Standing Bear Farm

[FarmerChef]

Stayed here this past week and left a resupply box awaiting our return. Curtis provided us with a shuttle to the top end of our hike and watched our car while we were gone. All was ok. He did right by us and we enjoyed our stay. Would stay there again in the future.

[HikerMom58]

Stayed here this past week and left a resupply box awaiting our return. Curtis provided us with a shuttle to the top end of our hike and watched our car while we were gone. All was ok. He did right by us and we enjoyed our stay. Would stay there again in the future.

Good to know!!

[swamp dawg]

Curtis and Maria have created a very special place to crash and restock on your AT adventure. It is real quaint hostel with a rustic look and atmosphere. Curtis will go out of his way to assist you if you have a problem or need. It not the Ritz but do not miss this special place on your hike.

[Toon]

Is rocket still there?

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[Praha4]

Rocket was still there about a month ago when I stayed at SBF. Curtis and his folks were all good people, got a shuttle and left my car there 5 days.

[kofritz]

standing bear is referenced in 'becoming odessa' book. no negative, only positive comments were made. she did note "quirky personnel" story...

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Buddy Backpacker just finished up his stay there.....only wonderful things to say (from the folks of course....Buddy loves everyone and everything)

[FarmerChef]

Buddy Backpacker just finished up his stay there.....only wonderful things to say (from the folks of course....Buddy loves everyone and everything)

Saw BB's mom there as we were fixing to pull out. Gave Rocket some cookies we didn't need from our resupply box.

[Dakota Joe]

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

Listen to the Wolf! Curtis says " I root out the dumb @** " like he us providing a great service in psychological evaluation. I didnt mind standing bear, but I wouldnt go back.


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[RockDoc]

When I was there they were selling off stuff from packages that had not been picked up. Down vests for $20…
I don't know why they didn't think of mailing them back to the owner… Oh, yes that would cost money.

FWIW I did not have a good impression of Standing Bear. I did not like them or trust them, and I saw a lot of drinking and drug use going on, encouraged by the management.

[RED-DOG]

When I was there they were selling off stuff from packages that had not been picked up. Down vests for $20…
I don't know why they didn't think of mailing them back to the owner… Oh, yes that would cost money.

FWIW I did not have a good impression of Standing Bear. I did not like them or trust them, and I saw a lot of drinking and drug use going on, encouraged by the management.

Every Hostel i know has the same rules about abandoned packages they either put them in the hiker Boxes or sell the stuff, they all give the package owner atleast 30 days to pick it up.
Live and Let Live.

[Coffee]

It would be useful to have a way of knowing which hostels are "dry" and which are party locations. Some hostels in the guidebook are listed as no alcohol but in many cases the book is silent on the topic. I would personally favor dry hostels and would be willing to pay more to avoid the party scene. I'm sure I would have had the opposite attitude in my 20s so having that info would help either way.

[Berry Belle]

In my experience, if the book is silent, the hostel is not dry. I've found church related hostels the most likely--notice, I said "likely"-- to be alcohol and drug free. As a non-Christian, my other concern has been the possibility of getting preached at. I've been pleasantly surprised at the lack of proselytizing at the church hostels where I've stayed.

[curtisvowen]

When I was there they were selling off stuff from packages that had not been picked up. Down vests for $20…
I don't know why they didn't think of mailing them back to the owner… Oh, yes that would cost money.

FWIW I did not have a good impression of Standing Bear. I did not like them or trust them, and I saw a lot of drinking and drug use going on, encouraged by the management.

Maria here, owner of Standing Bear Farm. Let's get some things straight: I hold packages for three months, after that I put the contents in the free hiker box, 99.9% is food. We used to spend hours tracking the owners of these packages; almost always the owners would have us open them & put the contents in the hiker box anyway. Most hikers that have an expensive gear item in a box call about it & yes, we do send it back to them- always. You must be referring to my resupply which I sell all my gear for $5.00 (Not $20) including brands such as Columbia and Patagonia. I am an avid resale shopper and I hand pick each and every item I sell; I do this as a service for my hikers. Sorry if that upsets you and/or causes you to jump to erroneous conclusions.
Yes, we do have a beer license and sometimes hikers do drink beer. I'm a single mom and am trying to raise my children while doing the best job I can at the running of my hostel. While my prices are affordable, I still need to make a living. Sorry if that upsets you.
Finally, I do not like you or trust you either. You have already lied about me and my business and I don't even know you, but you seem kinda miserable. Maybe you need to get out in nature again, but please don't come here.

[TroutknuT]

Best of stays so far. On my way to section hike the GSMNP I ran over a pallet an hour out of Standing Bear. After getting a great shuttled by Curtis's son and hiking back to Sanding Bear I had two flat tiers. Curtis said he noticed the flats the first morning of my hike. Next thing I know he has a floor jack out helped pull the tiers and pluged both tiers. Curtis refused any kind of payment, but did ask me to get my car with five plugs in the tiers off his property. He whent way out of his way to get me on his way. I think he needed my car off his property so he could put his electic air pump away. This was a good man that will be missed.

[Gambit McCrae]

Man I miss Curtis, I used to stay here while section hiking and Curtis would sit on the porch and we would just laugh and laugh, taking turns tellin lies. Maria keep on keepin on your doin a great job, I know its hard without Curtis there.

[Lyle]

Maria, I stayed at SBF a number of years ago, when Curtis was still with us. Excellent stay, with good service from your staff. My hiking partner and I chose to stay in the cabin for a little more "quiet" than the bunk house would afford, but there was very little disturbance anywhere that evening. Curtis did come down and "party" a little, but NOTHING that was offensive or over the top, a few beers and great conversation. Prices were very reasonable.

Prior to that stay, on a different trip, I had sent a food re-supply to you for my anticipated hike. During the hike, I found I had to cut it short, so would not need the re-supply. I contacted you to let you know that I would not be picking up the package, and instructed you to open and do what you thought best with the contents - sell, hiker box, trash. I had no problem with SBF selling what they could to help them support their endeavor.

Thank you Maria for continuing the great services you offer.

[SouthMark]

There are just some people that will always bitch. As a friend of mine likes to say "you could not make them happy if you hung them with a new rope".


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[Rain Man]

Maria here, owner of Standing Bear Farm. Let's get some things straight: ....

All well said, Maria! I've stayed at SBF at least three times over the last decade, once with my wife on our 30th anniversary. Curtis and Maria were/have been/are always great to deal with, offered superb personalized service upon request, had good re-supply, great shuttle service, and are located where no other service-providers are nearby. I never did stay in the bunkhouse, so in the interest of full disclosure can't speak to that.

Maria, thanks for keeping your chin up!

Rain Man

.

[John B]

Stayed on two separate occasions -- once with a hike ending at SB, the other starting from there and going NB. Used shuttle service each time, left a car there once. Everything was fair, upfront, and just fine. Two complaints -- they had a giant Rotweiller, and when I went to the privy late at night, I saw that thing walking toward me, thought it was a bear, and damned nearly sharted my pants (in point of fact, it was a nice dog). Second time, a guy in the bunk house snored like a chainsaw -- so I wished Curtis would have left an axe and a shovel so I could have killed the dude and buried the body.

I've only done a little over 1/3 of the AT, but SB's one of my favorite places to stay.