I would like to know if anyone has any suggestions for good places to zero. I know the word “Good” is subjective, but feel free to include any place that you find to be “good” to zero at for any reason. Also, if you could include how many days you zero’ed, or came close to it (meaning only a few miles into town or whatever), that would help.
Thanks!
C-Giddy
Good Zero’s? Good question
Took zero’s at Fontana, Hot Springs, Miss janets/erwin, Damascus, Waynsboro and Manchester Center VT.
Hot Springs, Erwin (miss J’s), Damascus were all good zero days, which much stuff in close walking distance, good for rest and being efficient with chores.
Kincorra is another good one i did not take advantage of.
No place else I can think of where I really wanted to take a zero off at except of course at a shelter.
zero day at shelter= no money spent, lots of rest and more time spent in the woods. How can you lose?
A-Train
If you want a zero after about 5-7 days depending on how fast you’re hiking, Hiawassee is nice. A 2-3 day’s farther and the NOC is ok, though expensive and you could do some rafting on your day off if you don’t mind the icy water. After these two A-Trains list looks good.
Nooga
To add to Nooga’s list, rather then stay at the NOC, get a ride into Bryson City. I had a great zero in this little town with just a little money spent. Plus witht the several inches of snow that had fallen the night before and the next day it was a welcome relief to have a warm room to stay in. I agree with him on the stay in Hiawassee (although somewhat expensive) Hot Springs was cool, as was Erwin (but a long walk to and from places, rides came pretty easy however without even sticking out a thumb) And my very favorite was a zero in Unionville New York. They let you stay for free in the city park. Great little town.
Good luck and have fun.
SweetAss
Zeros were kinda part of my HYOH philosophy. I used them in two ways, First was to take a break in town…rest up, clean up, eat up, resupply and call home. I didn’t eat all that well on the Trail and I loved eating all day in town.
Second was weather. There were times when I happened to be in town and it was pouring rain and/or snowing in the hills. Rather than hike out that next day I’d take a “double zero.” As a result I was lucky and never got caught in a snow storm and only one bad thunder storm.
I also used zeros to visit the internet at the libraries, take a dip in the motel pools, do a little site seeing and I can’t forget the most important one…a visit from my wife.
All the towns A-Train mentioned were nice. Monson, Gorham, North Woodstock were great stops up north. I liked Hanover but it’s not exactly what some consider “hiker friendly.”
I liked Bennington VT for a zero. Great low priced hiker friendly motel with a pool (Autumn Inn) and in town I enjoyed a free visit to the Hemmings Motor News visitor center. They had all kinds of neat antique vehicles and memorabelia with a full time guide that let you look in the vehicles. The town also had a great ice cream.
Now some think zeros and towns take away from the wilderness experience. To me they enhanced the hike. I always looked forward to getting back on the Trail and felt refreshed doing so after a zero or two. Believe it or not, I always felt better hiking out of town (even climbing hills with a full pack) than I did going in. Just me.
Skeemer
Good question, but the answer is highly subjective.
All things considered equal, I’d suggest NOC and so some white water. Ditto for Carratunk. Damascus, with Trail Days and rent a mountain bike for the rail trail there. Harpers Ferry, for the Civil War history, and a quick trip to DC. Bear Mountain, for a quick trip to the big apple. Hanover. Gorham, for a rest day after the Whites. Monson, for the last stop before the 100 Miles.
And, that’s not to say that it’s not nice to just sit and relax at other places also, including Hot Springs, Erwin, or what about Upper Goose Pond?
Peaks
Upper Goose Pond, in Mass., is a great place to take a “0”.
Nice pond to swim in and take a canoe ride. It’s not far from town and it’s an easy hitch.
It’s a nice cabin with bunks, a fire place and a kitchen.
Pancakes and coffee for breakfast and the best part is it only costs $3.00 a night.
Grampie-N->2001:)
Grampie
Nothing I do in life is a zero… I prefer to call them Hero days. Rather than plan where to hero why don’t you just hike and let your body tell you where to stop. I went to a few concerts… stayed on islands when my body ached so bad… didn’t feel like leaving the motel to go back to the trail because it was raining and the next day day was suppose to be beautiful… decided to stay with mrs. tillie another day because she is a sweet woman…
aswah
go with the flow…
aswah
Slang for Zero in my little world. I’d have zero’d my ass off in Hot Springs if I’d had any money. Working for stay at Elmers was cool. Was it 3 or 4 days I spent there? The French broad (is that the right name?) is a beautiful river, I’ve got only good memories of that place.
Ross
Ross
60 plus zero days for me. Best place for me was Gatlinburg or anywhere there was a Bar or an Aswah.
Chef
Of the 188 day it took me to get from Springer to Katahdin, 26 were zero days. I did not always know when they were going to happen. Weather was often related, as was the need to push calories.
In case you don’t know who “Mrs Tillie” is, she is the wonderful “proprietor” of Woodshole Hostel, about 10 miles south of Pearisburg, VA. Yes, it is a great place!
Also, Palmerton, PA is a great place to stop. The “jailhouse hostel” is on the same block as the grocery, the ice cream shop, the diner, and the library, with free internet access. I thought it was the friendliest town on the Trail.
And, don’t forget the Doyle, in Duncannon, PA. And, it is right on the Trail!
cobra
Best places to zero are Kincora and Damascus. Kincora because Bob and Pat Peoples are great people and you will learn alot about the trail from Bob. You might also get to taste Seiko’s cooking. Damascus because…well, it’s just about the only place I would rather be besides the trail itself. Happy Hiking!!!
Just Jim
As a section hiker, I can only relate up to Pennsylvanina.
I really liked Helen Ga.,NOC, Kincora, Woodshole is a must,Damascus, Hot Springs if you stay at Elmers?, and 4 Pines!
that’s it so far…
moonman
The Church of the Mountain was a nice place to zero.
Bakery and pizza/pasta nearby. Outfitter with a shuttle
to laundry, library and mall. Concert on Sunday night.
Just lucked out and pulled in Sat. afternoon for a Monday
maildrop. Did I mention cheap mini-golf?
I also liked Duncannon, Vernon NJ and Kent, CT.
Haven’t been everywhere yet.
In Duncannon I pulled in just before two days rain, so I
waited it out. The porch monkeys at the Doyle are a hoot!
Bring cash.
In Vernon there were July 4th fireworks, internet access,
pizza delivery and BK, bakery nearby, laundry on-site, full
kitchen and a phone to use if you have a phone card. Campmor
and NYC are doable. No bunks, but the color cable TV and
rockers/recliners were sweet! (The floor is flat)
Kent was a nice break on a near 100 degree day. Bakery,
library, outfitter, restaurants, grocery, etc. An angel
named Dawn let a dozen hikers use her guest house and made
an enormous spaghetti dinner for everyone. Very cool!
If you go to the right places, you can have a good zero in
any town, or on the trail, too.
Palmerton, PA was nice too. Not to mention the Mennonite’s
picnic(fantastic food/drink/company) in Port Clinton, PA.
HYOH.
Scamp
Scamp
Im planning on taking 3 days off the trail in Hot Springs. Still going to be sleeping in my Hammock but Im going to spend two days rafting followed by there wonderful package that includes a steak dinner, 2 hours soaking in hot spring, and a 1 hour massage. Then back to the trail to set up camp for a day and just kinda chill.
Digital Ranger
There are some great places that you probably will want to take a zero. There is one problem with planned zeros. And that is you might not want to zero at that point or not like the place. It’s all mental. Decide on where to take your zeros when you are out there. It will give you a lot more freedom. If you are really digging a place, take a zero. If you aren’t happy, push on till you get somewhere you are happy to zero. We took a couple of really stupid zeros (Hike Inn before the smokeys was a terrible zero, as was the Village Motel). We should have planned better. Our best zeros were at Kincora (and doing trail maintence with Bob) and Damascus. Too bad they are so close together. I think we took a week off total between the two. Good friends and good times.
Gravity Man
Gravity Man
My thoughts - use a seven-day resupply rotation. Walk six days and then zero on the seventh for rest and resupply.
If you can afford it, factor in a Hostel sleepover once every 2-3 weeks and factor in the extra cost to your budget.
Brutus
Brutus, it may average out to one zero in seven days, but most thru-hikers don’t work that way. Most take a day or two off at a place that is interesting to them. As Gravity Man posted, maybe to help Bob Peoples with his trail work, then maybe again in Damascus, rather than take every Sunday off no matter where you are.
Peaks