Spring at Rice Field shelter is .3 miles down a really steep hill. You loose something like 200 vertical feet just getting down there. The spring, if it can be called that, was nothing more than a trickle of water.
If going NOBO out of Pearisburg, there is a spring with good flow 2.5 miles before the shelter. If going SOBO, there is a spring with good flow at 1.6 miles before the shelter.
Do not use Rice Field spring unless you are completely out of water. Lots of silt; clogged up my filter. Had to use tablets to clean the water.
Trekking Travis