Yes. Some say it's one of the best on the trail! We have a large selection of dehydrated meals, including the best - Backpacker's Pantry Pad Thai with Chicken - and many vegetarian options. We have the basics - tuna, spam, tortillas, ramen, hot chocolate, instant breakfast, oatmeal, etc, and some things you might not expect - KT tape, trowels, Kula cloths, nuun, soap, honey from our bees, and more. Of course we have fuel canisters, but no honeybuns or Clif bars (I ate too many of those on my hike and the mere sight of them turns my stomach.) Feel free to call if you are looking for a specific item.

Yes, you may send a resupply box to us, just be aware we are only open from April 1st – June 30th each year. Please make sure your mail drop arrives no sooner than March 20th, and no later than June 30th. Mail drops are free for overnight guests, otherwise $5. But be warned, 95% of the time hikers picking up packages end up staying overnight. Please address your package as follows: First Name “Trail Name” Last Name c/o Quarter Way Inn 4083 Old Rich Valley Rd Ceres, VA 24318 Please write your ETA and your phone number or email on your package. Plans change, and I like to contact people before I mark their package Return to Sender. This is much easier if you supply this info. Packages will be held until June 30th then returned. A note about resupply boxes: On my thru-hike in 2009 I went to a wholesale store at home, bought vast quantities of food, and prepped about 20 boxes. I’d call home and tell Brett where to send the next box and what pages of the guidebook to include. This worked well to resupply my contacts, contact solution, and for the guidebook pages (FarOut was a distant dream), but we got sooooo sick of the food we had packed halfway through the hike! Luckily, we were hiking with a guy whose moms would send him gourmet homemade goodies on a similar schedule, so we were able to swap our junk food and trail mix for his fruit leather and vegetarian chili. We also got in a bit of trouble with Post Offices being closed (Ugh, Columbus Day!) when we needed them to be open. So, my advice is to shop on-trail for food. I know a lot of people have special diets or medical needs and must rely on resupply boxes, or just like the security of knowing there is a box waiting for them, so I recommend shipping boxes to hostels rather than post offices, as they are open 24/7.

Yes, during the season you can make a reservation by calling 276-522-4603 (do not text – it’s a landline) or emailing tina@quarterwayinn.com. We are rarely able to answer the phone, so leave a voicemail with your reservation details and we will call you back to confirm. Reservations are often made through a series of voicemails. Reservations are highly recommended during the month of May and anytime the weather is cold, snowy, rainy, or windy as we regularly max out. We recommend that you do not make a reservation more than a week in advance because the nature of thru-hiking leads to unpredictable schedules. However, if you are a section hiker with a set schedule or starting the trail near us, you can make a reservation further in advance. Please, please, please – If you are not going to keep your reservation, call us so we can free up your spot for someone else. We have been very fortunate to have very few no-shows over the years, which has allowed us to stay flexible. All reservations that are not checked in (or heard from) by 7pm will be released.

Yes. We take cash (preferred), all credit and debit cards, ApplePay, and CashApp. We do not Accept Venmo.

Yes, you may park your car here for a limited time, even in the off season. Anything up to a week is fine, but if longer than that give us a call to discuss your plans. For short-term parking, just send me an email to let me know your schedule and your car, and park to the left (west) of the house up against the fence (not in front of the gate). No guarantees we will be around 24/7. Alternatively, there is also a public trailhead parking lot a couple miles north of us at VA42 at the O’Lystery Pavilion. There is also a small pull off right next to the Appalachian Trail on VA 610/Old Rich Valley Rd on the south side of the road to the west of the trail.

Yes. We have fuel canisters, white gas, and denatured alcohol available.

YES! Finally! As of June 2023 we now have fiber internet! We still do not have cell service at the house, but you can walk out in the yard or up the nearby hill to find a Verizon signal. We do not have a TV with an internet connection, rather the AT's finest VHS collection. For real.

Yes. Showers are $5 and include hot water, towel, wash cloth, soap, shampoo, conditioner. Laundry is $5 and is done for you. Depending on when you arrive there may be a bit of a wait. We provide loaner clothes while you wait (and a great VHS collection, too!).

Breakfast is served at 7 am. Coffee is on at 6 am. You must be signed up for breakfast by 7 pm the night prior. You cannot change your mind in the morning when you are crying into your instant oatmeal.

No. Breakfast is for overnight guests only. Our breakfast is a big production and quantities are made according to the number of people staying. Also, per our health department permit, we can only serve overnight guests.

Usually, but not always depending on your specific diet. Breakfast is served family style and making special dishes is not always possible. I often do a “pay what you think it’s worth” deal for folks who don’t eat all of the offerings. Vegetarians are easy to accommodate, but it’s a bit harder with Vegans.

Check-in is between Noon and 7pm. If you are going to arrive after 7pm, please give us a call to let us know you are coming and sign up for breakfast. Late arrivals may have to wait until morning for their laundry to be done, but we have plenty of loaner clothes for you to wear in the meantime. Check-out is at 10am.

Unfortunately, we do not allow dogs on the property as a condition of our insurance policy. As a dog lover myself, I know this is a stupid rule, but my hands are tied. Of course, we welcome legitimate service dogs that have been specifically trained to perform a duty or task and are required due to a hiker’s disability. People with fake service dogs make it harder for people with disabilities who depend on their service dogs to navigate this world. Please don't do it.

Our hiker kitchen includes a toaster oven, microwave, hot water kettle, and refrigerator (with limited space). We offer frozen pizzas and high-protein vegetarian meals, soda, V-8, ice cream, Gatorade, chocolate milk, and a full resupply shop.

We are doing our best to lower the risk of transmission. We are both up to date on our vaccines and offer a free COVID test to anyone who wants one. We may even sternly request a guest take a test if they show up with “a cold,” “allergies,” or “asthma” (we caught 8 cases in 2022). We also keep the windows open as much as possible, have three HEPA air filters for the high traffic areas, are very diligent about cleaning and handwashing, and are limiting the number of overnight guests (including tenters) – so reservations are a good idea.