Page 23 DAMASCUS, VA 24236: Post-office hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm, Sat
9am-11am; 276-475-3411; calls itself "the friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail",
hosts the annual "Trail Days" festival (see below). The Place--a Methodist sponsored
hostel located in an old house behind the church, usually open Apr-Nov. It has rooms
with bunks for sleeping, common room for lounging, bathrooms with hot showers, a
back porch for cooking (no cooking inside building), and a grassy yard for pitching
tents. The hostel is for overnight use by hikers only (no family or friends) and cyclists
on the Transcontinental Bike Trail that also comes through town (cyclist started this
hostel); no dogs permitted on premises. A donation of $4 per night is requested, with
a two-night limit on stay unless you are sick or injured. Donations are needed by the
church to keep the hostel open and operating. Several things should be noted: No
alcohol is permitted on the property (remember, this is part of the Methodist church!);
noise should be kept to a minimum, especially after dark; housekeeping is left to
hikers during hiker season, so do your part. Other lodging--Dave's Place: hiker hostel,
$10 per person for semi-private room, private room for $25; hot showers; shower
without stay $2; gas grill for cookouts; check in at Mt. Rogers Outfitters Hikers' Inn
(276-475-3788): $20 per person, bunk with mattress, linens, kennel for your pet, hot
shower, no credit cards; operated by Suzanne Bullard Chestnut Lodge (276-475-
3280): $40S/D, kitchen, pets outside Apple Tree B&B (276-475-5261): $44S/D
($68S/D for two nights), no pets Lazy Fox B&B (276-475-5838): $55S/D shared
bath, $65S/D with private bath, full breakfast, pets outside The Maples B&B (276-
475-3943): $40 up, no pets, no credit cards. Damascus has a number of lodging
places catering to regular tourists, check town hall for information. Places to eat--
Sicily's Pizza & Subs: pizza, pastas, hoagies, calzones, stromboli; open 7 days Side
Track Cafe: soups, salads, sandwiches, personal pizza, specialty coffees; internet
terminals Cowboy's: fast-food and cafeteria-style, eat-in or take-out, burgers, subs,
108 The Thru-hiker's Handbook 2003
Southwest Virginia
DAMASCUS, VA
©
2003 Dan Bruce. All rights reserved.
(compressed schematic, not to scale)
A.T. North
A.T. South
The
Place
Dairy King
Laundromat
Dot's Inn
& Restaurant
Appco 55
Market
Cowboy's
Minute-ette
Market
Mt. Rogers
Outfitters
Old Mill
Pharmacy
Town
Hall
&
Fire Sta.
Bank
P.O.
Old
Engine
Caboose
Gazebo
Virginia
Creeper
Trail
Methodist
Church
No
Camping
Zone
City Pool
& Showers
(Trail Days only)
North
Camping
Area
Sicily's
Lazy Fox
B&B
Maples
B&B
Sundog
Outfitters
Side Track
Cafe
Trail Days: May 16-18
Apple Tree
B&B
Library
Dave's
Place
Hikers
Inn
