Shenandoah Valley Waysides

[StuartM]

Hi,

I'm planning a section hike through the Shenandoah Valley NP in a couple of weeks. Has anyone had any experience with the waysides there? Do they have dehydrated backpacking meals and other food/snacks that are good for backpacking?

We're planing on going Southbound from Front Royal to Rockfish Gap and resupplying at the following places.

Elkwallow Wayside
Big Meadows Wayside
Lewis Campground
Loft Mountain Wayside (or Loft Mountain Store)


Thanks

Maverick

[Slo-go'en]

Yes, they all (or at least most) have freeze dried meals, Backpackers Pantry brand only. I bought a "Rice and Chicken" meal and found out I'm allergic to something in it so could not eat it. You might want to find out if you can eat that brand before hand.

Most of what they sell is snacks and stuff geared more towards car campers. A hot meal from the grill will run you about $15.00 by the time your done adding fries and a drink. I probably spent over $100 on food going through there last month.

[moldy]

What sort of food did you get at the Tom Floyd Wayside?

[Odd Man Out]

I stopped at Elkwallow on my section. I had plenty of backpacking food, so I just got a burger and most importantly a blackberry milkshake, maybe two.

[MuddyWaters]

If you hike enough miles per day
All you need is about three to four days food
And supplement your meals at the way sides

Probably won't work for 10 mile per day hikers

[Slo-go'en]

The waysides are spaced away from shelter sites in such a way that eating a late breakfast or late lunch there is what usually works out. For dinner you'd really have be staying at the associated campground or lodge.

I entered the park mostly carrying dinners for the duration (less one I planned to use the freeze dried meal for which ended up trying to kill me). Snack and breakfast honey buns I replenished along the way. I had breakfast at Elkwallow, Big Meadows and Lewis. I bought a very overpriced premade roast beef sandwich and a Scone at Sky Meadow and carried them out for a dinner. At Loft Mountain I had a late lunch and packed out a Chicken Cesare wrap for dinner.

[Odd Man Out]

I got to Elkwallow late in the day, ate there, and then camped nearby (dispersed camping near the spring behind the picnic area)

[johnnybgood]

Only Lewis Mountain Campstore is located near the trail and you must walk through the campground to get to it. Lewis Mountain CG is very small so it's a short walk fortunately. Big Meadows Wayside/ Campstore sells food stuff for hikers, even those God awful dehydrated meals. Hiker Pantry or Alpine meals are actually ok, but the Campstore doesn't sell those of course. If you're buy a meal at the hot grill it's best to get the Virginia Ham Sandwich . Breakfast isn't bad, eggs and ham with pancakes and toast with jam. Never eaten at the lodges while hiking so I can't speak to that.

[johnnybgood]

The AT also runs by Elk Wallow Wayside .

[Slo-go'en]

Getting to Big Meadows or Loft Mountain is about a 1 mile round trip detour. Not too bad. You'll spend more time at the wayside then hiking back and forth. Sky Meadow is also pretty much right on the trail.

For Elkwallow, you nearly walk through it. 200 feet from the trail.

For Big Meadows, hike all the way around the campground (if SOBO) and take the gravel road at Lewis spring out to the road. Total distance 0.4 miles.

For Lewis Campground, cut through the campground. Save yourself the trouble of hiking the campground perimeter. But if your a purist, came in from the south end of the perimeter. You'll want to stop for water in any event.

For Loft Mountain, take the Ivy spring trail to the wayside, ~ 0.4 miles. It's a reasonably level trail too, woods road. There will probably be water at the spring too, and you could probably use it by then too. There's a trail on the south side of the campground perimeter part of the trail which gets you to the camp store in about 1/2 mile.

[bigcranky]

What sort of food did you get at the Tom Floyd Wayside?

LOL

(For those who have not been there, the Tom Floyd Wayside is just a shelter, not the kind of wayside that has food and drinks in Shenandoah. I'm sure many people have been disappointed.)

[1234]

Like everywhere there are some deals, like a turkey cold sub and blackberry ice cream will cost half the price as a burger and shake, both having equal calories. I might add the route 11 lightly salted are the best potato chips in the USA! Loft wayside makes the best burger, b sure to read the awol guide so u do not take the long steep path to this wayside. A dozen eggs are $5.25, a 8 pk of ball park hotdogs are $ 5.25, buns $3.25. So plan accordingly

[Slo-go'en]

Just got my CC statement for last month. Looks like I put $83 on the card while in the SNP. $54 of that was for hot food. Spent $25 for supplies which I carried in from Front Royal. So, about a buck a mile to do the 100 miles or so miles of the park.

Over all, I spent about $2 a mile to do the 300 miles from Harpers Ferry to Daleville including lodging, but not including the cost of getting back home, which was significant.

[johnnybgood]

As a reminder make sure to check yourself for ticks every time you stop. Ticks have been bad in the wet mid Atlantic this Spring . Its best to spray permethrin on all your clothes before hitting the trail allowing it to air dry. That is effective in repelling ticks.

[LittleRock]

I stopped and got a hot meal at each of the waysides. Lewis Mtn is not a "wayside" like the others, it is just a camp store. Skyland was the best one IMO. They have a full sit down restaurant.

Shenandoah was a nice, easy section. I averaged 15 MPD (I usually average more like 12 MPD). Because of all the waysides, I was able to hike for a full 7 days with no resupply.

[Odd Man Out]

Big Meadows Lodge is closer to the trail than the Wayside. They have a full restaurant and a pub with a more limited menu. Both quite nice, but expensive. Check in advance to see if they are open if interested. My last hike ended at Big Meadows where my family was staying and I stayed there for a day or two. I also seem to recall that Elkwallow Wayside had some outdoor vending machines where there were electrical outlets hikers were using to recharge devices.

[StuartM]

Thanks everyone. Happy hiking.

[Crushed Grapes]

Big Meadows Lodge is closer to the trail than the Wayside. They have a full restaurant and a pub with a more limited menu. Both quite nice, but expensive. Check in advance to see if they are open if interested. My last hike ended at Big Meadows where my family was staying and I stayed there for a day or two. I also seem to recall that Elkwallow Wayside had some outdoor vending machines where there were electrical outlets hikers were using to recharge devices.

I really like Big Meadows Lodge, you just have to time your visit very carefully. It gets extremely crowded. I tried to stop in for a post hike beer on a Saturday early evening, it was no bueno. Crazy packed.