Vegan Resupply in Shenandoah

[The Weatherman]

My wife and I are planning an eight day section hike through Shenandoah in early May next year, and we have some questions about the resupply options. We're both vegans, so we were wondering how vegan friendly the various resupply options are along the trail in the park. We anticipate needing to resupply once during our trip (somewhere midway).

If the resupply options aren't particularly accommodating to us vegan folks, is it possible to send a mail drop to Big Meadows Lodge or one of the campgrounds?

Sadly, the restaurants along the way don't have much in the way of vegan options, so we won't be able to supplement much with those.

Thanks for your help.

[illabelle]

Not sure how you're getting from Texas to Virginia ... to the Trail, but if it involves a rental car, you can leave a resupply of food and clean clothes in the car at a convenient midway point. Yes, you'll still need a shuttle or hitch at the beginning and end of the hike, but that might be easier than the shopping trip.

And of course, a lot depends on just how flexible your diet is. Oreos are vegan, but they ain't real healthy.

[illabelle]

Another option is to leave a resupply bag with whoever shuttles you. Pay them to bring it to you at a convenient place and time.

[Coffee]

The waysides sell typical snack fare and junk food with a bit more selection in the camp stores which are more targeted to car campers than backpackers. You'll be hard pressed to find much variety although you should be able to find various types of nuts available. No place to send a mail drop that I know of that is within the park. Although eight days of food is a heavy carry, that might be the logistically simplest approach to take with a highly restricted diet.

[JNI64]

Between the two of ya you'll be fine no resupply needed .
Take what you want and then some 8 days ,10 mile days easy peasy......

[Alligator]

The park is split into roughly thirds by routes 33 and 211. That's how I section hiked it, two parts in the winter and one in the summer. What you could do is use a shuttler, either like Illabelle mentioned or use the shuttle service from a hostel which the only one I am seeing is in Luray Open Arms Hostel & Inn. Their listing in WB Pages says the shuttle is complimentary from Thorton Gap. Oftentimes a hostel owner will shuttle you to different trailheads, perhaps for a fee, but options are limited in SNP due to the roads. There is a PO in Elkton but it is ~7 miles one way from the trail. There's the Country View Motel on the way that offers mail drops for guests and shuttles for a small fee.

It's almost 108 miles from Rockfish Gap to Rt 522, about 45 miles for the south end, 28 for the north end, leaving 35 in the middle. Rt 33 goes to Elkton (~45 miles) but that is just the park entrance there with a gate along the road and parking there is limited. A shuttler could pick you up there. If you go into Luray, it's 28 miles from the end.

[JNI64]

Perhaps you could drive down/up blue ridge parkway and stash a bear vault right off trail somewhere?

[stephanD]

you will be hared pressed now days to find a restaurant that does not offer vegetarian/vegan options and the restaurants in the Shenandoah are no exception. I'm not a vegan nor a vegetarian, but when on the trail I practically become one as I survive on wraps, peanut butter, chocolate spread, American cheese, raisins and all kind of snacks. You can replace the American cheese with a vegan one. Finally, more or less in the middle of the park you have the town of Luray where, as it was said already, you can resupply.

[gpburdelljr]

Perhaps you could drive down/up blue ridge parkway and stash a bear vault right off trail somewhere?

The Blue Ridge Parkway doesn’t go through Shenandoah. Skyline Drive is the road through the length of SNP.

[Slo-go'en]

The camp stores and some waysides stock freeze dried meals, some of those are Vegan.

[The Weatherman]

Some good ideas here, particularly having someone meet us with a resupply.

A few more pieces of information:

1. We'll be flying in to Charlottesville and will arrange for someone to shuttle us.
2. We'll be bringing dehydrated veggies from Harmony House, so our resupply would only need to be snacks and carbs (noodles, instant rice, etc.).
3. I looked at the online menus for the various restaurants in SNP along the way, and the vegan options appear limited to hummus and salads. Not without their charms, but not terribly filling either.

[illabelle]

Some good ideas here, particularly having someone meet us with a resupply.

A few more pieces of information:

1. We'll be flying in to Charlottesville and will arrange for someone to shuttle us.
2. We'll be bringing dehydrated veggies from Harmony House, so our resupply would only need to be snacks and carbs (noodles, instant rice, etc.).
3. I looked at the online menus for the various restaurants in SNP along the way, and the vegan options appear limited to hummus and salads. Not without their charms, but not terribly filling either.

I have no idea of your experience level, either with hiking or with backcountry cooking. So ignore if you like ....

I bought some dehydrated vegetables from somewhere (I don't remember), and most of them were really disappointing. I was looking forward to tender peas and corn, not tough inedible knots. I wanted some zucchini that tasted like zucchini, not a flavor so overpowering that it was like eating straight out of an herb jar. Strongly recommend that you try them out at home so you can change plans if they don't suit you.

[Alligator]

Some good ideas here, particularly having someone meet us with a resupply.

A few more pieces of information:

1. We'll be flying in to Charlottesville and will arrange for someone to shuttle us.
2. We'll be bringing dehydrated veggies from Harmony House, so our resupply would only need to be snacks and carbs (noodles, instant rice, etc.).
3. I looked at the online menus for the various restaurants in SNP along the way, and the vegan options appear limited to hummus and salads. Not without their charms, but not terribly filling either.

Regarding 3, there were some pastas where you might be able to hold the cheese and an impossible burger but still you have to detour and there's only a few of them.

Throw in some bullion, maybe some dehydrated beans. You could strip out some things from quick foods like ramen for instance.

My homemade dehydrated meals are weighed at 4 oz, although 3 oz is reasonable too. If you just plan on full supply for 4-5 days, you could just bring dinner or lunch and dinner for the the last few days and fill in with snacks and such in between. Maybe up your fuel a little depending in case you need to cook anything. Have a can opener too, on a multitool or a GI one.

[JPritch]

Some of the campgrounds could probably hold a resupply for you if you dropped in and asked. The trail goes right by a few. One had a former thru hiker working at the store and he looked out for hikers (Lewis Mtn?). Also check your guide and see if any shelters are close to a road and maybe you could stash a resupply in the bear box there.

[misterblitz]

I normally section hike for 10-12 days and carry all my supplies. I've had two section hikes where I was able to resupply, but it takes a fair amount of the day, and I'd rather spend that time on the trail away from town, so I prefer to just carry the whole commissary from the beginning.