Rocky Run Shelter - MD

[Former Admin]

Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - Rocky Run Shelter

Past/Present hikers - what can future hikers expect here? Have any good stories or memories from here?

Future hikers - any questions?

[Jumpstart]

This shelter was pretty small, one of the older ones, you can't sit upright in it without smacking your head. But it does have a really nice cooking/kitchen area with benches, and a great porch swing, and afew tenting spots. Good place to shoot for if you are coming out of Harpers Ferry and want an easy day...

[Mini-Mosey]

Ah, Rocky Run will always have a special place in my heart because it was where I went on my very first backpacking experience!! That was in March, 2000. I was over-packed, wrongly-packed, and thought I'd die when I started up the hill from Crampton Gap.(I forgot the name of that state park) I only went 5 miles and it started to rain with thunder and lightning. I met some other guys on the way and then stopping by the shelter and they knew I was new at this game, as I asked them some questions and definitely looked the novice! Like I said, the shelter was only a 5-mile hike but quite enough for me!! I survived it, learned from it as I have continued to do on all of my subsequent backpacking trips.

[Mini-Mosey]

I forgot to add that the water source was awesome-plenty of water strongly flowing through a pipe . I haven't been to this shelter for a couple of years or so, maybe longer, but back then the water source was great.

[Ezra]

Nice location. Large tent area. half mile north is a campsite with hot showers. I would stay at Rocky Run again. I remember a small memorial in memory of John Denver there, it was shortly after his death that I was at Rocky Run.

[Papa Bear]

Here's a shot of Rocky Run Shelter.

Here's one showing the flowing spring.

And here's one of that renowned wooden swing.

Pb

[FlyPaper]

Was there in October 2004.

Stopped here early in the afternoon of a short day. Beautiful location with a great water source. It is obviously maintained by people who care. It has a nice porch area with some outdoor furniture ready and waiting.

[texashiker]

There are campsites up the hill across from the shelter. If it is going to rain it is worth the walk up the hill. There is room for about 5 tents. There is a fire pit also.

[glessed]

What a joy! There are about 5 tent pads up the hill from the shelter. Also have fire pits. Moss is growing in the immediate area and the tenting area is really fantastic. Much cooler than at the shelter.

I was the only one there on August 8th. I highly recommend this location. If you are going North, I recommend that you stay here before making the 2 mile climb getting to the top of the ridge again.

[Programbo]

>>>Good place to shoot for if you are coming out of Harpers Ferry and want an easy day...<<<

I always used to do Pine Knob<->Weaverton Shelter or Sandy Hook(Back when there was a shelter there) so I never stayed at Rocky Run on any of my trips..Once I started cheating and just stayed on the hard top road all the way down Lambs Knoll I never even used to go past it..But the few times I did stop there it was a very nice quiet little shelter

[Mini-Mosey]

I must have missed those tent pads at the top of the hill. There was a sign that read "Campsites on Ridge" and I went up there but I didn't notice tent pads up there, just moss and rocks. I stayed at the camping area just down from the shelter before you go up the hill. I really enjoyed the swing as I was drinking my coffee the next morning!! But unfortunately, I was disappointed that not only was there some trash strewn around that camping area(which has a couple of fire pits)but bits of broken glass.

[Mini-Mosey]

I was just there Thursday night-Friday morning.

[glessed]

[QUOTE=Mini-Mosey]I must have missed those tent pads at the top of the hill. There was a sign that read "Campsites on Ridge" and I went up there but I didn't notice tent pads up there, just moss and rocks....

The Tent Pads are up to the right of the "moss and rocks". (A little higher on the ridge).

[Mini-Mosey]

Thanks, Glessed, I'll check them out when I get up that way again.

[knicksin2010]

Stopped here for lunch coming out of HF because I wanted to see this swing (very cool). I wouldn't want to be stuck sleeping in there though

[Crash]

It was great in the cold winter because its so small and has a low ceiling & the entrance had a tarp to keep out the wind.
Ya really want to be out in the open in one of them new Hiltons being rained or snowed on?
I like the old shelters like this one,

[EarlyBird2007]

Camped there last Friday night (9-1-06) with 4 others, 3 of them southbound thru-hikers. It's a mighty small shelter, only about 4 feet tall at the front. We were there during Ernesto, and there was a small leak. This one could stand to be expanded or replaced. The swing is nice, and so is the outside eating area. Couldn't use the latter, since it was pouring. Good spring too.

[Crash]

If it's expanded or replaced then more will go there.
Don't do it!

[MacYoda]

We just put a new cedar roof on the shelter, removing 3 layers of asphalt shingles in the process. In the early spring of 2007, we will jack up the shelter and replace the bottom back log - it is rotten. Then my understanding is in 2007, a new additional shelter will be built nearby, holding about 12 hikers. The original, by the way, is CCC built, around 1940.

MacYoda

[EarlyBird2007]

We just put a new cedar roof on the shelter, removing 3 layers of asphalt shingles in the process. In the early spring of 2007, we will jack up the shelter and replace the bottom back log - it is rotten. Then my understanding is in 2007, a new additional shelter will be built nearby, holding about 12 hikers. The original, by the way, is CCC built, around 1940.

MacYoda

That section of the AT gets a lot of traffic. The old roof leaked. An additional shelter is a good idea too. Get ready for some objections from the purists.