Virginia Outdoor Adventures | backpack, hike, paddle & more

SATURDAY HIKE
SOBO on the AT from Bears Den Hostel

Option 1: 10.1 miles, 2780 A, 3200 D – Rod Hollow Shelter

• 10 people, 3 tent pads near shelter + more on side trail.
• Picnic Pavilion, Bear Pole, Piped Spring @ shelter or large stream on side trail.

Option 2: 18.6 miles, 4520 A, 4540 D – Whiskey Hollow Shelter

• 8-10 people, loft, 3 tent sites + 1 tent platform.
• Covered porch, picnic tables, benches, cooking ledges, bear pole, water source @ creek.

Saturday Highlights:

• 9.5 miles of the AT Roller Coaster
• Buzzard Hill @ 1196.0 via 100-foot spur trail
• Paris View (meadow) @ 1206.8 – 0.4 mile E of AT via Ambassador Whitehouse Trail
• Sky Meadows State Park – beautiful open meadows with great views

SUNDAY Hike

• Repeat Saturday’s hike in the opposite direction back to Bear’s Den Hostel

FRIDAY NIGHT (optional)
Dinner @ Bear Chase Brewing Company
33665 Bear Chase Lane, Bluemont, VA 20135
540.554.8210

Overnight @ Bear’s Den Hostel
18393 Blueridge Mountain Rd, Bluemont, VA 20135
bearsdencenter.org
540.554.8708
10 bunks available or camp outside. Leave cars parked here overnight.

** This event is cross-posted with another group so we will have more attendees than what you see here.

Save the date for May'26 AT backpacking section hike. Updates will be added to this posting & more information regarding the itinerary will follow ASAP.

● AT Section: Deep Gap, NC to Fontana Dam, NC

● Mileage expected: About 81 miles is expected, ~13.5 average miles per day, which is roughly about the average total mileage for this group's week-long hikes that also include hostel stay(s) &/or time in one or more trail towns like this trip.

● Hike about 6 near-full hiking days: Sat-Thu 5/9-5/14. Travel back home on the 14th or go to Trail Days in Damascus, VA like Boujee & I & other hikers are doing.

● Itinerary (subject to change as additional research is performed):
Per FarOut (Android version; Apple will differ):
◇ Deep Gap (NC) at mile 85.2 to
◇ Fontana Dam [shelter] at about mile 166.2 = ~81 miles

At-a-glance Itinerary [ Day / To / Miles ]
Day 1, Sat / Carter Gap Shelter / 8.5mi
Day 2, Sun / Option: Grove Hostel or Tentsite NOBO mile 110.5 / ~16+-
Day 3, Mon / Cold Spring Shelter / ~14.9+-
Day 4, Tue / The NOC / 11.5
Day 5, Wed / Brown Fork Gap Shelter / 16.2
Day 6, Thu / Fontana Dam / 13.3

Direction: Northbound (NOBO)

Day: 1 | Date: Sat, 5/9:
■ Meet at Fontana Dam Visitors Center & park cars (it is ok to park there for 6 days)
■ Meet time: likely 9am but TBA -- Chris, Pam, & Matt will almost certainly stay at Fontana Dam shelter the night before, Fri, 5/8 -- all are welcome to do the same!
■ Shuttle from Fontana Dam to Deep Gap in the AM / shuttle drive time ~2 hours
· Mileage: 8.5
· Start: Deep Gap (GA) Parking Area @ mile 85.2
· End: Carter Gap Shelter @ mile 93.7, el. 4518'
· Elevation total gain/loss: 1670'/1463'
· Water: yes, downhill from old shelter site
· Privy: yes
· Shelter: yes, "8 petson"
· Tent sites: yes, "plenty of campsites"
· Trees for hammocks: yes
· Bear protection: none mentioned
· Note(s): some cell service

Day: 2 | Date: Sun, 5/10
· Mileage: ~16+-
· Elevation total gain/loss: ~3209'/3740'
· Start: Carter Gap Shelter / mile 93.7
· End: The Grove Hostel in Franklin, NC @ mi. 109.6
***OR, end at: "Tentsite & Stream" @ mi. 110.5, el. 3990';
· Water: yes, branch of Moore Creek
· Privy: no
· Shelter: no
· Tent sites: yes, "about 5"
· Trees for hammocks: yes
· Bear protection: no
· Note(s): seems like a decent amount of dead trees (Aug. '25)

Day: 3 | Date: Mon, 5/11
· Mileage: ~14.9+-
· Start: Depends (see above)
· End: Cold Spring Shelter @ mi. 125.4, el. 4920'
· Elevation total gain/loss: 4268'/3031'
· Water: yes, piped spring
· Privy: yes
· Shelter: yes, "6 person"
· Tent sites: yes, "about 6"
· Trees for hammocks: yes
· Bear protection: Food hanging cables but one commenter was not able to find them in '23
· Note(s): no mention of cell service or not

Day: 4 | Date: Tue, 5/12
· Mileage: 11.5
· Start: Cold Spring Shelter @ mi. 125.4
· End: Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) @ mi. 136.9
· Elevation total gain/loss: 1844'/5039'
· Note(s): Assume reservations needed in-advance. Alternative: Rufus Morgan Shelter (stream & provy) before the NOC @ mi. 136.1 or after the NOC at Wright Gap @ mi. 138.5 (no privy or water)

Day: 5 | Date: Wed, 5/13
Mileage: 16.2
Start: NOC @ mi. 136.9
End: Brown Fork Gap Shelter @ mi. 153.1, el. 3761'
· Elevation total gain/loss: 5787'/3753'
· Water: yes, piped spring
· Privy: yes
· Shelter: yes, "6 person"
· Tent sites: yes
· Trees for hammocks: yrs
· Bear protection: none mentioned
· Note(s): "~0.1 off the AT"; some cell service per FarOut comments

Day: 6 | Date: Thu, 5/14
· Mileage: 13.2 back to cars
· Start: Brown Fork Gap Shelter @ mi. 153.1
· End: Fontana Dam @ mi. 166.2
· Elevation total gain/loss: 2310'/4291'
· Then, head home, or, if additional hiking-related vacay preferred, on Fri-Sun, 5/15-5/17, Chris (Pyro), Pam (Boujee) & friends will be attending Trail Days! (Everyone is on their own for accommodations.)

● Shuttles, Re-Supply possibility, & Food-related: Re-supply shuttle may be an option. Those interested can split-up their food-carry & leave with at a designated service-provider/location. Any re-supply staging cost is to be split evenly among those participating; same for shuttles to start/finish. Food options in trail towns being explored.

● For each night: General intention is to sleep at relatively established areas (existing tent-sites, flowing water source, & shelters where possible) each evening large enough for a group of perhaps 10 or fewer when on-trail & one or more hostel-stays sprinkled in.

● Taking suggestions & feedback if you have anything you prefer to share as the itinerary is being crafted.

● All are at their own risk and are expected to be aware of their own capabilities for a section hike like this one. Make sure you know all of your gear, navigation, food needs, etc, and provide for yourself accordingly.

● We will need to connect with new faces to make sure they have had prior experience a section hike like this requires and is comfortable with the itinerary, etc.

● Please let us know if you have any questions.

Updates will be added to this posting & the itinerary will follow ASAP.

● AT Section: NY Route 22, Pawling, NY to NY Route 17A, Greenwood Lake, NY (SOBO)

● Mileage expected: About 78 miles is expected, ~11 average miles per day, which is roughly about the average total mileage for this group's week-long hikes that also include hostel stay(s) &/or time in one or more trail towns like this trip.

● Hike about 7 days: Sun-Sat 6/14-6/21. Travel to on 6/13, where needed, & travel back home on the 20th or 21st depending on overnight stay preference on last day.

● Shuttles, Re-Supply possibility, & Food-related: Re-supply shuttle may be an option. Those interested can split-up their food-carry & leave with a designated service-provider driver. Any re-supply staging cost is to be split evenly among those participating; same for shuttles to start/finish. Food options in trail towns being explored.

● For each night: General intention is to sleep at relatively established areas (existing tent-sites, flowing water source, and shelters where possible) each evening large enough for a group of perhaps 10 when on-trail & one or more hostel-stays sprinkled in.

● Taking suggestions & feedback if you have anything you prefer to share as the itinerary is being crafted &/or please ask any questions.

● All are at their own risk and are expected to be aware of their own capabilities for a section hike like this one. Make sure you know all of your gear, navigation, food needs, etc, and provide for yourself accordingly.

● We will need to connect with new faces to make sure they have had prior experience a section hike like this requires and is comfortable with the itinerary, etc.

● Please let us know if you have any questions.