SNP Question - Where to Start For Five Days to Front Royal

[dovecote]

Any recommendations on where to start a five day northbound hike ending in Front Royal? Our neighbors brother is in town from France and would like to leisurely hike the trail. Any sights a must see for him?

In regards to permits, I have a spare permit from a previous trip. Can he fill out this new permit with his pertinent itinerary, carry it with him, and skip the reservation process at a Visitor Center?

[Cookerhiker]

If you start at Big Meadows in the middle of the Park, you have less than 50 miles north to Rt. 522 outside of Front Royal. Is that leisurely enough? The first day you have the opportunity to hike up a side trail to Hawksbill, the highest point in the Park. Should be a terrific hike in the Fall!

[johnnybgood]

In regards to your second question , is your neighbor planning on dropping him off or will he be driving to a parking area and leaving his car for 5 days ?

If its the first scenerio- I would say no . As long as he carries his Backcountry Permit with him.

Second scenerio - I would fill out the pertinent information beforehand and visit the Bryd Visitor Center at Big Meadows to inform them where he plans on leaving his car for 5 days.

My suggestion would be there at the visitors center.

[chknfngrs]

IIRC, you have to file a carbon copy of the permit with the park. Otherwise your permit is not a permit. Am I off?

[johnnybgood]

Yes , I believe you are correct .

My oversight . Don't want him to start out on the wrong foot.

[Blissful]

You just go to the entrance station when you come into the park and fill out a permit (not at a Visitor Center). If you start at Big Meadows and go north, you would likely enter at Swift Run Gap, Rt 33. You have to go through an entrance station to access the trail to go NOBO so the process is quite simple. And legal.

[bigcranky]

We did Swift Run Gap to Front Royal in five days, and didn't feel rushed at all. That's 65 miles, or 13 per day average.

[dovecote]

You just go to the entrance station when you come into the park and fill out a permit (not at a Visitor Center). If you start at Big Meadows and go north, you would likely enter at Swift Run Gap, Rt 33. You have to go through an entrance station to access the trail to go NOBO so the process is quite simple. And legal.

The plan is to enter the park at Swift Run Gap. Thanks for the suggestion on dropping the permit off there. The driver will go back home after the hiker is dropped off at the trailhead

We did Swift Run Gap to Front Royal in five days, and didn't feel rushed at all. That's 65 miles, or 13 per day average.

Sounds good. There are some side trips involved that will up the daily average but the hiker is well fit for the additional miles.

Here is another question. Part of the planned itinerary is to stay at some of the developed campgrounds. Do they have bear storage containers at these locations?

Thanks to all that have participated to this thread.

[Cookerhiker]

....Here is another question. Part of the planned itinerary is to stay at some of the developed campgrounds. Do they have bear storage containers at these locations?

Thanks to all that have participated to this thread.

The shelters have metal "trees" to hang your food bags which are lifted up using long poles with prongs at the end. But the "developed" campgrounds like Big Meadows? I don't believe they have anything because they cater to car campers who store their food in their cars. Big Meadows has a designated tenting area for backpacker so perhaps there's some lockers there.

Hopefully I'm wrong and someone can correct me. You may want to contact the Park.

[Toolshed]

Big Meadows did have the metal food storage lockers a few years ago inthe car camping section of the campgrounds.

[johnnybgood]

Big Meadows & Loft Mountain have metal food storage lockers available in the walk-in camp sites.