Water Report Atkins, VA to Bland VA

[Rebel]

I will be doing the section from north to south Bland to Atkins in mid-October. What can you tell me about water between? Any other comments about this section.... shelters, etc. is welcomed.

[Rain Man]

I will be doing the section from north to south Bland to Atkins in mid-October. What can you tell me about water between? Any other comments about this section.... shelters, etc. is welcomed.

I hiked this section NOBO in August (my notes and thus my comments below are NOBO). At that time, we ran into plenty of water.

Very nice section. The first "shelter" out of Groseclose (lots of people say "Atkins" for some reason) used to be Davis Path Shelter. It is no longer, but they left the floor, so now it's a tent pad. As I recall, still have a picnic table and privy. It is now called "Davis Path Campsite" in newer guide books.

Knot Maul Branch Shelter is pretty standard. Has a spring near the shelter (don't know if running now) and just past the shelter about a quarter mile if memory serves, a small stream.

Chestnut Knob Shelter has grand views. It's in a field, not in the woods, and pretty much on top of a ridge. The roof was raised some time ago and has more windows now to let in light. It's a fairly big, enclosed (4 walls and a door) shelter. "New" privy next to old one collapsing into its own well. No water near the shelter, as I recall.

North of Chestnut Knob you'll get some nice views of Burkes Garden (aka "God's Thumbprint") periodically.

Jenkins Shelter is in a nice open woods setting, with a totally "open air" privy (no walls at all). Stream not far past shelter.

The AT no longer follows Little Wolf Creek north of Jenkins, but now follows the old "high water" by-pass trail, which comes out on VA 615 (gravel), which you have to hike about half a mile east to catch the AT again.

Very nice campsites (two areas, each with a picnic table) on NORTH side of VA 615 at Laurel Creek, where you get back on the "old" AT. Just on the south side of VA 615 there is a very nice new footbridge, but you don't get to use it, as you have to hike the road instead.

The end of the hike NOBO is about a half mile or more of gravel road to US 52 at Mountain Top Holiness Church.

BTW, to reverse course on you, there is the Barn Restaurant just south of I-81, where they serve up a mean "hiker's cheeseburger." Also, the Exxon station at that exit is very hiker friendly.

On more note out of sequence, there is a new hostel opening up on VA 42, which is about 12 miles north of Groseclose/I-81. Details in this WB thread--
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=49930

Check on hunting season and wear plenty of blaze orange. Many hunters are good people and sharp as a tack. However, not all are, so be safe.

RainMan

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