Bland, VA--Big Walker Motel

[Berry Belle]

Big Walker is a mom and pop motel with clean, quiet rooms for under $60. The full bathtub was spotless and ready for a soak in plentiful hot water. Across the street there's a convenience store with a Dairy Queen. Subway and Dollar General are about 1/4 mile away. We used the picnic tables, deck and gazebo for cooking, relaxing and drying our tarp.

Best of all, the people there are helpful, friendly and knowledgeable about hikers and their needs. When cold, wet weather made us miserable, they made us comfortable. We were easily able to arrange shuttles and convert our trip to a slackpack. I'd recommend this place to anyone needing a day off the trail in this area.

[RED-DOG]

Yeah its a alright place if you don't mind Road walking the 3 Miles to get to it.

[Praha4]

thanks for the tip, I'm hiking thru there next week, will keep it in mind.

[Berry Belle]

Call them from the trail, they'll shuttle you for a very reasonable price.

[Rain Man]

Best of all, the people there are helpful, friendly and knowledgeable about hikers and their needs.

That is so good to hear. It was NOT my experience when contacting them for help during two section hikes I led in the area. Asked them for permission to park a car at their place and even offered to pay. They wouldn't hear of it. Needless to say, they didn't get any business from us at all. That has been a couple of years ago, so I'm glad to hear the place has new owners or the owners have gotten a new attitude.

Rain Man

.

[Jeff]

This year Trubrit was picking up hikers and bringing them into Bastian.

[flemdawg1]

Stayed here the Sunday before Trail Days this year. The desk clerk was surly to the point of rudeness. But there were lots of hikers there, rainy day/night. And they let me park free for 5 days there since I paid for a night. Basic room, old decor, old TV, no microwave, no fridge. No luandry on sight. The husband of one of the maids (Bubba) was giving shuttle rides for a pretty reasonable rate to the trail and to other points between Damascus and Roanoke. OK for $50, wasn't much choice in the area unless driving to Wytheville.

[FarmerChef]

I just stayed there the night before Thanksgiving. The desk clerk was very nice and helpful, even pointing us to the laundry lines outside for hikers to dry their laundry on. Our room was clean and comfortable and we had pizza delivered from the pizza plus. The roadwalk was long and with 5 of us it was preferable to paying for a shuttle. Folks should know that the grocery store indicated in the guide is no longer in business. The gas station in town proper (not the one across the street from the Motel) has limited groceries for resupply. Wytheville is about 15 minutes away if you can grab a ride or shuttle into town.

[turtle fast]

You gotta remember that you can resupply at the Dollar General if needed with the standard Mac and Cheese, Knorr sides, etc.

[Sugarfoot]

I first stayed at the Big Walker Motel in 1997. The restaurant was open then, and it was very hiker friendly. I stayed there again in 2011 and everything had changed. They had a special hiker rate that was higher than their regular rate. The desk clerk was apologetic but said that there wasn't anything she could do about it. Because I didn't have a car (I yogi'd a ride from the trailhead), I had to pay the higher rate. On the other hand, the folks at the Dairy Queen were gems. As soon as I walked in, they intentionally screwed up a cone order at the drive-through and offered me the "mistake." Both for dinner and breakfast, they made me double portions for the regular price. I would return for the Dairy Queen, but not for the Big Walker.

[WILLIAM HAYES]

When i stayed there it was clean and Bubba and his wife who works there went out of their way to be helpful it is a ways off the trail and the trip to town is a good walk