Standing Bear Farm

[jburgasser]

Does anyone have any experience with Curtis and Maria at Standing Bear Farm just past the northern boundry of the Smokies? Planning on mailing a food drop there and have read...mixed reviews of the personnel there. I guess I just want to hear from anyone who has mailed food there and if there package was there undisturbed when they got there.

Thanks! Ickybod

[Mags]

I stayed there the night before and the night after my BMT thru. Parked my truck there too.

Good guy and a good stay.

At least from my experience.

[Codger]

Stayed there on a 2011 hike. Curtis is a great guy, fun place to stay.

[jburgasser]

Thanks for the quick replies Mags and Codger!

Ickybod

[Praha4]

Curtis is a great guy, I loved Standing Bear Farm when I stopped there in May 2010. I recently talked with some 2013 nobo thru-hikers who stopped there back in March this year, overall they liked the place but they mentioned a rather colorful character who is working there this season, some talk of this dude being OCD or overly chatty. Geez that's the AT, lots of different personalities.

From my experience the "down to earth" hikers who stop there have no issues, they like the place. I have heard of a few divas who have complained that the place is not up to their standards, perhaps they should have reserved a room at the AT Marriott instead.

[Old Hiker]

2012 attempt: had a package going there - I beat the package. They told me: it's the mountains - add some time to your expected delivery. It arrived the same day I did. Resupply seemed adequate. Personnel were quirky, but cool. They let me wash some dishes and clean up the dining area in exchange for a shower and to wash and dry my clothes while waiting on my package. Great selection of books, neat shower area, clean looking bunk area, but I pressed on.

Did have 2 MH dinners taken from my pack - my fault for leaving it open and unattended while showering. Live and learn.

[Dogwood]

+1 Ditto. What they all said

[10-K]

Had a fine stay.... I actually tented in his front yard because I don't do well in bunkhouses where hikers have gear scattered all over the place - too disorganized for my ADHD self.

[VTATHiker]

Curtis seemed like a fine guy when I resupplied there in December. Rocket (trail name) was working for them as a caretaker of sorts, and he was fantastic.

[Six-Six]

Curtis and Rocket - met them both on my hike last year. A couple of nuts. Curtis is a gruff sort at first, but once you get a beer in him he loosens up and it's all good. Spent the night with no troubles. Shower had run out of propane so mine was cold. 30 minutes later Curtis shows up with a full propane tank. I took another shower.

[bigcranky]

I've stayed there, left a truck there, and had Curtis shuttle me a couple of times. Great guy. Quirky place and people. Good conversation.

[SouthMark]

I have stayed there myself on three different occasions. I have left my car there and had Curtis shuttle me. I mailed a package to my grandson there in 2010 with no problems. It is a great place as someone else said unless you are a diva. They will treat you well and take care of you. Curtis may come across at first as gruff but he really is a good guy.

[Lone Wolf]

Does anyone have any experience with Curtis and Maria at Standing Bear Farm just past the northern boundry of the Smokies? Planning on mailing a food drop there and have read...mixed reviews of the personnel there. I guess I just want to hear from anyone who has mailed food there and if there package was there undisturbed when they got there.

Thanks! Ickybod

worry about the other hikers stayin there. you've already made up your mind. don't stop there

[Chaco Taco]

Packages will be just fine. SBF is a great place run by good people

[Attila]

Mailed food package last fall. Package was undisturbed when we got there. Curtis held it for us and gave it to us first thing upon on our arrival.

[Montana Mac]

You know what – Standing Bear has been around a long time – if it was a bad place that didn’t treat hikers fairly it would be out of business.
I mailed a drop box there in 09 and no problems. Left a truck there in 07, again no problem.

[Montana Mac]

You know what – Standing Bear has been around a long time – if it was a bad place that didn’t treat hikers fairly it would be out of business.
I mailed a drop box there in 09 and no problems. Left a truck there in 07, again no problem.

[Lilred]

Loved Standing Bear. There was only one other hiker there when I stayed and we splurged on the cottage that straddled the creek. Curtis was very nice. This was a while ago though, early 2000s

[RED-DOG]

I have stayed their each time i have gone thru there and curtis is a cool guy.

[Jack Tarlin]

I can't imagine why you'd have any fears or worries about your mail being "disturbed." This is a fine place with fine people running it. Don't believe everything your hear from nameless voices on-line.