WV campsite help

[stevebo]

I am looking for a place to camp between the David Lesser Shelter in VA and the Ed Garvey Shelter in MD.

I'll be taking a small group from VA -> PA and don't want to hike 18.5 miles the 3rd day out, even if some of it is C&O towpath.

The PATC says "possible campsite" just north of the power lines, but other than that, it appears as if there's nothing.

I don't mind blue blazing to a campsite as far as a mile, especially if there's reliable water.
Suggestions?

Thanks,
Steve

[Lauriep]

Steve,

There are no water sources you would want to use on the A.T. between David Lesser Shelter and Ed Garvey Shelter.

Other times of year an option would be the Huckleberry Hill Campsite, two miles upstream from Harpers Ferry along the C&O Towpath (in the opposite direction of the A.T.) But the pump at that campsite is probably turned off for the winter.

Your only options:

1) Dry camp between the powerline north of Keys Gap and the southern boundary of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. There are a couple of established campsites in this stretch.

2) Stay in the town of Harpers Ferry. The KOA (2 miles from the A.T.) is expensive for a campground, but with a group could be manageable. There are also two hostels in Harpers Ferry. The Teahorse Hostel (new in April) is very hiker-oriented; the Towns Inn also has a hostel that is nice if you want to be downtown in a historic building.

Unfortunately, there is no camping in Harpers Ferry proper; part of the town is owned by Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, which does not allow camping, and the rest falls under the ordinances of the town of Harpers Ferry, which are very strict (no tents are to be erected even on private property).

Harpers Ferry-Bolivar now has a Trail and Town Alliance, which will be working to address the lack of camping opportunities in town (but there is no easy fix--if there were, it would have happened a long time ago).

If you have further questions, call ATC at (304) 535-6331.

Laurie Potteiger
ATC

[stevebo]

1) Dry camp between the powerline north of Keys Gap and the southern boundary of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. There are a couple of established campsites in this stretch.

Thanks Laurie, this is exactly what I'd like to do. I'm happy to dry camp and just carry extra water if there are spots that are pretty obvious and big enough for more than 1 or 2 tents.

Thanks very much for the info!
Steve

[Doc Mike]

I forget the road crossing just prior to power lines but there are gas stations there both ways I think that you can tank up and then go a couple more miles and camp.