I had already been, to see that the blazes were on down the driveway a bit. This frustration of adding to my already long day put me in a sour mood. The rocks that continued for a while longer yet made it worse. I think I actually swore out loud at the rocks at one point. I eventually arrived at the Byrds Nest #3 hut, where I had to go ANOTHER .3 miles down a steep hill to get water. lol. There was at least a nice guy and his daughter there doing an overnight backpacking trip, who had a good fire going inside the hut, and later a couple more guys showed up determined to tent even though rain was coming that night.
'
The next day, it was still raining when I woke, so I waited until 8;00 to get going. I only had to go 17.5 miles, so it worked out fine.
'
My last night, I stayed at the Gravel Springs Hut. Several other people were there, but they all tented. I had the shelter to myself. This worked out well, because by this time, I decided I was going to get up at 2;00 am, hit the trail at 3:00, knock out the last 11 miles to my truck and hit the road early (7;30 am) so I could get back to Florida at a decent time Saturday night. Luckily it wasn't foggy, so I was able to follow through with this plan. I do not ever want to night hike in the fog again. that's terrifying. As it were, I saw several deer eyes, I scared a ground nesting bird of some type which proceeded to fly into a tree (doh!), startled an owl that let out a terrifying blood curdling skreetch prior to its hoo hoo noises. ... but aside from that, my night hiking (early morning) was pretty uneventful. I did have to use guthook twice to find the trail after intersections that weren't well marked had me going off in the wrong direction.
'

It's Sunday night and my feet are still swollen, but I have that calm fulfilled feeling I always have after a section hike. I'm already looking forward to next year, saying goodbye to Virginia, getting to Harpers Ferry and beyond...
'

I may edit later, but it's bed time.
'

* edit * most of the waysides and campgrounds along the way that make the SNP fun and easy for thru hikers during the summer are closed starting November 1st. One example: the Pinnacles picnic area 1.1 miles south of the Byrds Nest hut was locked up and the water spigot was turned off. After the first couple of disappointments, I expected this, and carried water an extra 6 miles from the previous spring.
'

Another surprise: many of the huts are very close to Skyline drive and/or service roads. In my experience, this usually meant it would be a party spot for the local young ones, but apparently since Skyline Dr is a pay access road, this was not the case at all. The huts were actually much cleaner than most shelters I've encountered anywhere south of the SNP, and the only "partying" I encountered was a thru hiker who had a pint of whiskey he was quietly sipping on one evening.
'
Also, perhaps because of the nature of the pay-to-use road, I was pleasantly surprised that 99% of the cars or trucks driving by the trail didn't have loud exhaust or loud knobby tires.

[Gambit McCrae]

Great report! Brings back memories for myself so thanks for that

The rocks....I dont recall any rocks in SNP that compared to PA...however once I finished NH/ southern ME I didnt recall any rocks in PA that compared to NH/ ME LOL All perspective.