Before beginning my hike, I considered attending Trail Days, the annual Appalachian Trail festival held in Damascus, Virginia. I would have to time my walk perfectly to get there or find transportation, I would be spending money on multiple days in the city, and large gatherings aren’t always my scene.
On the other hand, this seemed like a once in a lifetime experience. If I take several months off to hike the Appalachian Trail, I might as well take advantage of every opportunity to have fun.
Then the decision was made. I would be attending Trail Days.
Get there (and back)
It took almost no effort to find transportation. The father of one of my trail friends was already coming to pick him up and also offered to take several other hikers. It came with road beers and breakfast burritos, so we were off to a great start.
Breakfast of champions
After Trail Days, he also took us back to where we had gone off trail, about 85 miles north of Damascus. We somehow packed eight dirty hikers, all of our backpacks, and a cooler into a minivan. I felt comfortable in my little spot on the floor and enjoyed the winding mountain roads of southern Virginia. I am very grateful for the generosity of my friend’s father.
We all fit in the van!
It seemed like most hikers had no problem finding transportation through FarOut comments, Facebook groups, church transportation, or old-fashioned hitchhiking. Getting to Damascus was really nothing to worry about.
tent city
Lodging for current hikers is called Tent City, an area in the woods behind the town’s baseball field where hikers can set up tents for the weekend. Tent City also conveniently doubles as a party venue.
Large groups built elaborate camps with tables, grills, coolers, fire pits, pop-up marquees and decorations. Some campsites even had laser lights and DJ setups. When we arrived on Friday afternoon, almost every decent spot was taken, so we ended up setting up in a ditch full of poison ivy. Don’t worry, no rash so far.
Maximum capacity of city tents
At night, Tent City transformed into a seemingly lawless mega-party. On one side of the forest, there was a Burning Man-style drum circle next to a 20-foot-diameter bonfire. On the other side, a DJ played house music while people crowded around an open bar like it was a frat basement.
At some point while exploring Tent City, I discovered a campground with an amazing live band playing. The hikers sat quietly around the campfire listening to the music.
Live music by the fire.
The noise slowly decreased throughout the night, but didn’t completely quiet down until around 3 a.m.
Personally, I enjoy a good party atmosphere, so I had a great time at Tent City. That being said, I definitely would have preferred to sleep somewhere quieter and less crowded. However, for two nights I was able to endure it. For people who hate loud parties or value sleep more, Tent City could be a deal breaker.
magic trail
Aside from the entrance fee to Tent City, I didn’t spend a single dollar during Trail Days thanks to the incredible trail magic provided by churches, locals, and visitors.
Inside Tent City, several large groups cooked meals for hikers throughout the weekend. Breakfast burritos one morning, quesadillas for lunch, and chili mac late at night kept me with my hiker hunger.
The churches also provided food practically at all times right in front of Tent City. They also had charging stations, laundry, and a shower truck. I made the most of them.
There was also a lot of magic on the trails throughout the city. We had gourmet pizza at a townhouse and breakfast sandwiches on the last morning with avocado and fresh homemade bread.
Breakfast sandwiches from some amazing trail angels!
Some of the equipment vendors also helped hikers with equipment repairs, additional samples, and gifts. I was able to get some permethrin, a Kula cloth, a new fork, and some Mountain House.
Stands and Events
The main attraction of trail days for non-current hikers is the booth area in town. Dozens of vendors set up shop, providing a great opportunity to see products in person, ask questions, and get good deals. I was less interested in this part of the festival since my setup is fully set up, but I walked around to check out the scene.
Other events also occurred throughout the day for hikers and non-hikers. The parade of hikers is a main attraction, however, I chose to take a nap during that time and save my feet for the trail. I really enjoyed watching the talent show and saw some people I met on the trail perform some amazing skills.
Unfortunately I didn’t have time to attend “Dirtbag Speed Dating” or the race with Tara Dower. Well, maybe next time! 🙂
Disadvantages of trail days
While I’m glad I went, Trail Days definitely had some cons worth considering.
The biggest one for me was how much walking was involved. Damascus isn’t huge, but between Tent City, booths, and events, I ended up spending most of the weekend on my feet. After weeks of hiking, my body needed a true zero day and Trail Days didn’t make me feel calm.
The other thing that surprised me was how crowded everything felt with hikers who weren’t hikers. Obviously, Trail Days is open to everyone, and it’s amazing to see how much support the AT receives, but there were times where current hikers found it difficult to access resources that were supposedly there for them.
Tent City stood shoulder to shoulder, charging stations were full and lines for food were filling up quickly. It was strange for a current hiker to compete for hiking resources with people who weren’t actively hiking the trail.
None of this ruined the experience for me, but it did make things more exhausting than I expected.
So… Was it worth it?
For me, yes.
The Trail Days weren’t calm, peaceful, or particularly good for recovery, but they were fun and memorable. Exploring Tent City, eating great magical foods on the trail, joining the drum circle, and reconnecting with hikers I had met at different points along the trail was a unique experience. I don’t think I wanted every zero to feel like Trail Days, but I’m glad I experienced it at least once.
