Pen-Mar to Harpers Ferry

[Spiffy]

Greetings.
I'll be hiking Pen-Mar to Harpers Ferry next week and would welcome any current info / data regarding water (specifically lack of) and any problems/challenges (shelters, adverse trail conditions, etc) a hiker w/ minimal experience may find in MD.
Thanks!

[johnnybgood]

PM Blissful. She's been ridgerunning that section this summer.

[Bearleg]

I did that section first of June, great trail, great time, took me about 3 1/2 days. Parked at the National Park, $10 fee. Got a shuttle to Pen Par.

[Bearleg]

Details of Hike,

Plenty of choices for Shelters, spread out for any type of hike, long or short mile days.
Water was no problem, well marked on Map.

If this is your first time, make sure you pick up a map of the section, trail guide, and or data book.

The trail starts our very rocky and ends flat.

PM me if you need for info.

[BabySue]

There's a spigot & public restrooms at Washington Monument.
There are two vending machines at Gathland State Park.
Old South Mountain Inn at hwy 40 is a linen napkin place.
Vesta Pizzeria in Boonesboro delivers to the Old South Mt. inn parking lot, but not necessarily before five PM: 301-432-6166.
Nice stream at Raven Rock Road/hwy 491 & a couple miles later Warner Hollow Road.
Tree House Campground near Crampton Gap & Gathland SP is not conviently accessible. They have a small store, but it requires a road walk. Not too far but a narrow, winding, kinda busy road.
Enjoy!

[jbsbestfan]

I did this same hike starting on May 31 with some scouts. We took it slow for them, but my notes are as follows: no water issues, although water for the Raven Rock shelter was about 1/2 mile off trail and down hill, water at the ed gervey was twice as far off trail and further down hill, point is work was plentiful but required some walking. We ordered pizza from somewhere to be delivered to the picnic shelter at Gathland Park, the old south mountain inn was notopenned until later on the day we went by but it looks like the place a hiker would need to get food to go. Shelters were easily spaced out, and someone told me after the fact that you can order pizza to the pine knob shelter also....we did not verify this. Enjoy.....the first half of your hike will be very rocky.

[jbsbestfan]

Forgot to mention that drink machines at gathland took money but would not dispence drinks

[BabySue]

The machines worked for us on June 21. But based on the above post you probably shouldn't count on them. Note that they take bills, not coins.

[Spiffy]

"Thank You" to everyone for the replies.
With the current "Hot & Dry" weather, I am a bit concerned about dry / weak springs especially @ Crampton Gap. The guide lists that spring as intermittent. I guess I could just go a bit further to get water @ Gathland S.P.
-- Sure hope the drink machine is working - Bills are lighter than coins!
Thanks again.

[jimtabor]

hiked it in april water was easy to fine at state parks 2 day was all it took was, at the last shelter by 1:00pm, Ed Garvey . springs were weak then. have a great hike.

[10-K]

The coke machines never work... They didn't work in 2009 and 2010 either.

[johnnybgood]

The coke machines never work... They didn't work in 2009 and 2010 either.

Is the drink machine at Pen-Mar working these days ? It wasn't working spring 2011.

[BabySue]

The Pepsi machine at Pen-Mar was fine on June 21. I neglected to mention earlier tat Gathland has public restrooms, so if the drink machines fil you, at least there's a faucet there.