I was thinking of going for a 5-6 day hike alone and don't want to see any other people. Any ideas?

Appalachain Trail, start at Harpers Ferry?

Rent a cheap motel room on RT 1 and take 6 hits of LSD.

Go down to Va Beach. Go to Sandbridge, then hike down to the Va State Park that's along the NC border, theres no one allowed to drive down there, just police and rangers .You have to hike in. The park is called False Cape State Park. You have to pass hiking thru a Fed park first about 4 miles. The NC line is about 9 miles from where Sandbridge ends. Its like the end of the earth down there. The most remote park in the state of Va.

Sounds like a great idea. I'll join you to keep you company!

I wanna go too. It'd be great to have a few days to talk with someone about my problems. Can I bring a few friends too? WHERE ARE WE GOING?

>The park is called False Cape State Park.

That sounds amazing although hiking on sand is tiring, and it's pretty hot just now. I like the AT idea cuz it's up a bit so it should be cooler, but you're sure to see folks. I was gonna suggest the Dolly Sods in WV - should be cool-ish but also not totally empty.

This wouldn't do for a few day hike, but I used to hike the Bullrun trail off Yates Ford Rd. It's an all day hike. I would head toward Fountainhead and never see anyone. There are a couple spots where you can see a couple homes, but most of the trail is far from those spots.

Jim Bridger Wrote:
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> This wouldn't do for a few day hike, but I used to
> hike the Bullrun trail off Yates Ford Rd. It's an
> all day hike. I would head toward Fountainhead and
> never see anyone. There are a couple spots where
> you can see a couple homes, but most of the trail
> is far from those spots.

I think someone died on that trail last year. Can't remember the circumstances but they were by themselves.

Jim Bridger Wrote:
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> This wouldn't do for a few day hike, but I used to
> hike the Bullrun trail off Yates Ford Rd. It's an
> all day hike. I would head toward Fountainhead and
> never see anyone. There are a couple spots where
> you can see a couple homes, but most of the trail
> is far from those spots.

I did that hike a month ago and did see people. Mostly illegals hanging out in the Bull Run stream and fishing. Fountainhead is great area.

http://www.nvrpa.org/park/fountainhead/content/hiking_trails

Maybe George Washington Forest - http://www.fs.usda.gov/gwj/

abelard Wrote:
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> >The park is called False Cape State Park.
>
> That sounds amazing although hiking on sand is
> tiring, and it's pretty hot just now. I like the
> AT idea cuz it's up a bit so it should be cooler,
> but you're sure to see folks. I was gonna suggest
> the Dolly Sods in WV - should be cool-ish but also
> not totally empty.


You walk the tide line not loose sand. That would be hell. lol

They also have trails through the woods in the parks there so you have some shade if you want it. Kind of winding so you're not going to make time to the Outer Banks that way but most are turning around anyway. Nice area.

I used to walk to work down the beach every day. Best commute I ever had.

Riverside park hidden entrance just before the falls

Not exactly nearby, but you should consider the Grayson Highlands in southern VA. It's one of the most scenic sections of the Appalachian trail and has less elevation gain than other sections of the AT (not a lot of pointless ups-and-downs). A lot of hiking through wooded hills and pastures, even some wild ponies out there. And there are a few AT shelters if you want to go tentless.

>They also have trails through the woods in the parks there so you have some shade if you want it. Kind of winding so you're not going to make time to the Outer Banks that way but most are turning around anyway. Nice area.

This may be an odd question, Beachcomber, but what's the tick situation there? I camped on a barrier island off south carolina years back and the ticks simply weren't to be believed. We stuck to the beach but I cut through about 200 feet of woods once from the sound side, and by the time I got out I was covered in ticks, like a hundred of them. Spent the next hour out in the hot sand picking them out of my clothes and hair.

Since then I've avoided the woods on islands. Just wondering if this is necessary up here cuz there's no way I'm not going to that park now that I know it exists.

The Tuscarora Trail runs from Shenandoah north all the way to Harrisburg, PA and is over 200 miles long. I have hiked most of it and rarley see a sole. Best sections are from Fetzer Gap north to route 50, and anything north of Hacock, MD.

The AT is always crowded.

abelard Wrote:
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> >They also have trails through the woods in the
> parks there so you have some shade if you want it.
> Kind of winding so you're not going to make time
> to the Outer Banks that way but most are turning
> around anyway. Nice area.
>
> This may be an odd question, Beachcomber, but
> what's the tick situation there? I camped on a
> barrier island off south carolina years back and
> the ticks simply weren't to be believed. We stuck
> to the beach but I cut through about 200 feet of
> woods once from the sound side, and by the time I
> got out I was covered in ticks, like a
> hundred of them. Spent the next hour out in the
> hot sand picking them out of my clothes and hair.
>
>
> Since then I've avoided the woods on islands.
> Just wondering if this is necessary up here cuz
> there's no way I'm not going to that park now that
> I know it exists.


It's been a while since I've been down there but I don't recall ever seeing any ticks. The main adversary there and south to below the Cape are those fucking biting flies. You'll be hoping for ticks just to cover that spot of bare skin if those things are out. Just brutal. When I was living at Hatteras as a surf bum we'd wear full wet suits in the middle of Summer to keep the damn things off of us. Nothing else will work. They laugh at DEET and will bite right through a regular T-shirt. Thankfully they're only bad when you have certain conditions. Mosquitoes can be bad too but they're kind of expected and easier to deal with.

Sure they were ticks? Possible but usually don't see that many ticks at one time. Not sure whether you're familiar with them or not since you don't seem to be 'from around these parts' but we also have these things called chiggers. They look like tiny little ticks. If you get into those then you definitely will have hundreds of them all over you in no time.

I forgot to mention snakes too if you're near Back Bay or the Sound. If it's been a wet year you'll see TONS of them including lots of cottonmouths farther away from the water.

Rest of the year they act like normal snakes but in the Spring they can be very aggressive. Don't let anybody tell you the standard "if you leave them alone..." bs. They WILL come after you if you get too close to where they're nesting. Fishing down there they'd chase the boat/kayak if you happen to cast too close and will not leave you alone until you leave. Whether they'd actually get to you or not, you'll get tired of them scaring the crap out of you by popping up right next to you with their mouths wide open before they get tired doing it. lol Most aggressive snakes that I've ever seen anywhere including being in swamps all throughout the South.

I heard eesh's favorite spot is in Sterling.
FuYHP Wrote:
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> I was thinking of going for a 5-6 day hike alone
> and don't want to see any other people. Any ideas?

Beachcomber Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> abelard Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > >They also have trails through the woods in the
> > parks there so you have some shade if you want
> it.
> > Kind of winding so you're not going to make
> time
> > to the Outer Banks that way but most are
> turning
> > around anyway. Nice area.
> >
> > This may be an odd question, Beachcomber, but
> > what's the tick situation there? I camped on a
> > barrier island off south carolina years back
> and
> > the ticks simply weren't to be believed. We
> stuck
> > to the beach but I cut through about 200 feet
> of
> > woods once from the sound side, and by the time
> I
> > got out I was covered in ticks, like a
> > hundred of them. Spent the next hour out in
> the
> > hot sand picking them out of my clothes and
> hair.
> >
> >
> > Since then I've avoided the woods on islands.
> > Just wondering if this is necessary up here cuz
> > there's no way I'm not going to that park now
> that
> > I know it exists.
>
>
> It's been a while since I've been down there but I
> don't recall ever seeing any ticks. The main
> adversary there and south to below the Cape are
> those fucking biting flies. You'll be hoping for
> ticks just to cover that spot of bare skin if
> those things are out. Just brutal. When I was
> living at Hatteras as a surf bum we'd wear full
> wet suits in the middle of Summer to keep the damn
> things off of us. Nothing else will work. They
> laugh at DEET and will bite right through a
> regular T-shirt. Thankfully they're only bad when
> you have certain conditions. Mosquitoes can be
> bad too but they're kind of expected and easier to
> deal with.
>
> Sure they were ticks? Possible but usually don't
> see that many ticks at one time. Not sure whether
> you're familiar with them or not since you don't
> seem to be 'from around these parts' but we also
> have these things called chiggers. They look like
> tiny little ticks. If you get into those then you
> definitely will have hundreds of them all over you
> in no time.

I know what you mean about the biting flies. I was at Ocracoke in June and those fuckers were relentless! They even follow you into the ocean and bite anything exposed!

Never been in False Cape in summer way to hot for me, In mid fall its great. I was going to joke about flies but figured everyone knows about them.

More info about some people who went in Sept in a canoe.

http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/blog/on-camping-in-false-cape-state-park-in-september-4137

The mountains on the border of West Va are good to go up to, George Washington National Forest, I used to hunt with Real "Hillbillies" from southwest Va. at a place called Cow Knob in Rockingham Co Va. That was almost 40 years back, I remember going thru Broadway and Faulks Run, then up a trail across a stream then up into the mountains to about 300 feet from the top where we set up camp. My friends sure did know how to set up a good camp, they knew every trick there was and game came with built in zippers for them to skin em out.

> Sure they were ticks? Possible but usually don't
> see that many ticks at one time.

Definitely ticks, and I've never seen so many at once. It was like somebody just dumped a cup of them on my head, and I couldn't have been in the trees for
more than a minute or two. I've dealt with chiggers too but they're tiny, and I've always gotten them from grass and forest duff.

And I too know north carolina biting flies. If I had a penny for every one I've killed I coulda paid for college.

When I go I'll go prepared, and probably in the off season after a few hard nights. That should knock the fuckers down some.

I like shenendoah

Sunrise Valley Drive from Centreville Road to Frying Pan Road. Lots of rolling peaks.

Bag of mushrooms and a Friday the 13th marathon

The Tuscarora Trail gets very little use compared to the Appalachian trail and is much a less strenuous hike with some pretty nice scenery. It is 200+ miles long. Formally known as the big blue trail as AT side trails are blue blazed and this is the biggest side trail off the AT.

http://www.yorkhikingclub.com/tuscarora.html

Are you a serial Killer? Just sayin'

Turkey Run off the GW Parkway towards DC. Almost nobody every there.

Any man hiking alone is just looking to have gay sex with male strangers.

giddyup Wrote:
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> Any man hiking alone is just looking to have gay
> sex with male strangers.

Or looking to bury his victims.

giddyup Wrote:
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> Any man hiking alone is just looking to have gay
> sex with male strangers.

^Keep telling people that. :)

Trust me. The reason I hike is not gay guys. It's fitness and there aren't any fat fucking cows chicks on the trails. The more fitness there is the more you'll find hot chicks.
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Mind the gap.

Get you a kayak or canoe, Go on down to the tidal Rappahannock river. Launch at the City Dock in Fredericksburg, Little Falls, Or Hopyard Landing, Wilmot Wharf, have some food and water with you, a tarp and a blanket, and a knife, at the least, ride the river. You'll be left alone down there. And will see few people. 4th greatest river on the Chesapeake Bay. And a long stretch from Fredericksburg to Tappahannock with very few people. See The Horsehead and Fones Cliffs. The Eagles, the birds, if you like wildlife you won't be disappointed.

That stretch is the most remote, most like it was 450 years ago before the "White Man" came here left on a major river in the bay area.
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Enjoy Nature? Read this.. Pityfull.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/eagle-hot-spot-in-virginia-could-be-replaced-by-a-golf-course-and-homes/2015/07/21/19141990-2b3a-11e5-a250-42bd812efc09_story.html

7MenW Wrote:
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> Turkey Run off the GW Parkway towards DC. Almost
> nobody every there.


Watch out for the cornhole.

I'm partial to the Martin Luther King Trail in the DC Wilderness Preserve. It too is like before the "White Man" came.

I started to look for that trail, wondering where that could be in DC , before I realized the joke ... You got me on that one.

you guessed it the mountain of truth. most in fairfax are gov workers building tunnels under it hoping it will collapse (undermining it)
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the mountain of "about time you back up and get off my back, or i'll get backwater on you"
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Great time to go hiking in remote areas. Deer season just opened.

Stampede trail in Alaska is great.Plenty to eat along the way and there is an old bus where you can rest. Tell Chris, I mean Supertramp I said hey!

Lots of great waterfront trail here. Come visit.

It's just amazing that someone much smarter than you didn't already think of that.

WOW @ trailrunner and I want some mushrooms!

Check out Dolly Sods in West Virginia.

It approximates a Canadian Alpine climate so you will really feel like you are away from it all.

You might see some hikers, but if you go when it is really cold, likely not.

I prefer the cold - no insects, limited mud, clothing and footwear these days is so high tech you can still be comfortable, and, as mentioned above, fewer people.

mhot21188 Wrote:
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> WOW @ trailrunner and I want some mushrooms!

I haven't seen good shroom on any of the local trials.

Dolly Sods was a bonerific hike. I Sprouted wood for miles of it.