Cabins, Huts, and Hostels

In addition to the shelters and campsites spaced about a day's hike apart along the A.T., hikers can also find other less rustic facilities— huts, cabins, hostels—on or near the Trail. Facilities operated by ATC, local trail clubs, or parks along the Trail are listed below, from north to south.

Baxter State Park operates rental cabins and bunkhouses within the Park in Maine. Facilities and fees vary. Web site: www.baxterstateparkauthority.com.

The Randolph Mountain Club operates both enclosed, self-service cabins and primitive lean-to-style shelters below treeline near the A.T. in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Some have full-time caretakers. All facilities are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Fees vary. Web site: www.randolphmountainclub.org.

The Appalachian Mountain Club operates a full-service hut system in the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. These facilities provide full-service accommodations (dinner, lodging, breakfast) in the summer and self-service/caretaker service in the spring and fall. Fees vary. Web site: www.outdoors.org.

The Dartmouth Outing Club operates a system of backcountry cabins near (but not on) the Trail in western New Hampshire. Facilities and fees vary. Web site: www.dartmouth.edu/~doc.

The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club operates a system of rental cabins from southern Pennsylvania to the southern end of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Some are open to the public, others only to club members. Facilities and fees vary. Web site: www.patc.net.

Bears Den Trail Center is an ATC-owned hostel near Bluemont, Virginia, about 35 Trail-miles north of Shenandoah National Park. Web site: www.bearsdencenter.org.

Shenandoah National Park operates several lodges and cottages within the Park in Virginia. Facilities are operated by ARAMARK Virginia Sky-Line (an authorized park concessionaire). Fees vary. Web site: www.visitshenandoah.com.

LeConte Lodge, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, is accessible only by foot or horseback. Reservations are required. Web site: www.leconte-lodge.com.

Len Foote Hike Inn at Amicalola Falls, Georgia. Operated by Appalachian Education and Recreation Services (affiliated with the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club) in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Accessible only by 5 mile hike from Amicalola Falls State Park's Visitor Center. Web site: www.hike-inn.com.

Hostels, motels, and B&Bs

Hostels (inexpensive bunkhouses catering to hikers) are available in some towns along the Trail. Similarly, motels, inns, and B&Bs tend to be clustered in towns near the Trail. Those towns are typically from fifty to one hundred miles apart at the northern and southern regions of the Trail and from thirty to fifty miles apart in the middle regions. The Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion, available through the Ultimate A.T. Store, provides information about commercial hostels and other types of nearby accommodations.

Inn-to-inn hiking

For those wishing to hike for more than one day on the Appalachian Trail but preferring not to sleep outdoors or carry a backpack, options are limited. The only opportunities for "inn-to-inn" hiking on the Trail itself exist in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park and in the far more rugged White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. Shenandoah National Park in north/central Virginia offers an opportunity for four days of continuous hiking, with lodging at ten-mile intervals along the Trail (which roughly parallels and frequently crosses the scenic Skyline Drive). Although there is some up and down, the Trail is well-graded, and climbs and descents are seldom steep. Rewarding views from 3,000-4,000 foot mountains and an abundance of flowers and wildlife make this a popular destination.

Possible itinerary heading north to south in the central district of the Park, starting at Thornton Gap, where Route 211 crosses Skyline Drive:

• First night: Skyland, which has motel-type rooms, furnished cabins, and a restaurant.
• Second night: Big Meadows, which offers a lodge, motel rooms, furnished cabins, and a restaurant.
• Last night: Lewis Mountain, which offers furnished cabins and a camp store.

These facilities are open from late April until the end of October. For more information on the facilities and to make reservations, contact ARAMARK Virginia Sky-Line Company (an authorized park concessionaire). Web site: www.visitshenandoah.com.

White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire. For the hiker seeking challenging terrain, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) operates a system of eight full-service huts in the White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire. Reservations are required. These facilities provide full-service accommodations (dinner, lodging, breakfast) in the summer and self-service/caretaker service in the spring and fall. The terrain in this area is extremely rugged, and the Trail often goes above treeline, leaving the hiker exposed and vulnerable. Many places are steep enough to require the use of hands. This section is not recommended for hikers with a fear of heights or those who lack agility. Hikers should be experienced and in good physical condition before contemplating a journey in this area. For more information on the facilities and to make reservations, contact the Appalachian Mountain Club. Web site: www.outdoors.org.

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