Bears Den provides a gateway connecting people to the "rollercoaster" section of the Appalachian Trail. Bears Den is owned by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and operated by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. The historic stone mansion sits on 66 acres and is 150 yards from the AT and a beautiful, westward-facing overlook of the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains.

We offer an array of services including a drop-in long-distance backpacker hostel with full services, accommodations for group or private party rentals, a primitive campground, and a contact for all your hiking, shuttle, and slackpack needs.  For more information and rates, please visit bearsdencenter.org.

On the same site sits Bears Den Cottage, a rustic cabin that can be rented through our cabin reservation system.

Blackburn Trail Center

Built in 1910, the Blackburn Trail Center was acquired by PATC in 1979. Resident caretakers live on the premises during the hiking season. The Center is primarily designed to support long distance hikers, trail crews, Club planning meetings and training seminars. When not being used for official club activities the Center is the perfect location for large group use.  In the past Blackburn has hosted weddings, family reunions and milestone birthday parties.

Day-hikers, thru-hikers and long distance hikers stream through Blackburn during the height of the hiking season. They stop for water, to use the pay phone or spend a night in the Hikers Hostel.

Outside of the peak hiking season, Blackburn is available for rent through our cabin reservation system..

email us for more information.