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I am going to spend a week in SNP at the end of June. Does anyone out there have hammocking experience in the park? I am going with my 3 kids. My son still likes to tent it though. My 2 daughters and I will be using our HH's.
We are going to do some on the AT and some loops. Suggestions are appreciated. How are the skeeters & ticks?
Im near by and am gonna recon the park soon ill let you know what i find out as well as monitor this thread for info
I'm up there all the time. I never had a problem hanging but I never have camped in a designated camp ground. If you camping wilderness style you will be fine.
lots of hammock-friendly backcountry options, as for their commercial campgrounds, there are campsites that have trees you can hang from--but if the site is taken, then you may end up having to use your car as a tree.
SNP is a great park...lots of great trails (off the beaten path) with great camping and we've had a lot of precipitation this past fall/winter into spring so the water will be great at least thru the early summer! be sure to hang your food!!
there are plenty of other loop options using the AT as little as possible if you're looking for some solitude. but if youre looking for AT, there is plenty of it too.
Skeeters arent too bad of a problem unless youre near some stagnant water, but i have found the biting flies rather irritating--thats why i carry i headnet.
however, TICKS are apart of the SNP experience. their intensity varies from year to year but they are always out in the summer. be sure to spray daily and check yourself and loved ones, especially if youre bringing a happy dog.
great loops off the AT: (parking along skyline drive) N & S fork Moorman River loop, Big Run Portal loop, whiteoak falls/cedar run loop, rocky mount loop, wildcat falls loop, jeremy's run just to name a few. check out hikingupward.com and midatlantichikes.com
happy trails brother!
I personally dont have experiance hangging in SNP but last summer we sectioned hike the whole A T in the park. several thru hikers were hanging with no problem. Ticks were terrible, sketters no so much.
I highly recommend white oak canyon. It might be too much for the young ones to do a whole loop (many steep switchbacks), but you can make an easy trip to the first and second falls and there is a primitive campsite before the trail begins coming from the road (not the at trailhead).
Park at the lot. To the left 50 yards from the lot is a great clearing for camp, and has a fire ring. To the right is the beautiful trail.
Btw. The whole trip I hung and had no problem hanging.
Hike in from the bottom of the trail it's much easier if you have kids and a shorter hike to the falls. Many opportunities for camp in the lower area as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by Deadphans
I sectioned hiked SNP a few years ago and was able to hang at every AT shelter I stopped at. IMHO its a good hike to do with kids cause every so often you will pass campgrounds where you can wash up in the bath rooms and such. As for the designated campsites or loop trails I do not have any experience with those so no input from me sorry. But the AT section that runs through the park is very nice, its certainly not easy but by no means the hardest section Ive hiked either.
Thanks for the input on hanging and bugs. I have heard that ticks can be pretty bad. I think we will leave our pet lab at home for this trip. We are getting pumped thinking about it. We have some warm up weekend trips planned in P.A. leading up to it.