Camping on Grassy Ridge Bald, Jane Bald or Round Bald

[wornoutboots]

I'm taking a small crew over the Humps & our mileage out of Hughes Gap sets us up right around one of these bald for the end of day 1. Does anyone recall or know if there are any campsites at or around one of these balds?

Thanks!

[reverend]

Right off the AT onto Grassy Ridge. Go all the way to the end of the ridge. The trail will drop down around some rocks into a small flat saddle. Good place for a tent. A small spring is a short distance down the slope off to the left of the trail.

[Captain Blue]

Most people camp on Grassy Ridge. You'll find a ton of campsites there but it's a bit off the AT and a climb. And as mentioned there is a spring. People camp on Round Bald in the small patches of trees that you'll see. However, all of these places are exposed and would not be good places to camp in wind and/or rain. Be prepared to continue on to Stan Murray shelter. There are camping spots along the way to the shelter and at the shelter down below the treeline.

[Tennessee Viking]

Grassy Ridge summit has some camping. There is no camping allowed on Round Bald and Jane Bald last I remember due to fragile landscape.

If weather is bad, you are very exposed. And you will have to head down the ridge line toward Stan Murray&Yellow Mtn Gap

Or just put in at the Roan High Knob or Cloudland.

[scope]

Jane Bald does have a flat area around the intersection of the Grassy Ridge trail - and I think water is supposed to be available nearby. Grassy Ridge does have one medium-large gonzo campsite, as described all the way towards the end opposite where the trail comes in. As you continue past there, the trail goes down into some trees where there are some smaller places where one can camp. I suspect those small, often uneven sites are there from folks trying to get shelter from wind.

Camping on a bald is always fraught with the unexpected weather, higher winds, more exposure. A little over a mile further is a shelter and many sheltered camp spots. If you want to be closer to the car, the Roan shelter has a lot of places to camp, but it can get real windy there, too.

[illabelle]

Jane Bald does have a flat area around the intersection of the Grassy Ridge trail - and I think water is supposed to be available nearby. Grassy Ridge does have one medium-large gonzo campsite, as described all the way towards the end opposite where the trail comes in. As you continue past there, the trail goes down into some trees where there are some smaller places where one can camp. I suspect those small, often uneven sites are there from folks trying to get shelter from wind.

Camping on a bald is always fraught with the unexpected weather, higher winds, more exposure. A little over a mile further is a shelter and many sheltered camp spots. If you want to be closer to the car, the Roan shelter has a lot of places to camp, but it can get real windy there, too.

We hiked through there late Oct - early Nov 2020 on our AT Finale. Intent was to camp out on one of the balds and enjoy the night sky.

Reality was heavy fog, strong wind, cold temperatures. We blew across the balds as quickly as possible, with our heads down and our hoods up. And you're absolutely right, we hunkered down at a campsite we found among trees in a saddle between two hills. Amazing how much shelter a few small trees provide.