I’ll be setting out in two weeks for my section hike this year, Damascus to Waynesboro… perhaps Harper’s Ferry. As I know there is a great deal of knowledge here I am in question as to 1. Section of trail between ‘Davis Path and Jenkins Shelters’. It is listed that no water is available until Jenkins and also a current hiker listed dried up springs… any suggestions ?
2.Is Bland or Bastian better for ressuply? or is going into the Crandon coutry store a better option?
~Thanks All…
KTR
ktr-
From what I remember (this is going without a data book and 3 yrs back) there is water at Knot Maul Shelter, no? I stayed the night there and remmeber being unsure if water would be there, but there was some water there. Then again, it had been raining a lot then. The next day I also recall being “worried” about water, though I think we found a spring just after the Chestnut Knob shelter. It was a couple miles down the AT in one of the gaps, just off trail (maybe Wright Gap?). There are other places for water in this section that are pretty gross, so take heed. The water at Davis Farm campsite where i stayed was from cow runoff, and I didn’t drink it. We were all very thirsty that night and found a few great streams the next morningn on the way to Jenkins. You’ll be fine, just play it safe and tote some xtra when you find it.
2-I believe there is nothing anymore in Bastian, so Bland is the way to go. My folks came to visit there so we had the luxury of a car which was nice since Bland is kinda, well Bland and very spread out, not your ideal town. Its one hitch to get to town where there is a IGA supermarket and restraunt, but you’ll probably need a second short hitch to the motel and Dairy Queen. I didn;t visit the store you mention. If I were to hike again, I’d resupply at the gas stations in Atkins/send a box there and then make it to Pearisburg, filling some stuff in at the store (forgot name again) 25 miles south of Pearisburg if I got short on food. The store is .6 from the trail and has snacks, showers and you can camp there. There is also a hostel just up the trail (Tilley’s?) tho I didn’t stay there.
Good luck, its a great section.
A-Train
About two miles south of Chestnut Knob Shelter is a spring-fed pond where NOBOs should get water for the shelter.
If you’re SOBO, there is water a mile-plus north of Chestnut Knob at Walker Gap, tho as I recall this one was more iffy than the spring-fed pond.
This is one of those stretches where it pays to camel-up when you get the chance, and to carry extra water. North of Walker Gap, I did not encounter any water until I got to Jenkins Shelter (stream nearby). There is supposed to be water at Davis Farm Campsite, but it’s at least a half-mile off the trail and then the water is even further.
Skyline