Date: 2003-10-21
To: Trail Towns
Miles today: 0.0

I visited more towns than I planned to for these reasons:1)        Hitching was easier than expected.2)        The first time I packed 7 days of food in my backpack became the last time I wanted to do it.3)        So I could get out of the rain.4)        To call home.5)        Because trail towns are an interesting piece of the A.T. experience.Hiawassee, GAI made the first hitch of my trip into this town. It is a great place to make your first town stop. I intended to stay at the Blueberry Patch hostel, but the owners were sick, so I stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, cringing a little about not having a hiker friend to split the cost. In hindsight this first-class motel was a great deal for $54. Up in the northeast, even dumpy hotels cost this much. There is a hot tub and laundry right in the motel. No outfitter, but everything else (P.O., AYCE restaurant, grocery store, library) is in walking distance of the hotel.Fontana Village, NCA free shuttle to/from the trail is run by the Fontana Inn Motel. It¢s a nice hotel for a ridiculously low price, and there is an AYCE restaurant inside. In walking distance from the hotel are a Laundromat, convenience store, and P.O. adjacent to each other. Get 4-5 days supplies to get you from here through the Smokies to Standing Bear Farm and skip Gatlinburg.Hot Springs, NCEverybody stops here, at the first town where the trail actually goes down Main Street. Hot Springs is the perfect size; big enough to have everything, but small enough that you don¢t get shocked by ¢civilization¢.   I stayed at Elmer¢s, which I called a must-stop in my previous entry. Hikers said they did not get their money¢s worth at the Alpine Court Hotel. Erwin, TNThis rates as a good trail town (there is a Pizza Hut Lunch Buffet!), but it is a little tougher than most places to hitch, because you have to go from a side street, out to a highway, and down to the next exit. You can stay at one of two hostels right on the trail (Uncle Johnny¢s or Nolichucky Gorge Campground) but then you will need to hitch into town if you want to take advantage of restaurants and grocery stores. Even within town, it is a bit of a walk between the places of interest. Erwin is one of the few trail towns with a movie theater.Damascus, VAI can¢t add anything to what you have already heard about this perfect trail town that caters to hikers. Get the Hiker¢s Breakfast at the Barn Restaurant on the trail as you leave town. Rural Retreat (Atkins), VAThe Relax Inn, a clean little hotel right on the trail, is the only lodging option at this town. The hotel has laundry machines, and there is a Dairy Queen, another restaurant, and convenience stores in walking distance, and that¢s all there is to Rural Retreat. You would have to hitch down the road to Atkins for the Post Office or grocery store ¢ consider using the hotel to hold your maildrop. There is a diner in Atkins that left cards at the hotel - they will pick you up from the hotel, drive you to their restaurant, P.O., and grocery store, if you eat at their diner. Bland, VADon¢t stay here! There is only one grungy hotel and it is not an easy hitch. I was forced into this town because of an injury. I needed to rest for a few days, so I moved 10 miles up the road to the sizeable town of Wytheville. Bland is only 2-3 days north of Atkins, and 2 days south of Pearisburg, so you can skip it.Pearisburg, VAThere are a few reasons not to like this town, starting with the nasty descent of the trail into town. The trail crosses a road near a car dealer, and that is where you should go into town. From there, the trail re-enters a scrubby piece of woods for about half a mile and ends up taking you back to the same road. The Rendezvous Motel is a very basic motel close to the trail that has laundry machines. Everything else in town is very spread out. Dairy Queen and Hardees are on the same main road where the motel is located, but the road has no sidewalks and narrow shoulders, so it is not fun to walk. Daleville/Troutville, VAThis is the largest town that the trail walks directly into. There is a Pizza Hut very close to the trail crossing, but they don¢t do the buffet lunch! The Best Western just to the right of the trail is a reasonable deal and a popular choice amongst hikers. There is laundry in the hotel ¢ a great convenience that is offered by far too few hotels. The grocery store, P.O., and outfitter are a long walk (about a mile) from the trail crossing. Wingfoot¢s map is deceptive, since it makes the Best Western/Pizza Hut and the Grocery/Outfitter look equidistant from the trail crossing.Buena Vista, VAThis is not really a trail town because it is a good distance from the trail and not visited by many hikers. I came to this town to escape the rain. It is not a bad place and there is a long-time trail angel (William) who will give rides around town and back to the trail. Waynesboro, VAThis is a great trail town. Stop at the visitor¢s info center at Rockfish Gap, and they have a list of trail angels to call to get you a ride into town. They also have an info pack for hikers, with a town map, list of restaurants, places to stay, etc. Don¢t stay at the dumpy Inn at Afton at Rockfish Gap, and don¢t send a maildrop there! I stayed at the Tree Streets Inn B&B and I¢d highly recommend it. At $60 it was only $10 more than the hotels, but the owners will pick you up and return you to the visitor¢s center, give you a bike to get around, give you a big breakfast, and they have snacks and sodas available for free. They had the most comfortable bed I¢ve ever slept on.Front Royal, VAGo to the Chamber of Commerce and there is a good chance they will have some give-away for hikers. This is a big, spread-out town. Pizza Hut and a Mexican restaurant are at the far end of town. The Quality Inn is a popular choice here, and groceries, P.O. and a movie theater are in walking distance from the hotel.Harpers Ferry, WVGoing north, I would skip the side trail to the ATC headquarters and continue on to where the trail is about to cross the Potomac. At that point, you take Washington Street back to the ATC HQ, while passing thru most of the downtown area. The Hilltop House has a scenic location, but is run-down inside. I did not stay there, but a couple of hikers complained that they had to pay more for a room with a TV. Fayetteville, PAThis town is down the road from Caledonia State Park. The friendly owners of the Rite Spot Motel will pick you up and return you to the trail, and probably run you over to a Wal-Mart. Boiling Springs, PALodging options are not the best at this picturesque town. Stop by Leo¢s for good ice cream. Eight miles down the road, cheap hotels are near the US11 overpass. Duncannon, PAThe Doyle is a dive but still popular with hikers. I didn¢t opt to stay there. The town has everything, but an outfitter.   The trail does a long road walk through all of Duncannon.Port Clinton, PAThis is a meager town, short on lodging and restaurants. Camping down by (or under) the pavilion is probably the best option. Between Boiling Springs and Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania has an industrial feel. Trains, trucks, and factories can be heard and sometimes smelled along much of the trail, and the towns have a blue-collar feel to them. Slatington, PAIf you choose to go into town from Lehigh Gap, the choices are Slatington or Palmerton. Most hikers go to the ¢jailhouse hostel¢ in Palmerton. I went to Slatington, because I¢m a little less bright than the average hiker, and wish I hadn¢t.Wind Gap, PAThere is a reasonably clean and cheap motel (Gateway Motel) right near where the trail crosses PA33. The owner will give you a ride into town for food and other errands.Delaware Water Gap, PAThis is an adequate trail town with good restaurants, but there is no outfitter or Laundromat. See my notes on the Hostel page about the lodging here.Vernon, NJThe Church Hostel here makes this a great place to stop. It is an easy hitch to/from this hostel. Burger King, the P.O., and a major grocery store are in easy walking distance from the hostel.Greenwood Lake, NYNot many hikers go into this town and there are not good lodging options. I pulled in because I was having a rough day and the weather was bad. It wasn¢t an easy hitch getting back to the trail. There is an ice cream stand just left of the trail crossing on NY17A.Kent, CTThis is the swankest town the trail comes near. Everything is available here EXCEPT for cheap lodging. I talked with one B&B owner who was renovating, and he may have hiker-style accommodations next year. I forgot the name, but the place was just south of the Gibbs House B&B.Cornwall Bridge, CTThis tiny place is only one street intersection down the road from Kent. There is a grocer, motel (still a little pricey, but much cheaper than Kent), a small outfitter, and a package store, all in walking distance (a little long, but easy) from the trail. The motel owner will probably help you to get to a Laundromat or do other short errands. The package store gives a free beer (or soda) to every hiker who stops in.   Salisbury, CTA compact and pretty New England town that is an easy walk from the trail. Lodging is limited to a pricey hotel or a boarding house.Lee, MAThis is a tourist town larger than most trail towns. All hotels are expensive, and outrageous on weekends.Dalton, MAThis is a good trail town made better by two individuals who take in hikers. I stayed with Tom Levardi, and many of us had a great time roaming down to the local pool hall. The other is unadvertised; probably to keep from getting swamped by hikers, but you will surely hear about him from other hikers.Cheshire, MAI did not stop here, since it was less than 10 easy miles from Dalton. The trail goes through town where convenience stores and phones are available.North Adams, MAEven though the trail passes right through town, this town is not much of a trail town. The only hotel is not hiker-friendly, and the Pizza Hut in Wingfoot¢s 2003 guide is out of business.Bennington, VTAnother town that the majority of hikers will pass without stopping. I went into this place to escape the rain, which chased me through Vermont. I stayed at the Autumn Inn and they have laundry on-site.   The P.O. was about a mile beyond the motel.Manchester Center, VTThis town is larger than most trail towns. EMS and another backpacking outfitter are available, along with many other retailers. Orvis¢ HQs is here. Outlet shops are spread all over town. There are few good lodging choices, but you can ask at either outfitter about families in town that may take in hikers.Rutland, VTThis modest town is accessed from the same road where the Long Trail Inn is located. The Inn is probably a better choice unless you need to visit the P.O. or outfitter.West Hartford, VTA tiny residential town,with no official lodging, but a few families will take in hikers. There is only a P.O. and one convenience store/diner. Ask at the convenience store (right on the trail) about places to stay. Hanover, NHA large town that is home to Dartmouth College. The only lodging choice is to get put up by one of the ¢houses¢ on campus, and the ones that take hikers changes every year. Stop by the Dartmouth Outing Club (DOC) and ask where you can stay. I stayed at the Phi Tao House on a tip from a SOBO hiker and the DOC did not know about them taking in hikers. This town has the best free Internet access with an abundance of PCs in the student center. There is much to do and see in Hanover ¢ take a zero day here if you can. I stopped here for a ¢nero¢ (near-zero) day after an easy walk from West Hartford. Glencliff, NHThere is nothing here but a hostel and a P.O. ¢ a short walk from the trail. This is the typical place for hikers to pick up their winter gear, overwhelming the tiny P.O.North Woodstock, NHThis is a tourist town with many restaurants and hotels. I stayed 2 nights at the Cascade Lodge B&B (which does NOT serve breakfast). It is a dive, but the owner helped me to slackpack from Kinsman Notch to Franconia Notch. Hitching from Franconia Notch is very awkward ¢ I think it is easier to get here from Kinsman Notch.Gorham, NHThis is a great trail town, and you have two opportunities to stay here, coming in from Pinkham Notch or from US2. I did a DIFFICULT slackpack between these two roads. The Barn and Hiker¢s Paradise are both popular places to stay. This town reminded me of Hot Springs, and I saw many hikers getting rest after the Whites.Andover, MEI loved the towns in Maine. Andover, Caratunk, and Monson are tiny but pretty towns where ¢quaint¢ does not mean ¢dumpy¢. I would definitely stop again if I had to do it over. Andover has two good hostels, 2 convenience stores, a diner, and a P.O. all on one short piece of road. Rangeley, METhis tourist town is a little larger than the other towns in Maine. The owner of the Gull Pond Lodge (Bob) is very helpful in driving you around town and back to the trail. Stratton, MEI saw many hikers staying in this simple town, either at the White Wolf Inn or the Stratton Motel. There is a grocer, a few restaurants (the White Wolf also has a popular restaurant), and a P.O.Caratunk, MEMostly just a residential town, but the Caratunk House B&B makes this a must-stop. The B&B is only a block from the trail, and the P.O. is a few hundred yards further. Another hostel is a short hitch down the road.   Monson, METhis is a mandatory stop before hitting the 100-mile wilderness. There are two hostels, a P.O. and a grocer. Shaw¢s sells some gear. Millinocket, METhis is the place to go after your hike, or while waiting for the right day to climb Katahdin. The town is spread-out, but walkable. The Katahdin Inn is the place to stay ¢ see my comments under ¢Hostel Review¢.