Pinefield Hut

[kncats]

Stayed here night of 11/13/2004. Pinefield Hut is another of your basic Shenandoah National Park shelters. Not a bad location. Far enough away from Skyline Drive that traffic noise doesn't intrude. Two springs, both of which were running well, right next to hut. The guidebook states that one of them is frequently dry, but it has been a pretty rainy year. Path from shelter to outhouse crosses over stream. Makes for tricky midnight trips to answer the call of nature. Five "designated" campsites located on the side of a hill. Two bear poles, both close to shelter, not campsites. Next water supply travelling north is either from Loft Mt. campground (during season) or Ivy Creek, about 5 miles north.

[trailfinder]

Stayed there October 22nd. Good location and the two springs are still running well. This hut seemed smaller than the others! It rained and there were no leaks; everyone stayed dry! Agree with Kncats that the placing the privy such that you had to cross a stream was not the best idea - especially at night!

[Sly]

Excellent setting. One of my favorite Huts in the SNP.

[anneandbenhike]

We stayed there in the second week of October during Tropical Storm Tammy and it was a real trick to get across the creek to the privy...the 5" of rain that fell in those two days about made it dangerous to get over! Not very good for nighttime needs! It is a very dry shelter.

[jlb2012]

stopped by Pinefield Hut today - spring is flowing reasonably well at the moment - packed out some trash including 2 umbrellas, dead batteries, bandana, bunji cord, some regular cord, and an empty bottle of Heet

[jlb2012]

additional notes - register had several entries noting the bees in the privy and the wasps behind the notice boards at the hut - I saw the wasps but I was not inspired to check the privy - the wasp's buzzing was fairly noticeable in the hut but they did not bother me as I sat there reading the register

[cannonball]

I stayed there alone 1 night the third week of April this year(06). Hung my food on the pole in back and would'nt you know it a bear came down and nearly tore the pole out of the ground. He growled and snorted for about 10 minutes while I lay silently in a fetal position inside the hut holding a hiking pole and buckknife praying he did not come around the front.
he finally gave up and left after about 10 minutes.
I did see a beutiful moon rise over the ridge out side the front of the hut at 3:10 in the a.m.

[Furlough]

I stayed here overnight on 7/27/07. The fire pit has been re-done and looks great. The spring was at a trickle but flowing enough to fill my 2 one liter bottles in about 5 mins. The privy is clean and in good shape. There is a doe who seems to have made the site home. She has a circuitios path she wanders that brings her nearly up to the pinic table. She seems pretty curious about the 2 legged visitors to her domain.

Furlough

[Rain Man]

I stayed here overnight on 7/27/07.

Small world! I stopped off to sign the register and photograph the hut on Sunday morning, 7/22/07. I thought it was a nice quiet setting, with a small stream running by, as I recall.

RainMan

.

[mad4scrapping]

I'm planning to stay at this hut next weekend (Memorial Day, 2011). Has anyone been there recently and can say whether the springs are running well? Guidebook says they are both unreliable.
Also, it seems to be close to the road. Will it be crowded?
Thanks.

[Not-a-Moose]

I was just at the Pinefield Hut two days ago. The spring was still strong (as were all the springs in the park), but I was scared out of spending the night there. As I was reading the trail register in the hut, I looked up to the rafters and saw a huge spider (a bit smaller than the palm of my hand). Earlier in the register someone had written that more come out at night. Eeek! A few mosquitoes also came out, the first I'd seen since hiking south through the park.

[Blissful]

I would not stay at shelters in SNP. Ticks galore and a good hiking friend of mine just got Lyme from it back from a hike in April using the shelters.

[mad4scrapping]

I will be staying in my tent, as always.

[Blissful]

Good for you. Have fun. If you want to stop by, we will be at Smith Roach Gap parking lot for our annual hiker picnic 10 AM to 5 PM tomorrow 5/27 Right near Hightop hut

[Sailing_Faith]

Had a mouse who insisted on rolling a nut of some kind into my coffee cup (over and over again) but other then that it was a pretty quiet night.

[Joshism]

Stayed at Pinefield on Sunday May 13th. My group of 4 section hikers plus 1 SoBo section hiker, 3 NoBo thruhikers, and 2 Marines(?) that slept out back on the ground.

Spring was flowing good. The spring run goes right past the shelter so you can fill up from the pipe there.

Old privy across the creek from the shelter has been removed. The new privy is up the hillside. Seems like this is a very popular shelter as the privy's waste pit was quite full (or for some reason it's just not composting well).

There are 5 tent sites, but they are up the hill and all are somewhat rocky (had trouble driving tent stakes) and on an incline. You're not likely to be able to pitch a tent on the flat ground near the shelter due to roots and rocks (and proximity issues with the 2 bear poles). Definitely a site you want to stay in the shelter.

Shelter log indicated rat problems, but nobody in the shelter reported any issues. Shelter log also had a single entry from early May warning a copperhead snake was seen IN the shelter. Nobody saw any snakes when I was there.

Rained alot overnight, but those in the shelter stayed dry. (I made the mistake of sleeping in my tent to my deep regret, especially with subsequent tent/water issues.)

[PGH1NC]

Stopped there last week. Spiders spooked my group. We yellow blazed it to Lewis campground.

[shelb]

Stopped there last week. Spiders spooked my group. We yellow blazed it to Lewis campground.

Yes, Lewis was good! We hiked past it, but took advantage of the showers!