Parking near Atkins Va

[Toolumpy]

Has anyone parked at The Barn Restaurant? Any suggestions for a shuttle to gat me to Dicky Gap? Wont be till early in May but looking in advance.

[Slo-go'en]

The Barn has good sized parking lot. The guide say parking for section hikers so it must be okay. Where's Dicky Gap? The name is familiar but I can't find it to tell how far you want to go.

[kolokolo]

I did that exact hike in 2015. Drove down and stayed the night at the Relax Inn. It was an ok place, but might not meet everyone's standards.

Next morning, a couple who worked the motel (Skip and Omamda I think) drove me up to Dickey Gap, aka Troutdale, intersection of 16 and 650.

I could have left the car at the motel, I'm sure, but I asked at the has station there and the let me leave the car in their lot. The Barn is also an option.


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[rmitchell]

Several years ago I left a vehicle at the Relax Inn and got a shuttle from them. I think they did charge a fee for parking.

[Praha4]

I left my car at The Barn for a 2 week NoBo section hike in April 2013.

Parking was free and the folks running the place are very hiker friendly, just tell them you are leaving vehicle there, it's secure there too

I also left my car at Relax Inn once and had the guy shuttle me back to Damascus to Atkins, as I recall he charged me a daily rate to park there too. The Relax Inn is okay...not much else there but that gas station and The Barn Restaurant

[Toolumpy]

Dickey Gap is where 650 runs west off Sugar Grove Highway (16) before (16) turns east and heads to Sugar grove. Bout a 17 mile trip one way.

[Slo-go'en]

The Relax Inn. It has a certain ambiance, with the cigarette burn marks on the dresser and holes burnt into the bed sheet. The bullet hole in the corner the mirror was a nice touch. But, the shower was hot, the room warm, the TV worked and the price was right. What more does one want on a cold, wet day in the early spring?

Dicky gap, just south of the Trumpi shelter. I remember now. Are you going to try and do this in a day or overnighter? If overnighter, the Partnership shelter would be about half way, but it can be a zoo. It's reasonably easy 17 miles, so doing it as a day hike isn't out of the question so long as you can get an early enough start.

[Deacon]

Here's a clip showing the exterior of the Relax Inn.

https://vimeo.com/199596227

[Toolumpy]

I am headed towards SNP and more. Have a month vacation so am going as far as I can go. If I cant get a ride to Dickey gap I will park at the barn and hike north and work my way back to Dickey Gap before getting my car.

[Toolumpy]

Any dependable shuttles near Marion, Sugar Gap or Atkins?

[Slo-go'en]

If your going to be out for a month, why bring your car? The Greyhound bus has a stop in Marion, VA. You don't need to risk leaving your car abandoned for a month. Having to find a bus to get home again also makes you less likely to say "the heck with this" and hitch back to your car when things get rough.

The bus arrives in Marion a little after 12 PM. Walk around the corner to the Food Lion, get your supplies for a few days, hit one of the fast food joints for lunch, then call a taxi to take you up to the trail or track down the 50 cent city bus. If you really want to go to Dickie gap, it's a pretty easy 10.7 mile hike to the Trimpi shelter. I've done that hike several times after being up nearly all night on a 24 hour bus ride. Slept good those first nights!

But truly, you'd be better off just going north right away to the Chatfield shelter. The 15 miles between Dickie Gap and Partnership shelter really isn't anything you'd miss. But I can understand that if that's where you left off once before, you don't want to leave a little hole in the trail. But filling in those little holes is a good excuse to come back to the area again later on.

If you do the full 30 days, you should at least get to Waynesboro (11 MPD average which is pretty mellow). Front Royal might be more iffy at 15 MPD average, but not out of the question.

Keep in mind that the first 100 miles north of Marion is quite "bumpy" and more strenuous then you might think. This takes a lot of people by surprise. Your cutting across the grain of the ridge line there, hence all the bumps. It mellows out north of Pearisburg - for a while. It gets seriously bumpy again north of Glassglow until the SNP.

[Toolumpy]

I'm sure I can make Front Royal as I have 5 weeks total, including travel time. I averaged 20 miles per day from Springer to Hot Springs but know some of the upcoming terrain is pretty tough and slow. I am sure I can make good time over the rest of it. Am planning on visiting a friend after my hike for a couple of days. May park near Charlottesville then get bus ride to Marion and go north. I think that is a good idea. Will have to look for parking near there.

[lwhikerchris]

Don't leave Atkins without eating at the Mexican restaurant inside the gas station. Yes you heard right.

[Slo-go'en]

I'm sure I can make Front Royal as I have 5 weeks total, including travel time. I averaged 20 miles per day from Springer to Hot Springs but know some of the upcoming terrain is pretty tough and slow. I am sure I can make good time over the rest of it. Am planning on visiting a friend after my hike for a couple of days. May park near Charlottesville then get bus ride to Marion and go north. I think that is a good idea. Will have to look for parking near there.

If you can park at your friends house, that's a good plan. Sweet talk him/her into taking you down to Marion

I've always found starting at Marion harder then starting at Springer. Maybe because I'm more rested at Springer (having spent a night at the lodge) then at Marion (starting hiking right after being on the road nonstop for 24+ hours).

[Toolumpy]

Rockfish gap outfitters says I can park there for free, older car so not too worry about it.