Notes on Basye

      The crossroads community of Basye, Virginia is a good resupply point for thru hikers.  It can be accessed via the purple-blazed Orkney Springs Trail (TR 420), which intersects the North Mountain Trail approximately 3.1 miles north of the Snyder and Hunkerson Gap Trails and 2.7 miles south of Barb Gap (VA 720/WV 20).  The trail junction is also located a short distance north of a cross-mountain pipeline corridor.

   The Orkney Springs Trail down the Virginia (east) side of the mountain comes to a T junction with an old woods road.  Turn left for a short distance into the trailhead parking area to head toward Basye.  The trail to the right leads to Orkney Springs, another small community.

   The trail toward Basye ends at the paved Alum Springs Road (VA 717).  Traffic along this road is very light, and the Basye Community Store is one mile to the right from the trailhead.  VA 717 ends at a T junction with Orkney Grade (VA 263).  Look toward your left and you will see the sign for the gas pumps in front of the store a few yards down the road.  The store is located at 1508 Orkney Grade and the US Post Office is the second building beyond at 1540.  There is a large chicken barbecue pit in front of the post office but its hours and dates of operation are not known.

   The Community Store is larger than average for a general store and carries a good selection of groceries.  It is really a small, independent supermarket like the one further south in Warm Springs, and the first one since there that is near the trail.  There is also a lunch counter and ATM machine.  Laundry and dry cleaning are advertised services, but it is not known at this time whether these can be done quickly on site.

   The hours of operation for the Basye Post Office are 9 AM to 4:30 PM weekdays, closed for lunch from 11:30 to 12:30.  Saturday hours are from 9 to 11 AM.  The ZIP Code is 22810.  The Community Store is open from 6 AM to 9 PM Monday thru Thursday and until 11 PM on Friday and Saturday.  Sunday hours are 7:30 AM to 8 PM.

   There are several small businesses located near the crossroads, so just inquire if you are looking for other goods or services.  One of note is the 263 Diner, well worth the hike down off the mountain if you are in need of a change in fare from trail mix, with the ambience of a 1950s-style country diner.  It is open daily from 8 AM to 9 PM but is closed on Mondays.

This page last updated March 28, 2007.