Which Way ?

[johnnybgood]

I'm doing a hike in early May of the Shennies for nine days and would like to get opinions on NoBo vs SoBo thru.

I think going NoBo starting @ Rockfish doing 15 miles / day maybe with a zero at Big Meadows would have me finishing around Linden... kinda anti-climatic ending after a week hiking SNP.
The plus side to this argument is the hiker hostel in Front Royal sure would be a nice place to take a shower and get all spiffy for my wife when she comes to pick me up.

On the flip side a SoBo hike starting at Tom Floyd Wayside and finishing up around Reeds Gap on the Parkway seems like the proper end to a 9 day trek.

Whata you think ?

[10-K]

I'm starting in Harper's Ferry the 2nd week of May and hiking SOBO to Rockfish Gap.

Don't know if that's the best terrain-wise but I'll be 150 miles closer to home at the end of my hike than if I hiked NOBO.

[Lemni Skate]

I don't see a lot of difference one way or the other. I did it last May and went south bound(Tom Floyd to Dripping Rock Wayside). I liked ending on the Blue Ridge Parkway at the picnic area as the last day gets you some great views from Humpback Rock and cliffs overlooking Wintergreen Resort.

[warraghiyagey]

I don't see a lot of difference one way or the other. I did it last May and went south bound(Tom Floyd to Dripping Rock Wayside). I liked ending on the Blue Ridge Parkway at the picnic area as the last day gets you some great views from Humpback Rock and cliffs overlooking Wintergreen Resort.

Nice signature. . .

[Nicksaari]

yeah southbound would be more exciting. after eight days in the shennies with all the tourists and rangers and rules, leaving SNP would be the first on my list.
keep your camera on your hipbelt, because YOU WILL see some bears! im ecstatic for your trip johnnyBgood...

as for the shower at the hiker hostel to clean up for the wife, theres always the afton inn!

[Sweetpea-NC]

Hello!

I have a quick couple of questions to piggy back on the original post.

So traveling either way, NOBO or SOBO, makes no difference? Terrain is pretty much the same? No harder/easier way? Just curious, am just gathering info at this point. On elevation maps, it looks as if NOBO may have the advantage twords the end of the hike into Front Royal.

Thanks in advance!

[Ridge Rat]

If you really need an advantage to do SNP you should probably just hike Skyline Dr. SNP is by far one of the easier hikes of the AT.

[Alligator]

Figure out your daily mileage, starting time, and where you plan to stay and that might make the decision for you. There are some restrictions as to where you can camp so you might run into a bottleneck. My buddy and I did the park in three sections and found that the direction was impacted by the above factors. Might not be as tough an issue in a straight shot, as we had several half days, late night starts.

[10-K]

So traveling either way, NOBO or SOBO, makes no difference? Terrain is pretty much the same? No harder/easier way? Just curious, am just gathering info at this point. On elevation maps, it looks as if NOBO may have the advantage twords the end of the hike into Front Royal.

I hiked SNP last month SOBO and am pretty sure it would be easier to hike NOBO if you define "easier" as meaning fewer and less challenging ups.

Keep in mind that SOBO wasn't particularly difficult either but at the same time I never once has the feeling that this was the easiest 100 miles of the AT that I'd ever hiked.

[Sweetpea-NC]

HA! no I don't need an advantage. I've hiked sections of the AT in GA, NC, and TN. I'm looking to expand into VA and was gathering info on the SNP, b/c I don't know much about it. It would be a straight 7-day thru hike of the park. Also looking into the Mt. Rogers section area.

If it's relatively flat the entire way, both directions, that's pretty much all I need to know.

and thanks for the advice on the bottlenecking issue Alligator.

[Sweetpea-NC]

Thanks for answering my question 10-K.

[coyote13]

I am going to flip flop snp in early may 2011.starting Nobo and flipping at end of park .Plan on hitting a lot of side trails and taking a month to enjoy it.