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  1. #1

    Question Virginia Section Advice?

    I am looking to take a group of 6 friends on a section this July. We have been advised to go between the Adkins and Damascus area to see many neat sites and still be a bit of a challenge. None of us have ever hiked any of the AT before. I need advise on where to park the trucks and where to start and finish. Really any advise you could give me would be great. We all visited a friend who gave us wonderful advise on gear, so we feel like we know that well, but as far as making the plans for the trip, we need some HELP!!!

    Thanks so much!

  2. #2

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    Didn't say how far your wanting to go so I will assume 2 trips.

    Atkins to Damascus is 75 miles.

    Weekend Trip 17 miles: Friday night thru Sunday- Park at Elk Garden and head North to Fox Creek Trailhead. Get Sundog outfitter to shuttle you back to your car - They have big white vans driven by a scary wolf.

    Highlights: Mt Rogers, The Ponies, open range hiking without trees for 50% of the hike, Thomas knob, the scales, Pine mountain bald right on the AT past scales.

    Longer trip: Fox Creek Trailhead to Damascus 41.2 miles. Use sundog outfitter to ride back to car at end of trip.
    Highlights:All from trip 1 + whitetop overlook, the VA Creeper trail (walk on this into Damascus)
    Damascus (Check eateries before leaving for trip, always seem to have issues with a place being in season or even open while im there)

    A weeklong trip: Atkins to Damascus.
    Trail Miles: 4,927.6
    AT Map 1: Complete 2013-2021
    Sheltowee Trace: Complete 2020-2023
    Pinhoti Trail: Complete 2023-2024
    Foothills Trail: 0.0
    AT Map 2: 279.4
    BMT: 52.7
    CDT: 85.4

  3. #3
    Hiker bigcranky's Avatar
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    I will propose an odd plan for this hike, but bear with me. My wife and I did this section this way a couple of years ago, and enjoyed it. (We also edit the ALDHA Companion for this section, so we're very familiar with it.)

    This hike is a strange flip flop hike with Damascus in the middle, and will take about a week. If you have a whole week with both weekends, it's very doable even with the driving. Park your car at Grayson Highlands State Park in the backpacker lot. This will cost some money but it's safe. Then hike the A.T. *southbound* to Damascus, about 32 miles. It'll take about 3 days. Then spend the night (or even two nights) in Damascus, resupply at the grocery store, hang around town with the hikers, meet people, etc., then get a shuttle from Damascus to the I-81 Atkins exit where the trail crosses, and hike *southbound* back to your car. This is about 45 miles, and will take 3-5 days depending on your abilities.

    Why do it this way?

    1. Cut down on food weight -- carry 2.5 days of food for the first leg instead of 6-7 days.
    2. Get the quintessential trail experience of walking into town for shower and resupply, and Damascus is a great trail town.
    3. Save the more difficult section for the second part of the week.

    I'm happy to provide more details if you like. Hope you enjoy the hike -- doesn't matter how you do it, that area is beautiful.
    Ken B
    'Big Cranky'
    Our Long Trail journal

  4. #4

    Default

    We are looking to be on the trail for 5 days (ish). Thank you.

  5. #5

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    The main issue is the size of your group, which sounds like it will be 7 total including you. While your below the maximum recommended (and sometimes legal) group size of 10, a group of that size poses some challenges. Groups always travel slower then solo or couples. There is always at least one in the group who can't get their act together and slows everyone down, either in getting ready to go in the morning or along the trail or both. Since it sounds like your all novice backpackers, this will be especially true. So you have to make your daily mileage realistic.

    As a relatively large group, you will have to use designated camping sites. Due to the slow speed of group, going shelter to shelter is about all you can expect to do. In that case, Damascus to RT603 is probably the only realistic distance you can travel in 5 days, but you could make it to VA16 (Dickie gap) if you made the last day a long one instead of a short one. One thing to keep in mind though is that is a popular area and bringing a big group into it only adds to the overcrowding issues. In July you there is a very good chance you'll run into large Boy Scout and church groups overrunning the area too.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

  6. #6
    Hiker bigcranky's Avatar
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    Do you have 5 full hiking days, or will you have to drive part of the days?

    VA 603 Fox Creek trailhead to Damascus is 42 miles, which is probably doable in five full hiking days even for folks inexperienced on the AT.
    Ken B
    'Big Cranky'
    Our Long Trail journal

  7. #7

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    That's a good idea! You are saying that that path is 45 miles total, correct? Do you know if this trail included the wild ponies still? Also, someone recommended Hikerbox.net to me to find specific trail info. I am clearly not knowledgeable about the trail to use the site. I am tech savvy, but I don't know the trail lingo to use the site well. Any tips or other sites I could use that would "draw up" my route for me?

  8. #8

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    5 hiking days, big cranky.

  9. #9

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    Ideally you want to get an AT guide book like AWOL's AT guide. The National Geographic map #318 Mount Rogers High Country Grayson Highlands State Park covers the area your interested in and covers pretty much all you need to know.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

  10. #10
    GA-ME Feb. 27th–July 1st, 2016 lwhikerchris's Avatar
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    I would recommend starting at Four Pines Hostel (donation only) mile 701, and doing Dragons Tooth, then hitting up the ride to Homeplace restaurant (family style all you can eat fried chicken and sides), then stay at Four Pines hostel again that night. Then the next morning hiking north to McAfee Knob, through Tinker cliffs, and stay in a shelter out there, then hiking into Daleville, VA (one of my fav trail towns on the whole trail; hit Three Lil' Pigs bbq), then continue north to see Black Rock overlook, The Guillotine, and some other overlooks, and end at US 501, vA 130, mile 784.3. Glasgow, VA is on that road 5.9 miles west.

    This will give you a very nice taste of the trail in VA. A good amount of elevation gain, lots to see, famous iconic points, great food, a hostel stay (with hiker culture and corn hole), and several shelter/tent stays. About 83 miles total. I would definitely do this chunk again if I was taking someone new. There is a lot of work and reward payoffs here.
    John GoodMan

  11. #11
    Hiker bigcranky's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mrsmay08 View Post
    That's a good idea! You are saying that that path is 45 miles total, correct? Do you know if this trail included the wild ponies still? Also, someone recommended Hikerbox.net to me to find specific trail info. I am clearly not knowledgeable about the trail to use the site. I am tech savvy, but I don't know the trail lingo to use the site well. Any tips or other sites I could use that would "draw up" my route for me?

    42 miles from Fox Creek to Damascus. Yes it includes the ponies. You can do the Virginia Creeper Trail for the last 8 or 10 miles which is nicer than the AT (and flatter).

    Get the Nat Geo map and join ALDHA and get the downloadable Companion, or buy the PDF of the AT Guide. Together they will have all the info you need.
    Ken B
    'Big Cranky'
    Our Long Trail journal

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by bigcranky View Post
    Do you have 5 full hiking days, or will you have to drive part of the days?

    VA 603 Fox Creek trailhead to Damascus is 42 miles, which is probably doable in five full hiking days even for folks inexperienced on the AT.
    +
    great section for people that want to see stuff , and short.
    Be prepared for lots of company, Grayson is popular place

  13. #13
    Registered User Siestita's Avatar
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    As first time backpackers your principal goal should be to all thoroughly enjoy yourselves and end this adventure all wanting to hike again another time. That's a different way of thinking from the mind set of some prospective "thru hikers" and other veterans who emphasize mileage. Limiting how far you walk can help you avoid becoming injured or developing blisters. And, you may find that the ups and downs of that beautiful section of the AT (or any other AT section in the south) will slow some members of your group down quite a bit. For me backpacking there has not been as easy as taking day hikes was where I grew up in southwestern Ohio.

    So, I suggest that you limit yourselves to walking no more than eight miles per day, ideally covering fewer miles per day in the open "Crest Zone" that is located within and near Grayson Highlands State Park. That's where the ponies roam. If I personally were planning a four night, five day trip for newbies in that area I would leave the vehicle at Grayson Highlands State Park's "Backpacker Lot" and use the AT and connecting trails to complete a high country/Crest Zone loop.

  14. #14

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    Thanks Slo-go'en! With the slower routes that you were suggesting, how many miles per day would those be, roughly? We do realize that we are all novices, but we all are very fit. We would only have 3 small 1-2 person tents. There are also only 6 of us total. Our plan for the pacing issue, was to have the lead person stop and meet up around mid day and let others catch up and then to obviously have the lead person stop at dust and let others catch up. I would love to know your thoughts on all this. I am really open to anyone's input. THANKS EVERYONE! Keep the advice coming!

  15. #15

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    Anyone have a suggestion for quickly looking up all the trails everyone is suggesting? Is there a quick and easy way, as I am not familiar with all the routes and your suggestions?

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by mrsmay08 View Post
    Anyone have a suggestion for quickly looking up all the trails everyone is suggesting? Is there a quick and easy way, as I am not familiar with all the routes and your suggestions?
    I don't understand why folks make things complicated. The OP asked for suggestions from atkins to Damascus. They haven't hiked any of the at thru that stretch, the end point makes for a very simple logistical choice to get back to the car, and 17 miles of that choice is one of the most iconic stretches of the 2200 mile AT. People give great advice on here but with a forum comes too many chiefs and not enough Indians. Everyone gives their 2 cents and before you know it the OP has 100 bucks lol
    Trail Miles: 4,927.6
    AT Map 1: Complete 2013-2021
    Sheltowee Trace: Complete 2020-2023
    Pinhoti Trail: Complete 2023-2024
    Foothills Trail: 0.0
    AT Map 2: 279.4
    BMT: 52.7
    CDT: 85.4

  17. #17

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    What section of this is the best 17 miles so I make sure I don't miss it if I have to shorten the route at all?

  18. #18
    Registered User Siestita's Avatar
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    I have a paper map that I purchased from the U.S. Forest Service that dates from 1995 but is still useful because its trails, roads, and other features have not changed. It is called "Mount Rogers High Country and Wildernesses" but apparently is no longer sold. (You might, however, be able to download that map from the Library of Congress) Fortunately, National Geographic/Trails Illustrated now publishes a trail map of the same area, as mentioned above in post #9. And, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) publishes useful maps. To plan a loop hike you would, I suspect that you would need to have copy of the National Geographic/Trails Illustrated map.

    https://shop.nationalgeographic.com/...FSearchBox.jsp
    Last edited by Siestita; 03-30-2017 at 15:22.

  19. #19
    Registered User 4eyedbuzzard's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mrsmay08 View Post
    Thanks Slo-go'en! With the slower routes that you were suggesting, how many miles per day would those be, roughly? We do realize that we are all novices, but we all are very fit. We would only have 3 small 1-2 person tents. There are also only 6 of us total. Our plan for the pacing issue, was to have the lead person stop and meet up around mid day and let others catch up and then to obviously have the lead person stop at dust and let others catch up. I would love to know your thoughts on all this. I am really open to anyone's input. THANKS EVERYONE! Keep the advice coming!
    Having the lead stop at dusk is a really bad idea, because that means those behind will be hiking in the dark. Definitely bad idea for inexperienced hikers. The lead should stop with enough time for the others to catch up BEFORE dusk.

  20. #20
    Registered User 4eyedbuzzard's Avatar
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    Adding to above, the lead can gather water, start a fire if desired, start boiling water, prep food, etc while waiting.

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