Getting SNP checked off my bucket list...

[vmac]

New to this forum...

I am at long last planning to hike the park from end to end in 2015. I have been reading through all of the recent threads on here and still have a couple of open questions;

1. I'd like to avoid the heat & crowds therefore am debating whether to hike in the spring (April-May) or the fall (before or after the leaf peeping season). I am leaning towards the fall but am interested in other opinions...

2. I have always imagined doing this north bound but have read that south bound is 'better'. Why? is there a seasonal difference?

3. Can anyone cite a resource for a recommended daily itinerary?

Many thanks
v

[Cookerhiker]

I'd recommend hiking in the second half of April, maybe early May because (1) many wildflowers are out - quite beautiful - and (2) the leaves aren't out yet, so you'll have great views.

To me, it makes no difference whether you hike NOBO or SOBO. If others have a reason for one or the other, they'll chime in.

[Damn Yankee]

If you do the SNP, maybe we can do it together.

[Coffee]

I'd recommend hiking in the second half of April, maybe early May because (1) many wildflowers are out - quite beautiful - and (2) the leaves aren't out yet, so you'll have great views.

I agree. I started NOBO at Rockfish Gap last April 15 and had a great trip with great views.

[Praha4]

suggest checking when the Waysides are open, last year I think they didn't open til May

[Coffee]

suggest checking when the Waysides are open, last year I think they didn't open til May

They were open when I went through the park from April 15-20.

[Virginia Son]

I spent three days in the Luray-Front Royal part of SNP middle of Sept. Not many on the trail, beautiful weather, couple of bears (same time a bear killed the young man in New Jersey). Autumn hikes are lovely.

[SmokyMtn Hiker]

I did my section hike thru the Smokies in early October. The leaves were only starting to turn in the highest elevations and the only crowds I encountered were at Newfound Gap and Clingmans Dome which pretty much no matter what time of the year it is there is always heards of tourist. I done my trip southbound starting outside the park just below the I-40 crossing to avoid that initial 4+ mile uphill out of Fontana.

[peakbagger]

I would recommend fall after labor day. The spring tends to be rainier than the fall as the weather patterns tend to shift rapidly. In the fall, there can be very long stretches of sun and not a lot of moisture in the atmosphere, so even if it does rain it doesn't last long. Water sources aren't much of an issue in the fall as almost every site has a piped spring.

[Furlough]

I did this at the end of July back in 2010, so not the monthly time frame you are planning but this trip report does show a daily itinerary.

SNP North bound 7/30 – 8/7
I thru hiked the SNP north bound from 7/30 – 8/7. The following are my observations on water, shelter and trail conditions for that period. Note: It rained 4 out of the 6 first days.

Started at Rockfish Gap.

Day 1 - Calf Mtn Shelter. Piped spring running slow. Estimate it took about an hour to fill a one liter bottle. The seeps coming out around the pipe likewise were running at a trickle. But the 2 catch pools someone dugout were full of water, a bit muddy but useable. I filtered from one of these. Was able to get a ½ of a liter until my old msr sweat water filter broke. (Was able to get bailed out the following morning by my 73 year old trail angel Dad, who met me down at Turk Gap, loaned me his filter and even took me into Waynesboro on night 3 for dinner, a motel stay/shower and breakfast at Weasies the next morning. It was great fun having him knock out some miles with me.) Shelter and tent sites were all full. Folks had even set tents up right next to the shelter. I bushwhacked up slope from the shelter and sent up my tent on a rock ledge over-looking the shelter area. The shelter looked to be in good shape, must have been as all spaces were occupied. Trail leading to Calf Mtn. Shelter was in good shape.

Day 2 - Blackrock Hut. Based on the over-crowding at Calf Mtn, and day 2 being a Saturday and there being 2 parking areas near Blackrock Hut I did not camp there. Instead I took Dad down Moormans River Trail down past where the stream crosses the trail and camped there. This maybe 8/10s to 1 mile South of Blackrock Hut. Moormans river trail is part of what used to be the Old AT. If you are uncertain about water availability at Blackrock I highly recommend Moormans River trail as an alternative. The 3 times I have been on it that 1st water source has never been an issue. I talked later with folks who stayed at Blackrock hut. Water from the pipe was slow but steady, shelter and tent sites were full. The trail between Calf mtn and Blackrock was in good shape. It rained hard over night. Dad headed back to his car via the drive, I headed north.

Day 3 – Pinefield Hut. It rained pretty much all day. Water in the stream was flowing fine. Shelter and Campsites were empty. I swept out the shelter, filtered water, read and signed the shelter log. The trail around Loft Mtn Campground down to about the trail to the maintenance bldg and the Loft Mtn Wayside was in pretty rough shape. It was overgrown and it looked the bears had pulled down choke cherry trees and apple trees to get at the fruit. Trail was overgrown but very passable. As I am not out there maintaining I am not complaining, just sharing what I saw on that particular day. Dad walked down from parking area to the Hut and with not too much convincing by me we were off to Waynesboro for the night.

Day 4 – Hightop Hut. Dad dropped me off at the parking area for Pinefield Hut. He drove North and I walked back down to the AT and headed north, it rained on and off during the day. Dad would park at various points along the way, and hike south to meet me and then hike back north with me to his car. Hightop hut spring was flowing fine. Someone had left a brillo pad at the spring. I got rid of it. Dad and I filtered water then went to talk with the folks at the shelter. Shelter was in good shape. Trail from Pinefield to High Top hut was in good shape. Dad and I continued north up to hightop summit. 2/10 of mile past the boxed spring where the concrete trail marker is Dad and I got off the trail and set up our tents. We had a good time relaxing at the high top overlook. Dad got some good pics of the sun setting. That night a heavy fog set in. May as well have been rain. In the morning I went back down to the boxed spring and filled our water bottles. Dad headed back down south to his car and I headed north. We met up at the parking area North of High Top Mtn. Dad re-filled my alcohol bottle, took my trash, gave me hug and headed back home and I continued north. It was great hiking with him again.

Day 5 Bearfence Mtn Hut. It rained on and off this day. I stopped short of Bearfence and hiked off of the AT and onto campsite number 2 at Lewis Mtn Campground. I filled out the necessary info, paid my 15 dollars and vested the camp store for ice cream, Gatorade and a few items to add to my dinner and breakfast. As luck would have it the laundry facilities were not working. I did get to take a $1.00 five minute shower. Next morning I talked with 4 young jackalopes who stayed at bearfence. They said water was not a problem. Having the recent rains I am sure helped. No issue with the trail between Hightop and Bearfence.

Day 6 Rockspring Hut. I stopped into Big Meadows Wayside for lunch. Bacon Cheese Burger Combo and Starbucks coffee. The 4 young jacklopes were finishing up their meal as I arrived. When I was leaving they were perfecting their yoging technique. I heard one gentleman offering to go in and buy them a box of fried chicken for the trail. Not sure if they took him up on it. An hour or so later as they zoomed past me on the trail I did not think to ask them if they were carrying chicken. I rolled into what is my favorite Hut site in SNP – Rockspring Hut. Folks from PATC were just finishing building a new moldering privy that they would install the next day. I swept out the shelter just in time for a father and his two sons to arrive. They were getting a section of the trail in prior to attending a wedding in Harrisonburg. As always the water was flowing fine from out beneath that big rock (boulder) form which the Hut gets its name. I pitched my tent up above. Trail between Bearfence and Rockspring was in good shape. I headed out early the next morning so I could get into Skyland for breakfast.

Day 7 Byrd’s Nest #3 and Pass Mtn Huts. I got into Skyland in plenty of time for breakfast and plenty of refills on the starbucks coffee. The trail between Skyland and Byrd’s Nest 3 was great. No rain or clouds so those westward views were beautiful. I got into Byrd’s nest for lunch. I did not hike down to the spring, but Southbounders Hit and Miss had left a note in the shelter log saying that the spring was running fine. Just as I left Byrd’s nest thunder storms moved in. I played tag with them all the way down to the Panorama facility. It was thundering when I went by Mary’s Rock, so I did not go up. I went into Panorama hoping to get water. There are signs posted saying not to drink the water there before treating it, and that they have plans to put a well in at some point in the future. I left Panorama and headed for Pass Mtn Hut. Just after I arrived another evening thundershower hit. As it was raining I swept out the shelter. I noticed that the gutter was clogged and in between showers I cleaned it out. I started out that night in the shelter with 3 other folks who arrived around 8:30. I could not get comfortable and ended up gathering my gear and pitching my tent. The spring was running fine and strong. Skyline and his co-overseers have done a great job maintaining this Hut. The trail into Pass Mtn hut was fine. Once headed back north the trail is a bit over grown for a short while. Nothing major and no problems navigating.

Day 8 – Gravel Springs Hut. I kicked along pretty good and rolled into Elkwallow Wayside for an early lunch and a minor re-supply for dinner and breakfast. Gravel Springs Hut spring was flowing fine. Although it and the small grassy area just above it had been turned into a playground by a youth group staying in the tent sites. I had a very pleasant dinner conversation with two very nice ladies who were finishing up their section through Virginia. We each were from Va Beach at various points in our life, so it as nice talking old times. The conversation was fun and entertaining and the after dinner drink and dessert was very much appreciated.

Day 9 Tom Floyd Wayside. I stopped in on the way to my finishing point at the 4H Educational Center to grab a snack, rest my feet and sign the shelter log. The hut looks in great shape. I did not visit the spring. There is an Ash tree dying in front of the hut that could come down on the hut if the wind blows it that way.

Ended at the 4H Center North of SNP.

Hope the above may be of some use.
Furlough

[bigcranky]

I like Shenandoah in the Spring; early May is fantastic. Cool at night, not too warm during the day, wildflowers are out, everything is starting to green up. Just spectacular.

I would go south simply because the southern section is the most difficult and I'd want to save that for last. No other reason.

[vmac]

Thanks for the comments everyone... I spent every summer (in the 60s) as a kid in Front Royal with my grandparents and have been all over SNP but have never done this hike. I think I will include the loop down to Corbin Cabin for a night as well as the Jeremy's run loop. After all, I named my youngest son after that creek - Jeremy.
Can wait...