Bryant Ridge Shelter - A.T.

I have wanted to visit this A.T. Shelter in Virginia for some time. We were rained out of our 3 day backpack in West Virginia so we decided to do a “training” backpack closer to home even with a high probablity of rain here also. We shared the Shelter with 2 thru-hikers: “Fast-track” and “General”. “General” had a friend with him who was going to hike with him for a week. It was great talking with these guys and sharing some of our plentiful food with them, especially Gordon’s Raspberry Cobbler.

I have read various stories / statements about this shelter from online blogs. Here are a few of them:

• “This is a unique and impressive shelter.”
• “Makes my top 5 list of shelters.”
• “Sleeps 20.”
• “..I heard music…he asked if it was a flute and strangely enough it was…we heard it twice that night.”
• “You can hear a pretty good number of coyotes.”
• “There are no serving wenches.”
• “A pretty ambitious design.”
• “Privy isn’t always short for privacy.”
• “An amazing shelter with 3 levels and glass windows.”
• “..the Taj Mahal of shelters.” <added 5/13/2009>
• “Sleep by number beds.” OK – this is my contribution to add to the mystique of the Bryant Ridge Shelter!!!

Porch is as big as most A.T. Shelters

I’ll agree about the 3 levels if you count the porch. The next level is the raised platform where the sleeping bag is.

2nd Level Raised Platform

 Then the 3rd level is at the top of the rung ladder.

Ladder to 3rd Level

3rd Level, Plexi-glass Windows

Other side of 3rd Level

We were all pretty amazed with this shelter. I imagine it must be the biggest shelter on the A.T. in Virginia. It has a rather unique privy located about 80 yards beyond the shelter.

Privy with no Privacy

We were fortunate on the 6 mile hike down to the shelter and had just a few sprinkles. The hike back up on Sunday was a different story with a steady rain the whole way. This is a great training hike if you need a good climb and is well worth the visit to the Shelter. Listed below are the trail stats/directions for this hike.

Bryant Ridge Topo Map

• Parking Coordinates: N37 29.568 W79 32.972, MP 80.4, Floyd Field
• 6 miles down (3 hrs 40 mins)
• 6 miles up (4 hrs 30 mins)
• Total Miles: 12
• High Point 3558’
• Low Point 1353’
• Elev Change 2205’
• Bryant Ridge Shelter Coordinates: N37 31.820 W79 35.138

Directions to A.T. from Parking Area:

Cross over the Blue Ridge Parkway towards gray metal road barrier. Stay on Fire Road for about 1/10 mile and then bear right onto path towards Cornelius Creek Shelter. Go past the shelter and take the Blue Blazed spur trail to the A.T. and then head south towards the Bryant Ridge Shelter. There is a creek right beside the shelter for your water source. The hike back up is tough, get plenty of water.

More photos of the Shelter on webshots plus a sidetrip to Apple Orchard Falls.