Overnight hike suggestions

[Kilroy]

Does anyone have good suggestions for an overnight loop hike in northern VA? I'll be going over the July 4th weekend, and would prefer to avoid crowds. I also don't need an actual campground, this will be backcountry/stealth camping.

 

[fnfalsar48]

Use this website to pick out a place to go. http://www.hikingupward.com/

 

[Norton]

Does anyone have good suggestions for an overnight loop hike in northern VA? I'll be going over the July 4th weekend, and would prefer to avoid crowds. I also don't need an actual campground, this will be backcountry/stealth camping.

All three of those parameters are incongruous.

 

[outrider58]

Powerline right of ways can be good but a) not a circuit b) may not be legal(real stealth hiking/camping but hey, no crowds.

 

[rseymorejr]

not a circuit but have you considered part of the Appalachian trail?

 

[dontpanic]

not a circuit but have you considered part of the Appalachian trail?

The Appalachian trail is packed this time of year. If you want to get away from people, DO NOT go there.

 

[outrider58]

The Appalachian trail is packed this time of year. If you want to get away from people, DO NOT go there.

Pretty much everything legal(established) is. No getting away from the hordes around hear, especially on a summer holiday weekend. Garrett Co. has some real fine b.packing trails. Just gotta be wary of bears. Always burn your food scraps/containers etc.

 

[rabidravens]

I use this website quite a bit.

http://www.midatlantichikes.com/

 

[dontpanic]

I use this website quite a bit.

http://www.midatlantichikes.com/

Thanks for that site. Just added it to my favorites.

 

[Kilroy]

not a circuit but have you considered part of the Appalachian trail?

I will one of these days, but I'm pretty sure there will be thousands of people on that trail next weekend, and non-existant trailhead parking. Does anyone know how the other state/national parks fare? Prince William Forest perhaps?

 

[fnfalsar48]

Go the the GW forest not any of the parks. Plus you don't have to pay to get in.

 

[Norton]

The Appalachian trail is packed this time of year. If you want to get away from people, DO NOT go there.

I was on two sections of the AT this week and in neither case ran across another two-legged creature.

 

[mopar92]

I was on two sections of the AT this week and in neither case ran across another two-legged creature.

To be fair you prolly need binoculars to be able to see the little peons so far below.

 

[Norton]

To be fair you prolly need binoculars to be able to see the little peons so far below.

We did meet a nice 60-something couple who had hiked up the opposite side of Peaks of Otter only to find that they had walked twice as far as us.

I think my MDShooters shirt and my BCM hat may have put them off a little…in addition to my otherwise somewhat imposing attributes.

 

[nedsurf]

If you want a marked trail with less people than the AT on a summer holiday weekend, go to the Tuscarora trail. I don't know how to make this a loop other than with the AT.
If you want some real backcountry, make the drive out to Dolly Sods. Bring a map and compass as they do not blaze the trails out there anymore and there is minimal trail maintenance. Please don't get lost and/or injured.

 

[Kilroy]

Beginning in August of 1943, the military used the area for maneuvers and mountain training for World War II. Many of the artillery and mortar shells shot into the area for practice still exist. In 1997, a highly trained crew surveyed the trail locations and known campsites for shells. They found 15, some of which were still live. All were exploded on site. Many more may exist and they are dangerous. Since it is impossible to survey every acre of the wilderness, we ask that you stay on existing trails and use existing campsites.

Dolly Sods looks beautiful, but there's a tiny UXO hazard...

 

[dontpanic]

I was on two sections of the AT this week and in neither case ran across another two-legged creature.

I was on the AT around the MD/WV border two weeks ago. It was like 695 at rush hour. Met a lot of nice people and my kids got to pet a lot of dogs.

 

[Norton]

I was on the AT around the MD/WV border two weeks ago. It was like 695 at rush hour. Met a lot of nice people and my kids got to pet a lot of dogs.

Yeah, that area is insane up there because of its easy accessibility to the highway. We were down in SNP.