Bryant Ridge Shelter

[Groucho]

Info, questions, comments, experiences regarding - Bryant Ridge Shelter

Past/Present hikers - what can future hikers expect here? Have any good stories or memories from here?

Future hikers - any questions?

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There is a bronze plaque dedicating this shelter; the dedication is from sister to her brother who died in 1991. It may take some searching to find the plaque.

Scroll down on gallery picture to read dedication.

[Kerosene]

This is a great shelter in a great location with a unique design. I wish I had stayed here. Fantastic dual-level design with tons of built-in wooden pegs to hang things, covered picnic table, wrap-around seating, plywood flooring, skylight, etc. Water available from creek just out front. Privy to left of shelter about 100 feet. Lovely wooded valley. Great place to tarry, although not a whole lot of direct sunlight.

[anneandbenhike]

My husband and I and his cousin stayed in this shelter last week for one night, the night that Hurricane Frances began dumping its rain. It is beautiful, spacious, and THE place to be in nasty weather. Lots of room to walk around without being on the sleeping platforms, which are separate. (one is reached by a ladder) There were no mice!! There is a picnic table under cover, and lots of "counter" space for cooking on the front and sides of the porch. Plus, there are numerous hooks and pegs for all manner of wet gear. Water is only a stone's throw away from the shelter. The only bad thing to say about the place is that the roof of the privy leaks like a sieve, and right on your head as you do your thing! Be sure to put this one on your list to overnight, in, or at least stop for lunch. It is right on the trail, so you can't miss it. Enjoy.

[BlackCloud]

This shelter catapulted itself into my top 5 all time list. Although it has no view to speak of, & is situated in a rather deep valley w/ minimal November sunlight, its design is absolutely ingenius. If one in ten shelters looked anything like this, I'd thruhike over & over again.

It's huge, comfortable, spacious, clean, incredibly designed, & impeccably built. The materials are second to none. Rain? Who cares. You aint gettin wet here. And not only does it have skylights, it has window lights (not open windows).

Oh, & read about the local history in the AT guidebook. From J. Robert Oppenheimer to train crashes to the hanging of a couple of runaway slaves, history happened in this section of the AT......

[Lone Wolf]

Another example of a ridiculously huge shelter that has no place on the AT.

[MOWGLI]

Rain? Who cares. You aint gettin wet here.

Well then, they fixed the roof since 2000. It leaked like a seive back then. BTW, I stayed down by Jennings Creek, but met Stormcrow & Fapoo at the shelter. They said the roof leaked in 5-6 places.

Another example of a ridiculously huge shelter that has no place on the AT.

I second that emotion.

[The Solemates]

Definitely on the top 5 list for nicest shelters along the trail. We actually opted to hike out to the campground that night since friends were coming to join us that weekend on our thru, but would have loved to stay at this great shelter.

[Skyline]

Quite a bit of work went into this shelter, so out of respect for the volunteers, no criticism. Except: There doesn't seem to be any decent tentsites in the immediate area. Some of us will choose a tent over even the Taj Mahal shelters, though all the other amenities of a shelter (place to cook/eat, privy, water source, comaraderie) will draw us to one.

[MOWGLI]

Quite a bit of work went into this shelter, so out of respect for the volunteers, no criticism.

I would agree that the Natural Bridge AT Club does one of the finest jobs along the entire length of the trail. In 2000, the segment that they maintain was in outstanding shape from end to end. FWIW, my comments are in no way intended to denigrate the contibution of volunteers.

I think that the movement towards building luxurious shelters along the AT is misguided. While some might like the Partnership Shelter (VA), the Ed Garvey Shelter (MD), the Bryant Ridge Shelter (VA), and the William Penn Shelter (PA), personally, I am more in favor of a simple lean-to with some scattered tent pads.

My favorite shelter design is the Nantahala style which can be found at Woods Hole (GA) and Standing Indian (NC). I also like the old style shelters in Maine. I'll take a covered picnic table over a loft anyday. YMMV

[BlackCloud]

It's interesting how polarizing this shelter is; I had no idea.

I think it's fair to say that you either love it, or hate, no in-between area.

[Thor]

This year, at least, the shelter was completely infested with fleas. Everyone who stayed there came out covered in bites. I recommend staying on the trail for another quarter mile or so. You'll find some excellent campsites there. I wish I had known about them. I would have spared myself the itching.

[Big Daddy D]

I was fortunate enough to have the entire place to myself on 17 Apr 05, an except from my TJ:


The overall day was a good hiking day. I'm solo at the "Taj Mahal"
Bryant Shelter, it's 58 degrees at 10 PM, and the creek sounds wonderful
as it flows along just down a ten-foot hill from the shelter. This hike is dedicated to Boy Scout Troop 770 from Winston-Salem NC!!
They left three food bags at the shelter that contained: PB&J, honey, cocoa, salami, cheese, mustard, two pans of rolls, rice, brown gravy, juice mix, hard candy, oatmeal, soup mix, and toiletries!!

It was a great evening there for me.
BDD

[Jack Tarlin]

I agree 100% with Thor; Bryant Ridge is a showplace but most of the times I've been there it was lousy with little gnat-like bugs, and I mean zillions of them. He is also correct about the fine campsites just North of the shelter.

[Turtle2]

This is a great shelter. Unfortunately, the storm that came thru the night I stayed blew a fine mist into the shelter. Even up against the farthest wall it was still wet. Finally put my ground cloth over me and my bag to get to sleep.

[cflippe]

It is interesting to read the different oppinions of the Bryant Ridge Shelter. I have not been their since just after it was built, but very fimiliar with the area. The land that the shelter is on was my great-grandmothers home place, so i grew up hiking around those hills and trails.

The old house used to sit over the ridge from the shelter and (after her passing) was used as a ranger outpost untill unfortunatlly it was burnt to the ground (arson).

Well this is not what i expected for my first post but oh well just had to when i came across this.


P.S. If you can find where the old house was, there is a Natural spring house about 100yrds down from the house that is as clear and clean as you'll ever find.

[Footslogger]

Great place to sit out a day long downpour ...then again, that could apply to a lot of shelters.

I remember that afternoon in 2003 like it was yesterday. Biggest game of Poker (cheating agreed to in advance) I have ever witnessed. There was Tipperary, Happy Feet, BadAss Turtle ...just to name a few - - cheating their a$$es off and loving every minute of it.

'Slogger

[Montego]

Welcome to WhiteBlaze cflippe

[rafe]

Beautiful, huge shelter. Had it to myself this summer.

[Frau]

Hey Cflippe,

We live not far from there. Do you remember a Sam Williams who was the game manager (Dept of Game and Inland Fisheries) who lived on Middle Creek right there at your old home place or very near it?

Frau

[cflippe]

Frau, No sorry don't recall the name, but that doesn't mean much i do good to remimber mine. LOL But really it has been a long time since i was there on a regular basis and i was just a kid when we would go stay in the summer.