There are many ways to hike the AT -NOBO vs SOBO, flip flop or LASHing- but every hiker will spend a few nights under a roof, in a bed on the way. Dan and I managed about once a week to sleep inside with all the perks. Even if not officially a ‘hostel’ most places that welcome hikers offer at bare minimum shower & laundry. Most will also have loaner closets – spare, Clean clothes that hikers can wear while washing everything else. Sometimes, it’s just a campground that offers free or discounted camping for thru-hikers. Once memorable occasion, it was a drive-inn movie theatre. Each spot will have it’s own unique atmosphere based on the people who run it, do they cater only to AT hikers, and how close to the ‘bubble’ you are.
Here are the places we stayed, from south to north:
Above the Clouds, GA Around the Bend, GA* Gorgeous Stays, NC Franklin Hotel, NC Laughing Heart, TN Uncle Johnnys, TN Mountain Harbor,TN Boots Off, TN Broken Fiddle, VA Merry Hiker, VA Quarterway Inn, VA* Wood Hole, VA Angels Rest, VA* Middlecreek Campground, VA Devils Backbone Brewery Campground, VA Stanimals Waynesboro, VA Open Arms, VA Mountain Home, VA* Bears Den, VA Towns Inn, WV Zero Day, PA South Mountain Hotel, PA Ironmasters Mansion Hostel, PA* Doyle Hotel, PA Sunny Rest, PA DWG, PA/NJ Warwick Drive-In, NJ Maria’s, CT Catamount Inn, VT Inn at the Long Trail, VT Hikers Welcome, VT The Notch, NH* Libby’s House, NH Ellis Pines, ME Roadhouse of Maine, ME* Hostel of Maine, ME Shaws, ME
*My Favorite Hostels
Everybody has different taste when it comes to what you want from a hostel. On the AT the hostel vibes ran from quiet and sedate to full-on party places. Most had a balanced blend of the two, with a couple extremes. For Dan and I, we found our favorite’s tended to be clean with a good kitchen, close enough to town that we could wander or shuttle in to shop and have a meal. We also enjoyed places that had comfortable communal living space, where hikers could lounge on comfortable couches and talk, or catch up on the socials.
Roadhouse of Maine (ME): the epitome of a hikers hostel. Shuttle pick-ups and drop-off included with stay This was one of the few times we stayed in a dorm, and it was incredibly well designed-privacy curtains, charging ports, personal nightlights and fans with plenty of room to re-organize your pack. THe private rooms were small, and grouped along the hallway to the bathrooms. Downstairs was magnificent. Log cabing interior style, a huge kitchen with two fridges, tons of shelves for storage, and a massive stove, with two smaller ovens for pizzas. Living room with a TV & comfortable seating on couch for ten, and another seating area around a smaller coffee. There was also a corner bar with Another pizza oven, and a small drinks fridge (no beers on sale but the shuttles ran at hikers convenience until 8pm and would take you into town for whatever you needed). They also had a very well-stocked re-supply shop, at prices that weren’t too outrageous. Breakfast for additional fee.
Extra points: when you left in the morning, one of the ‘Jens’ would be sure to snap your polaroid and put it on the wall in the kitchen. It was really fun to find hikers we met who had already passed this way.
The Notch Hostel (NH): this hostel caters to both AT thru-hikers, and to people who are coming to New Hampshire to complete various other milestones, and casual hikers. It’s very comfortable with 4-6 bed rooms, multiple bathrooms and showers, a gorgeous dining room with good sized kitchen. There is a normal sized living room, and lots of outdoor seating, comfy hammock, and two balconies. All hiker gear is stored in a shed outback, so the inside is clean and uncrowded. It has the feeling of a well-organized BnB, with meticulous decor, and private rooms with comfortable beds. One of the private rooms has it’s own bathroom and balconey.
Extra points: You can slackpack here from Hikers Welcome which is just on the other side of Mt Moosilauke, and they offer a free slackpack when you stay two nights to help the AT hiker get over and through the Kinsman Notch, which is one of the most challenging 15 miles on the AT. They also have bikes you can take into town, which is about 15 minutes away.
Ironmasters Mansion Hostel (PA): just a few miles past the halfway point, this old mansion is a located in a state park, near the AT museum. It can sleep at least 30 people, and the private room here feels like something out of a museum with antique furniture, an enormous bed, and a private en suite bathroom. There is one caretaker running the whole thing, so self check-ins and making your own bed is part of the deal. It’s a historic building in it’s own right, and next door is a general store that has a grill which is open most of the day. It’s only a five minute walk to the lake for a swim where there is also a snack shack with limited food options. Kitchen facilities are minimal, but they do have frozen pizza and offer breakfast with coffee for a small fee.
Extra points: next door is the location of the ‘Half Gallon Challenge’ so it’s a fun spot to pass the afternoon, watching hikers coming in and eating themselves sick. There’s also a great long front porch that gives you a view of hiker’s coming into town.
Mountain Home BnB (VA): this BnB caters to thru-hikers and other tourists as well. It is less than a five minute walk off the trail, and has all the typical AT amenities – laundry, loaner clothes, showers, etc. We stayed in the shared cabin which sleeps two upstairs, two downstairs, has a shared bathroom and kitchen. The owners are a married couple and they bend over backwards to take their guests into and out of town, and give you a full tour of what Front Royal has to offer before dropping you off. The BnB itself is a beautiful, architecturally historic southern-style white building, that they have lovingly refurbished.
Bonus: when you first arrive you are welcomed with an incredibly refreshing beverage -homemade limeade or lemonade. The breakfast is here is also one of the best I had on trail. Visit the Beer Museum in town, and if you’re lucky, Kim will be working behind the bar (yes, at the museum!)
Angels Rest Hostel (VA): this is a traditional AT hostel. It used to be a caravan park, and has been given over completely to helping AT hikers. There is a very spacious bunkhouse, multiple shower and bathrooms (and a spare porta-potty or two). Down behind the bunkhouse is a hikers kitchen, with all the basics. There is also a double wide trailer that offers a private room with it’s own bathroom, a living room with couch and TV, and a full-service kitchen. Tables and hammocks are scattered around the yard, and a grocery store is a five minute walk away.
Bonus: the town of Pearisburg isn’t very big, but everything is in walking distance. This means the grocery store, the Mexican restaurant, fast food options, fantastic coffee cafe, CVS pharmacy and a decently stocked outfitters are all convenient. They offer a “Triple Zero” badge, as many hikers wind up staying an extra day or two.
Quarterway Inn (VA): this was probably my favorite hostel – the location, atmosphere and breakfast were all fantastic. The dorms upstairs can house about 15 hikers, with two ‘private rooms’ separated by a curtain from the main dorm. There is also a full private room with a bed and a door, next to the upstairs bathroom. Downstairs is a large living room full of gaes, books and musical instruments. The hiker kitchen has a pizza oven and microwave, just enough to feed hungry hikers. There is no nearby town, but they keep enough on hand at the in-house resupply store & fridge. It’s 3/4 of a mile off the trail, in a rural part of Southern Virginia. The owners are very welcoming, and breakfast is hearty and healthy. A beautiful front porch with rocking chairs, and an enormous sycamore with hammocks completes the relaxing vibe.
Bonus: Tina, the owner, is the creator of the famous Appalachian trail necklace. An excelelnt souvenuir of the trail.
Around the Bend (GA): for many hikers this is one of the first hostels they stay at. It is close to Clayton and Hiawassee, with free shuttles into town as well as pick-up and drop-off from the trail. Another family style hostel, the dorms here are 4-6 twin beds in a room. A separate building has two private rooms that share a shower. In the main house, there are two bathrooms and a full kitchen for hikers who head to town, rather than having a frozen pizza. A living room with enormous picture windows looks out over the property, and there is a large firepit in the back that the staff will light up every night.
Bonus: there is a very well-stocked resupply here, with wide variety of food as well as gear. Gordon the owner is knowledgable and passion about his products and doesn’t gouge the AT hiker the way some larger in-town outfitters do.
And there you have it. For short descriptions on the rest of the hostels we stayed at, follow this link:
Dancing along the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, the Smoky mountains dominate the landscape. A perpetual fog hovers above them, which is how they got their name. It’s one of the most visited national parks, and as such, we needed a permit for hiking and were only allowed to camp at designated sites. The shelters were quite busy, as all the hikers bunched up.
The trail goes along the ridge, and the change is immediately noticeable. Instead of sleeping wintery maple trees, we were walking through pine forests and beech trees. The ground underfoot became rockier and a carpet of delicate white flowers bloomed on the ground. We started seeing deer in the early morning beside the trail.
Our mileage dropped off, as the climbs became more demanding and the trail showed more wear and tear, slowing our pace. Clingsmans Dome was a particularly challenging hike. The AT wound up to the top, where there was a sudden inundation of car tourists. An Observation tower built in the 1950’s provides a sweeping 360 degree view. When we got there, a fellow thru-hiker was sitting at the foot of the tower, he pointed us to the 200 mile mark and took our photo.
200 miles and the Observation Tower in the background
We camped that evening near a shelter that was deep in the pine woods at the foot of the Dome. There were hikers everywhere and the bear hang was quite full. I had a good laugh when I noticed that someone had decided to hang their entire pack, rather than just the food bags.
The next day we reached Newfound Gap, which is roughly halfway through the Smoky Mountains. Lots of hikers left from here to go into Gatlinburg for resupply and a rest. A surprisinng number of them never came back. The last few days had been challenging and very, very cold. Walking out of the gap, we were treated to some of the most spectacular scenery yet. A narrow trail went along the ridge with views to the east and west.
Hiking at 5900 feet
Our last night in the Smoky’s we arrived at Cosby Knob camp and were told a hiker who had arrived earlier had seen a bear come running down the trail, straight through camp. By the time we had pitched our tent, it was so busy that no one was too worried about bears.
It was a drizzly morning as we left the mountains, heading down to the Davenport Gap. Here we found more trail magic, on an epic scale. A church group from Tennessee was doing their once a year trail magic BBQ. There was a canopy set up to keep the rain off, camping chairs, and steak. After freezing cold days and many rehydrated meals, this was a real treat! And tomorrow, we would be in Hot Springs with a day off to relax.
After the zero day in Franklin, it was time to hit the trail again. Dan had scheduled three nights to reach the Smoky Mountains, where we would be hiking at our highest elevations so far. The days getting there had their own challenges.
First up was the hike to the NOC (Nantahala Outdoor Center) which the trail goes directly through. The descent down to the river valley was notoriously steep, with an actual, walk-in-the-door-off-the-trail, restaurant at the bottom. The weather forecast was not looking good, and many of the other hikers were planning to wait it out at the Wesser Bald shelter just before the descent.
We decided to push on rather than take a wait for the weather all day. The view from the top was a sweeping vista with mountains hovering on the horizon. At first, the trail dropped very steeply and suddenly along a narrow path. After the first half mile, it levelled out and became more reasonable.
Flamingo fabulous in retro caravan
That night we stayed at Gorgeous Stays; more than just a hostel, the owner Elena has taken several forms of transportation and turned each into a camper with it’s own theme. There’s a red double decker bus with a Harry Potter theme, a small caravan with flamingo’s, a canine cabin, and several more. Laundry, loaner clothes, and small self-serve kitchen were available.
The next day the storm hit, and the other hikers at Gorgeous stays took a break from walking. Except Dan, he went out into the storm and made the arduous climb out of NOC. I chose to linger in our flamingo themed caravan and wash some laundry. When I joined him after the rain, it was still misty and mysterious, but no longer pouring rain.
We continued on towards Fontana Dam. The shelter on the lake there is known as ‘The Hilton’ because it is more protected from the eements, has hot showers, and a great view of the lake. If it were a real Hilton, the view alone would be worth an extra 100 dollars.
‘Fontana Hilton’ on the lake
As we were packing up our tent and heading to the Next Big Climb (4200 feet over 11 miles) we realised it was Easter Sunday. The climb from Fontana Dam to the Mollies Ridge Shelter is the first real haul – but worth every step. As we climber higher the lake spread out below us sparkling in the bright spring sun.
When we got to Mollies Dan and I found the busiest shelter we seen since Hawks Shelter, with easily 20 people. A lot had taken 1 or even 2 days off, waiting for the weather to improve, so it had created a bubble of hikers. Everyone was in a good mood – it had been a beautiful sunny day, and we had entered the Smokies!
Every Northbound (NOBO) hiker on the Appalachian trail starts at Springer Mountain in Georgia. Getting to Springer via car is a logistical nightmare on back country roads, so most hikers start from Amicalola Falls. This adds 8 miles to the 2,198.4 mile journey, but is considered the better option.
We signed in at the ranger’s station on March 24, took our first AT photo under the iconic arch, and then climbed the stairs past the flowing waterfalls to the lodge where we stayed the night. From our warm bed we watched the lightning playing across the sky and the rain beating against the windows. Tomorrow’s weather was predicted to be dry and sunny.
The ‘official’ AT arch, at the start of the approach trail
The beginning of the AT is infamous for being one of the most difficult parts of the trail, mostly because of its many (and constant) climbs. There is no time to change gears from going up, then down a hill. In retrospect, it’s not that hard. Most of us simply weren’t trail fit yet. The hikers who were, sped ahead never to be seen again.
Blood Mountain is the first real peak and of the hikers who make it this far, roughly 30% call it quits at this point. Much more challenging than Springer Mountain, the climb up the backside is gradual and easy, but coming down it’s a boulder-filled knee-jarring descent. Happily, the first outdoor shop, Mountain Crossings, is on the other side of the mountain with frozen pizzas, shake-down’s to eliminate extra weight, and cabins.
View from the northern side of Blood Mountain
View from the northern side of Blood Mountain
By this point we had been on the trail for 4 nights, and had met enough people that there was a reunion-like feeling seeing familiar faces at the picnic tables outside the store. There are more hikers on the trail at this point than any other time. Everyone is fresh, excited, and eager for the journey – regardless of whether they are prepared or not.
We were well-prepared, but that night, the temperatures hovered just above freezing. Dan and I had pitched the tent in Swaim Gap, a mile past Mountain Crossings. It was early spring, so the trees were bare, and we were on a ridge. Throughout the night, I would hear the wind roaring, a sound similar to ocean waves, and would brace myself, anticipating the cold as it cut through our tent, taking the warmth of our bodies with it.
Home for half a year – Big Agnes in the cold Georgia spring
The days settled into a rhythm. From Mtn Crossings it would be three days to get to Hiawassee & Clayton. There was a hostel there called ‘Around the Bend’ that will pick hikers up from the trailhead for free, if you’re staying with them. The Outfitter 76 in Clayton also runs a free shuttle from the trailhead to town. For many hikers, this is the first stop for laundry, a hot meal, and beer. (For a full of overview of the hostels we stayed at follow the link: )
Leaving the hostel, it was a drippy, misty morning. Some of the hikers decided to stay an extra day to avoid the weather, but Dan and I were on a schedule (dur to his six month visa), and anyway, it wasn’t raining that hard. We were rewarded with a break in the weather, a wide open empty trail, and the peaceful quietude that settles over woods after the rain. We were excited, in the next couple days we would cross our first state line and pass the 100 mile mark.
Everyone talked about how difficult Georgia was, and apparantly North Carolina was supposed to be much easier. Instead, we were welcomed by three STEEP climbs that came fast and quick. It was a windy day and the struggle to stay upright with a full pack was real. That evening at the Muskrat Shelter, every hiker was exhausted and a bit ticked-off by the hype that NC would be easier. It did Not get easier.
First state border !
The next two days to Franklin were marked by steeper ascents, continued misty weather, and a noticeable decrease in the number of hikers. ‘Tramilies’ were forming – trail families, groups of hikers who would begin and end the day together, catch up at lunch and any other milestones during the day.
Finally, we were on the last approach to the Winding Stair Gap. The day before we had walked 16 miles, so the 12 miles to the gap should have been easy. The continued cold and misty weather, the relentless ups and downs (a theme of the trail), and the expectation of a warm bed and a zero-mile day tomorrow made it seem exceptionally long. Additionally, the shuttle only ran three times a day so there was an urgency to the hike.
Dan having his first PBR
On reaching the gap, there was a pleasant surprise – our first trail Magic! Trail Magic is when a charitable individual or group spends the day at a trailhead, road crossing, or park along the AT with treats for thru hikers. Usually this is sodas & snacks. Sometimes, a BBQ and beers. This time, it was donuts, chips, soda and PBR’s courtesy of a thru hiker from 2017 named ‘Lucky’. He had brought his RV and spent the cold rainy day handing out treats and drinks. By the time we got there, he was finishing up and offered to take us into town.
After what felt like weeks (but was actually only 10 nights), we had reached Franklin.
