Explore This Park

• Plan Your Visit
  • Things To Do
    • Outdoor Activities
      • Backcountry Camping
        • Water Sources & Conditions

Water Sources & Conditions

Springs: Although the Park may have natural sources of clean, potable water, any water source could become polluted. Most water sources along the trails (with the exception of public developed area facilities) are unprotected and susceptible to contamination. All water should be purified, preferably by boiling for at least two minutes, chemical treatment, or filtering with a portable water filtering system. Avoid contaminating the water supply and surrounding area. Dishes, clothes and hands should never be washed in the water supply. Washing should be done well away from the water supply.

The springs are listed in order, from north (US 522) to south (Calf Mt. Hut) along the Appalachian Trail.

This information is updated periodically.

 

Water Sources along the Appalachian Trail

Mile Along AT	Spring Location	Comments
	Tom Floyd Wayside	Unknown
5.3	Indian Run Maintenance Building Area	10 to 12 quarts/min. Shallow pool (9/28/17)
9.9	Hogwallow Flats	No Flow (9/28/2017)
14.3	Gravel Springs Hut	Slow trickle into pool (10/24/2017)
19.4	Range View Cabin	1.9 quarts/min (9/28/2017)
20.7	Elkwallow Gap (below picnic area)	Piped; 5 quarts/min (9/28/2017)
24.3	Beahms Gap	Piped; 2 quarts/min (9/28/2017)
26.4	Pass Mountain Hut	No Flow (10/24/2017)
34.7	Byrds Nest #3 (access road near Drive)	Piped; 17 quarts/min (10/26/2017)
44.3	Hawksbill Gap	Piped; 8.5 quarts/min (9/28/2017)
45.6	Rock Spring Hut	Shallow pool; not flowing (10/26/17)
57.1	Bearfence Mountain Hut	Shallow stream, trickle (10/18/17)
59.8	Pocosin Cabin	Piped, 3 quarts/min, shallow pool (9/27/2017)
63.1	South River Maintenance Building	Small shallow pool, unreliable (9/27/2017)
69.5	Hightop Hut	Piped; 3 quarts/min in shallow pool (10/16/17)
77.7	Pinefield Hut	Flowing well (11/2/2017)
81.4	Ivy Creek Maintenance Building	Piped; 22.5 Quarts/min (9/29/17)
85.7	Doyles River Trail near cabin	Piped; 3.5 Quarts/min (9/29/2017)
90.9	Blackrock Hut	Piped; 3 Quarts/min (11/2/2017)
97	Jarman Gap	Unreliable; very small pool (9/29/17)
103.9	Calf Mountain Hut	Unknown

Water Sources along Skyline Drive

Skyline Drive mile	Water Source Location	Water Availability
4.8	Dickey Ridge VC/Picnic area	frost free hydrant (PA year round, VC seasonal)
22.1	Piney River Maintenance Office	frost free hydrant (year round)
24	Elkwallow Picnic Area	frost free hydrant (year round)
31.6	Thornton Gap Entrance Station	frost free hydrant (year round)
31.6	Panorama	frost free hydrant (year round)
36.7	Pinnacles Picnic area	frost free hydrant (year round)
42	Skyland area	frost free hydrant (stables area) (year round)
51	Big Meadows area (2)	frost free hydrant (Maintenance area/Visitor Center comfort station – both are year round)
57.8	Lewis Mtn. CG and Picnic area	Intermittent (shut off for winter)
62.8	South River Picnic area	frost free hydrant (year round) BOIL!
65.4	Swift Run Entrance Station	frost free hydrant (year round)
73.1	Simmons Gap area (2)	frost free hydrant (Trails cache / Maintenance area - both are year round)
80	Loft Mtn CG and Wayside area	Intermittent (shut off for winter)
83.6	Dundo CG	frost free hydrant (year round) BOIL!