Uncle Johnny's in Erwin?

[LuckyMan]

I was planning to stay at uncle johnnys hostel on my long section hike but have met a few hikers advising me not to, saying it is a dump. Those who have stayed there - do you recommend it or not? Is there an inexpensive alternative in Erwin?

[Gambit McCrae]

I have stayed once at Uncle Johnny's. It was a dump. I got a single room cabin, and there were more spiders in my room then I have ever seen in a shelter. The mattress was so old and sunken in that national geographic magazines were used in between the mattress and box springs for support. You would have to be a real dirt bag hiker trash to be comfortable in that place. I was doing another section the following year and I was coming thru, needed a fuel canister. The outfitter door sign to knock on door H for assistance. I knocked and knocked but no answer, the door across from it opened(the room I had stayed in), and a hussy clad in panties and torn up t-shirt answered the door looking like she was straight out of Black snake moan. I used their heated Bathroom, cooked lunch on the porch and hit the trail up to the next shelter.

I also used Uncle J for a shuttle up to carvers gap one night, "Sarge" was a complete Dbag trying to get me to pay double after Johnny had already quoted me a price. He sounded like he had had a few cold ones before doing the shuttle and was reluctant to do it after Johnny had agreed to get me up the mountain.

Now that you have read my long version my short version is: good outfitter, don't stay

There is a hotel about 1-2 miles down the road that I believe is $80 a night, might be less. Also you can call "10-k" from whiteblaze and he could possibly have a room for rent to older quiet respectable folk lol

[Tennessee Viking]

I used to live in the nearby area. I saw no real problems with UJs. Johnny showed me around the place. And I would drop off hikers that I picked up at trailheads, and he was ok with me helping him shuttle hikers to the bus station if he was booked up.

I would say mostly UJ's doesn't take crap from rude hikers. I have heard the place kicking hikers for being rude, stealing, smoking pot and getting drunk and loud.

The only other inexpensive places are the rafting companies trail north along Jones Branch Road. Or camp by the river and just pay for UJ facitilites. Hikers will walk into town and share hotel rooms. Mountain Inn and Super 8.

[Jeff]

Great reviews from hikers this year about Cantarroso Farm in Erwin. Hiker friendly, small...accommodated maybe 8 to 10 hikers although they have plans to expand. Located on the Nolichucky River

http://www.cantarrosofarm.com

[Gambit McCrae]

Great reviews from hikers this year about Cantarroso Farm in Erwin. Hiker friendly, small...accommodated maybe 8 to 10 hikers although they have plans to expand. Located on the Nolichucky River

http://www.cantarrosofarm.com

Holy cow, Looked at their shuttle costing: Uncle johnny charged me $90 to carvers gap, Cantarroso Farm charges $25 WOW..

[rocketsocks]

Dumps are hostels too.

[tiptoe]

I sent a maildrop to Johnny's but didn't stay there. When I retrieved it, Sarge was close to rude to me and very suspicious of me as well. I had met Peg of Cantarosso while hiking and had changed my plans to stay at the farm. I was very happy with my decision and would recommend it to everyone. The owners are smart, friendly, and helpful to hikers, and the farm is peaceful and right by the Nolichucky River.

[Deacon]

I am a bit surprized by the negative comments about UJ's. I stayed there in June 2014, in the bunkhouse the first night, and in a cabin the second. Both the bunkhouse and my cabin were clean, and the entire facility was well kept up. Everyone was very friendly to me.

[Dogwood]

I used to live in the nearby area. I saw no real problems with UJs. Johnny showed me around the place. And I would drop off hikers that I picked up at trailheads, and he was ok with me helping him shuttle hikers to the bus station if he was booked up.

I would say mostly UJ's doesn't take crap from rude hikers. I have heard the place kicking hikers for being rude, stealing, smoking pot and getting drunk and loud.

The only other inexpensive places are the rafting companies trail north along Jones Branch Road. Or camp by the river and just pay for UJ facitilites. Hikers will walk into town and share hotel rooms. Mountain Inn and Super 8.

I've stayed there twice. Once many yrs ago in 06 in a private room and in 2012 in the bunk room. Was quite a nice modern furnished, overall clean, and maintained room. I did see a couple of cobwebs in a ceiling corner.

All this as Tennessee Viking states. I wasn't rude, didn't project a sense of entitlement, was not overly demanding, and didn't openly advertise illegal activity(pot use). I've never had issue with Uncle J. Matter of fact, I would say he has met me at least half way in treating me equally well as I have treated Uncle J personally and his biz.

IMO, it would be wise when seeking opinions on others or a biz you understand and put into context the one giving the opinion(the extent of their visits, how they tend to act, how they project themselves, how they define affordable, etc). Without doing that opinions/recommendations are basically valueless or just a blind folded shot in the dark to follow.

I could say the same about quite a few negatively opionated posts about hostels, individuals, businesses, etc made here on WB referring to Greasy Creek Hostel, the 12 Tribes Community in Rutland, Standing Bear, AMC facilities(lodges, huts), etc

[Dogwood]

I would also think it very helpful in that you decide what you expect in an under a roof in town stay. Are you the kind that you're seeking unlimited internet availability, HBO, mirrors on the ceiling, food making capability, double size beds, "free" continental b-fasts, very wide ranging available amenities and services, etc AND are willing to afford the likely associated $$ OR you just need a decently clean shower, clean bed in a bunkhouse, maybe with cooking opps, some resupply, not overly noisy, more rustic, less costly, etc under a roof accommodations where you will be back out hiking early the next day.

[TNhiker]

the 12 Tribes Community in Rutland

uh oh............the 12 tribes...........

these cult has been a part of the grateful dead world for a really long time.........

[peakbagger]

I speculate that the negative commentary seems to crop up whenever there is a competing establishment. It was pretty hot and heavy while Miss Janet was in business and now there is a competitor in the area.

When it comes to trail services there are two distinct categories, those who run it as a business and those who run it as a hobby. A hobbyist can afford to lose money and subsidize hikers with their retirement checks like Bob Peoples at Kincora does while businesses have to deal with paying employees, taxes and insurance. Unfortunately many hobbyists do it for a few years and then decide that's its too much of job and they don't like dealing with bad apples while a business needs to put up with it or find another business. Ask anyone with a hostel if they make enough money to cover the bills and it will be a rare owner that comes close.

As mentioned there is a hotel right down the road that will offer high end services and charge for those services. I stayed there on one trips but have used UJs services in the past and you get what you pay for.

[Starchild]

On my thru UJ forgot to charge me upon entry, When checking out I gave him the $ for my stay which is pretty normal with AT hostels pay as you leave, he thanked me for my honesty.

Many others have said he is all about the money.

My experience there and another time seems that money comes first, not that it's bad, but it is what it is, which leads to really no trust, which is a sad view of hikers IMHO.

Also what I didn't like about my stay is bike use in included with a stay, but I wanted to use the bike in the morning before I set off back on the AT, but that incurred a bike rental fee even though I stayed the night and it was 8AM.

Leaving UJ there is a great stay further down the trail, actually a should not miss stay at Greesy Creek Gap Friendly Hostel, One of the greatest stays on the trail.

[Kenai]

Sign me up for Uncle Johnny's! Sounds like a place that Kerouac would have stayed at. Must be my French Canadian DB roots.

[kayak karl]

Got a roof over my head, shower, trip to town to resupply and snicker bars. What else is there.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

[rpelmas]

I was there in 08, was treated well, and had a few beers with the boys. No complaints.

[Dogwood]

AFTER meeting Uncle J face to face exchanging who we were, what we're about, and our predicaments he graciously waited until the next day to pay him in full until a bank transfer was completed into the account I used to pay. I've experienced lots of cooperation and graciousness from Uncle J. He never came off rude to me or his establishment as a dump. Then again I'm not a Taj Mahal, Marriott, or I must have Hilton chocolate kiss/mint on the pillow snob during my in town roof over my head while I'm hiking overnighters.

[Old Hiker]

2012 - private room. Clean, tons of VHS tapes (young pups - look it up), TV/VCR combo (again, young pups - look it up) to run them. No regular TV or cable. Clean shower room. Decent internet - thought it was a female room, as I walked in as directed and there were nothing but..................females inside.

UJ friendly - even more so when I got bored and asked if I could clean the trash out of the hiker box. Grimm was a great shuttle driver - elderly hiker jokes, but I've heard them all before.

2 free shuttles at that time to town.

I'll stay again, probably.

[Traffic Jam]

I had a good experience there and would stay there again...but I'm like Dogwood, easy to please and appreciative.

[Dogwood]

I had a good experience there and would stay there again...but I'm like Dogwood, easy to please and appreciative.

Shh, I can be quite demanding sometimes too. Going into town on a hike is all part of the adventure, the journey, LIFE. Worth embracing it all. Besides I hear it's all a vacation. We should feel fortunate we get to experience AT hiking in IT'S FULLNESS OF, UMM, BEAUTY. Better to roll with the punches, approach experiences with gratitude, and live with joy and wonder.