I need to find a place to park my vehicle for a week in Bland, Va. The owner of the Big Walker Motel wasn’t excited about me parking there. Any suggestions.
Bilko
Section Parking
system
#2
There is a place to park north of Bland before you get to Bastain. It is next to I-77 where the AT crosses. Not sure how safe that is. Maybe someone else knows about that area.
DayTripper
system
#3
Last June, I was hiking the section from Damascus to Pearisburg and left my car parked at the Bland-Bastion I-77 trail crossing. The folks at Mt Rogers Outfitters were shuttling me back to VA 603 at Fox Creek and showed me the parking spot. It was right adjacent to the trail where the AT comes out of the woods at the south end of the highway crossing and interchange. I think the road there is actually VA52, or something. There’s room for about 4 cars, maybe 6 if squeezed, and it’s right alongside the road/street and visible to plain sight. I’m not sure if that’s good - or bad - as far as vandals bothering it; but my big old Mercury Grand Marquis with it’s Texas license plates was there for 6 nights without being bothered at all.
While I’m sectioning, I always try to leapfrog my car north and hike towards the car. Whenever possible, I like to park it as close as I can get to the trail crossing.
Hope this will help you with your hike and planning. By the way, MRO in Damascus did my shuttling south of there and Bill Gautier from the Pearisburg hostel did my shuttling north of Bland/Bastion. Fine service from both.
Happy Trails,
Capt. Bly
Capt. Bly
system
#4
Cpt. Bly. Thanks for that information. I will be hiking basically the same section. However, I will start at 19E (Roan Mountain, TN). I have already found a shuttle, the people from Relax Inn (I-81, Groseclose Exit) will pick me up and drive me to Roan Mountain. I hike back to my car as well, after being told by a former shuttler that I didn’t smell good enough to ride in his truck, and that was in the back of his truck. He drove me anyway.
Bilko