Shenandoah National Park advice

[still searchin']

I probably need to post this in the dry-camping section also, but here goes.

I'm planning a trip to Shenandoah NP during the first two weeks of May. I understand there are no hookups at the campsites within the national park. Can somebody give me advice on how I'm going to do normally simple tasks, such as cleaning dishes after cooking, cooking in the PU in bear country (will the aroma of bacon, sausage, etc. linger in the PU to the point that it would be enticing to wild animals), etc.
Any advice on filling the 20 gallon water tank at home, and traveling with it full? The extra weight is not an issue, my concern is that when I fill the tank, it appears to "buldge" from the weight of the water. Is there any chance of the water tank rupturing during travel?
Can somebody who has been there tell me if the campfire pits are large enough to build a rip-roaring fire? Is storing food inside of the TV sufficient, or does food need to be stored someplace safer?
Any and all advice is appreciated. If you know of any other issues that I need to take into consideration, let me know.

Thanks, Rick

Me   65
DW  65
DS   96
DD   98
DS   00
Trailblazer EXT   02
Flagstaff 823D    04

[Old Goat]

We stayed there for two nights back in 02. There are no hookups but there are several water outlets around the park where you can get water. I always carry along a 6 gal jerry jug with a spout for filling the water tank when we have to dry camp. As I recall the water is good too. We didn't have any problem with critters  and food storage in the cooler and fridge. I always put the cooler in the TV at night... Don't recall the size of the fire rings as we didn't have a fire during our stay.........

[springer02]

Loft Mountain is one of our favorite parks and we try to get there a few times each year.

The fire rings are good sized and you can build a nice fire.  

There are several water spigots around the park and I think there is a dish-washing area at the back of some of the bath houses but I'm not sure on that one.  There is a water fill area at the enterance to the campground so we didn't haul water from home.

The park rangers are very particular about campers having coolers out of the camper or tv, we kept ours in the back of the Jeep.  People were getting citations for having coolers out!

There are lots of deer wandering through the park, especially on Sunday afternoons after most of the people leave.  They drove our dog nuts.  DD and DH saw a good sized bear also!

Fire off an e-mail if you want more info and I hope you enjoy your trip!

Tena

[tlhdoc]

To do simple tasks like washing your dishes you take hot water (do you have a water heater or you can heat water in a pan on the stove) and dump it into a dish pan. Wash the dishes then rinse them with more hot water. Drain the grey water into a container and dump at the dumpstation or other approved water dump site. You can tow with your water tank full. I don't think the tank will rupture just from being towed. There are places in the park where you can fill your water tank so there isn't a need to fill it at home. Take a hose to fill the camper at the park before you set up your campsite. I also carry a plastic 6 gallon "jerry can" to refill the water tank as needed. As far as cooking check with the park rangers to be sure what is safe and what isn't. Have fun on your trip.

[Big_fry]

Rick,

You have gotten some good advice and I will add a few items.  

We love Loft Mountain as well.  One of our favorite places to go.  You should not have any problem with water.  Plenty of places with spigots to fill up, be sure to bring some containers.  Bring quarters for the showers, we always regret when we forget.  Shower locations can be a good walk or short drive.  Firewood at the campstores is not inexpensive.  I noticed that you are from FL.  Temps can be much cooler than expected at Loft, Big Meadows, and the others.  During the climb up Afton the temp usually drops about 15 degrees.

Have a great trip!

Big Fry
1999 Palomino Filly

[AustinBoston]

Any advice on filling the 20 gallon water tank at home, and traveling with it full? The extra weight is not an issue, my concern is that when I fill the tank, it appears to "buldge" from the weight of the water. Is there any chance of the water tank rupturing during travel?

I can't think of a good reason to travel very far with the water tank full.  A 20 gallon tank adds 166 lbs to the trailer.  Depending on where the tank is located, that can make a huge difference in weight & balance.  If the tank is behind the axle, it can be very dangerous.

Almost all campgrounds have a place you can fill the tank when you arrive.  Fill it there.  If the quaility of the water is a concern, bring bottled drinking water or an in-line water filter to use while filling the tank.

Austin

[Gone-Camping]

I too have camped there often, and also prefer Loft Mountain. Loft Mountain is first come first serve but shouldn't be much of a problem...Big Meadows takes reservations via reserve usa....
 
As for cooking etc, there are bear rules in effect, but not as stringent as they are out west. We have cooked inside the PU, but gotta do clean-up and dishes nightly. We try to cook outside most of the time though. Was up there one Fall with some freinds, they left some cream corn in a pan in their PU's AAR, got a visit that night from a bear. He helped himself to the corn, then moved on.
 
Clean up after meals, place all trash in the campgrounds bear-proof trash recepticals, place coolers vehicle and out of site (cover them up). There are no food lockers at Shenadoah, as the bears are not aggressive there.
 
In recent years I've stayed at Sherando Lake Campground, it's about 16 miles south of Shenadoah NP, it's right off of the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) inside the George Washington National Forest.... Both BRP and Sherando Lake Campground are run by the National Park Service. BRP is merely an extension to Skyline Drive. If you go to loops B or C at Sherando Lake, they have nice big (HUGE) campsites, very level, and have electric hook-up's (no water hook-up, but you can fill tank on the way in). They also have a great swimming beach!! The campground is also down inside Shenandoah Valley, and apparently does NOT have bear problems, they do not have the bear proof trash cans like they do up on Loft Mountain. They also provide an over size picnic table, fire ring with cooking grill, lantern pole, and a TALL table with concrete base for your cook stove...
 
I don't have any pictures of Loft Mountain, but I do have some of Sherando Lake Campground....
http://www.gonecamping.net/reviews/va/sherandolake.html
 
Close-up of below picture....
http://www.gonecamping.net/images/dsc00217.jpg
 
Close-up of tables & lantern pole etc...
http://www.gonecamping.net/images/dsc00218.jpg
 

[vjm1639]

Hi...DH and I are members of the Potomac Appalacian Trail Club and are in the Shenandoah's many, many times a year for camping, trail maintenance, hiking, or just a drive and picnic for the afternoon. It's one of my favorite places to go.   I've been camping in the Shenandoah's for close to 20 years,  We've been in all the campgrounds and primative camping in the backcountry, and the primative hike in cabins.  There are pictures on our webshots page of all four of the campgrounds (Mathews Arm, Big Meadows, Lewis, and Loft) and a few of the cabins.  They are all great campgrounds with their own perks.   Each campground has a dump station for the big RVs and there are fresh water spouts right there also for filling up  your campers water tank.  As for dishwashing....we wash dishes right in the camper just like we always do.  Your coolers are perfectly safe right in your TV. These aren't smart yogi bears who will go after the coolers they can see in a car.  ;>    We leave them  out during the day when we are on the site, but put them away each night before bed or if we're going to be gone during the day.  We've seen several bears up there over the years...especially with all our hiking, but just give them the respect and space they deserve and they won't bother you.     The walk in campsites in the Shenandoahs do have food lockers now, however, if you're in a camper you can't get it to those sites anyway.  :>  
 
As Cliff (Gone-Camping) said above. Sherando Lake is also a beautiful place with electric hookups, however, as we saw on our 10 day trip there last October, they have gotten extremely popular in the past couple of years since they put in the electricity and both weekends we were there the hook up sections of the campground were totally full by Thursday night or Friday morning!  Actually, the last holiday weekend we were there LUCKILY we went real early because we got the very last space available on WEDNESDAY afternoon and that was with storms predicted all weekend!!  The campground hosts said it's like that now most every weekend.  Its tough when they don't take reservations to just hope you're lucky enough to get a spot.   Its sure worth it if you do though...I have pictures of that one too and it's beautiful.  
 
:>

[still searchin']

Thanks for all of your input. We are looking forward to this trip, and I feel more comfortable now, thanks to your replies. It is my intention to visit as many of our national parks as I can, and this will be the first one. We are really looking forward to a change of scenery (not many mountains here in Florida), as well as a change of climate ( the a/c is running right now; thermostat set at 79). It is always HOT here!

We are planning on staying at Loft, but are going on this trip without an itinerary or agenda, so where we end up is anybody's guess. Our three kids are home-schooled, so it will be an excellent trip to do a civil war history lesson, and actually visit some of the historical sites.

Thanks again, Rick

[AustinBoston]

Thanks for all of your input. We are looking forward to this trip, and I feel more comfortable now, thanks to your replies. It is my intention to visit as many of our national parks as I can, and this will be the first one.

Don't forget the one in your own back yard...I was quite impressed with Everglades National Park when I was there some 20 years ago.  Despite all the family we living in Florida, I haven't been able to force a return visit.

Austin

[SpeakEasy]

We camped in Shenandoah last summer over the July 4 holiday. I was very impressed with the way the campground (Big Meadows) was managed. In spite of the fact that it was full, it was very quiet. There are a lot of campsites there, and every one was occupied. Yet it was still quiet. A couple weeks later we decided to return for a couple more nights. On one of those nights a VERY loud group of partiers was going strong at about midnight. I spoke to the rangers about it, and they came over and shut the party down. The next day, the rangers were there at the site again. It looked to me like they were writing tickets or something for the offenders. Then the offenders were gone. I was wondering if they got kicked out! Now that's the way to maintain a quiet campground. I wish the New York State parks would learn a lesson from that.

[Gone-Camping]

I don't know how much time you're planning on devoting to this trip, but you should consider visiting Shenandoah, then take the 469 mile drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP). This way you get to visit two National Parks, the Shenandoah National Park at the northern end of the BRP, and the Great Smokie Mountain National Park at the southern end of the BRP. Not to mention the BRP itself is also operated by the National Park Service...runs through four different National Forests! Would be quite a trip!!

[vjm1639]

Not sure what dates you're planning for May, but it might limit where you stay in the Shenandoah Parkway. The campground opening dates are below:
 
 
Big Meadows - March 24
Lewis Mountain - April 21
Loft Mountain - May 19
Mathews Arm - May 26
 
Even if Big Meadows or Lewis are your only choices, they are both nice campgrounds and really nice and peaceful during mid week! :>