Slackpacking Virginia: Our All-Women Guided Hikes

Posted: Tuesday, May 30, 2023

At nearly 550 miles, the Appalachian Trail through Virginia is the longest section of the trail. Many thru-hikers–people who attempt to hike the entire 2,200-mile length of the AT in one season, experience something called the “Virginia Blues” as they hike north through this state. Hiking for over a month without crossing a state line can feel wearisome after crossing through Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

Virginia is a state that many thru-hikers try to get through as quickly as possible, both due to the long miles and forgiving terrain, but as I hiked through, I took the time to admire my surroundings. From the Grayson Highlands to the rolling hills of the Shenandoahs, Virginia is a gorgeous state along the AT. As I hiked among wild ponies and through rhododendron tunnels, I made many mental notes about sections to return to. It just so happens that the two trips we offer in Virginia are also my top two favorite sections of the state. 

And since you visit Virginia later in the year, you’ll get to enjoy something I didn’t on my northbound thru-hike: beautiful fall colors and mild temperatures.

The only thing that I would have added to my experience along this section, would have been more stops in town to keep the blues at bay. No one appreciates a hot meal and a warm bed to sleep in more than a thru-hiker, and with our slackpacking trips, you get to enjoy the best of both worlds!

What is Slackpacking?

“Slackpacking” describes a style of hiking, during which you carry only what you need for the day. When you’re unburdened by the added weight of a shelter, days’ worth of food, and other overnight essentials, you can travel light, fast, and knock out the miles you’ve been dreaming about for years.

Our slackpacking trips give you the best of both worlds: enjoying the independence of carrying everything you need for a day trip into the wilderness, while also being able to hike unburdened as we cover 10-15 miles a day. At the end of each day, we return to a nearby trail town, where we enjoy the creature comforts of civilization: a real bed, hot shower, and a cooked meal!

We currently offer two slackpacking trips along the Virginia section of the AT, and in my opinion, they’re two of the best sections of the entire state. As you hike, you’ll see some of Virginia’s most gorgeous, and memorable sections: the Shenandoahs, trail towns like Damascus, and the Grayson Highlands, where wild ponies wander the rocky hills (and might even approach you for a snack!)

Slackpacking Virginia

On this slackpacking trip, you’ll cover over 50 miles of the AT in daily hikes that range from 8 miles in the beginning of the trek, to 13 miles towards the end of our trip together, once you’ve gotten your trail legs under you.

Damascus is easily one of thru-hiker’s favorite trail towns. It’s a community that fully embraces the tradition of long-distance hiking and is very welcoming to hikers. It’s so welcoming, in fact, that it hosts something called “Trail Days” every May, where hikers of previous years mix with those on their way north or south in a weekend festival.

Even when Trail Days isn’t happening, Damascus is a lovely town to stop in, and on this trip, you’ll return to it each day: by shuttle, and then by the end of your trip, on your own two feet! The AT routes right through Damascus, so you’ll know what it feels like to walk into town after a long day of hiking. But first, you have to get there.

Along the way, you’ll enjoy:

  • A warm bed & hot meal every night in the iconic trail town of Damascus, Virginia

  • Hiking among wild pony herds, amazing vistas, beautiful mountain streams, and fall foliage

  • Taking in some of the AT’s most iconic landmarks, like Rhododendron Gap, Buzzard Rock, and The Scales

Since Virginia offers so many gorgeous miles of trail, we couldn’t help but offer a second trip to a different, and equally iconic section. 

Slackpacking Harper’s Ferry

This slackpacking trip covers the 60 miles of northern Virginia between Chester Gap and Harper’s Ferry, the “spiritual” halfway point of the Appalachian Trail and an iconic stop for all thru-hikers heading north or south along the AT. 

Walking into Harper’s Ferry was one of the most memorable parts of the trail for me. It was where I truly felt I was making progress after hundreds of miles through Virginia, and where I got to take part in a longstanding Appalachian Trail tradition: At the ATC headquarters here, thru-hikers will stop in, register their hikes, and have their photo taken outside the building. 

The photo that’s taken gets signed with both the hiker’s trail name and real name, and is placed in a binder alongside other hikers’ photos, where they remain in an archive that visitors can look through. This practice started in 1979, when ATC staff member Jean “Trail Mom” Cashin used a Polaroid camera to take a record of passing long-distance hikers at the sign by the front door of the building. 

Over time, this became the time-honored tradition that it is today. When you are in Harper’s Ferry, be sure to stop in at the headquarters and flip through the binders! But first, you have to get there. 

Along the way, you’ll:

  • Enjoy the beautiful vistas over the Shenandoah Valley

  • Hike the infamous "roller coaster" - 13.5 miles of ups and downs

  • Learn the role that this area played in the Civil War

  • Experience spacious solitude at the Blue Mountain Retreat 

All meals and shuttles to and from the trailhead are included in our slackpacking itineraries, so the only thing you have to do is walk, and enjoy your surroundings.

 

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