What Are the Best Shelters on the Appalachian Trail? [POLL]

With more than 250 shelters lining the 2,185 miles of the Appalachian Trail, there’s going to be a bell curve of quality (and those who’ve been on the Trail will confirm this).  Which are the best?

Let us first back up and ask: Why does it matter?

Don’t hikers determine the shelter they’re sleeping at based solely on mileage?  The shelter closest to a hiker’s target mileage for that day will (more often than not) be the destination.  

For a certain percentage of hikers (mostly thru-hikers) this will always be the case.

But some prefer to smell the roses during their journey- whether it be section or thru-hikers.  Although every shelter will provide you three (or rarely, four) walls and roof, not all shelters are created equally.  Some provide stunning views, pristine springs, and yes, even pizza delivery.

If sleeping in one of the Trail’s best shelters requires four fewer miles of hiking for the day, isn’t that a trade worth making?  Or maybe you’re curious if the .5 mile blue blaze is worth the extra steps?  Hikers should have this knowledge so they can make an informed decision.

So let’s figure this out.

What Are the Best Shelters on the Appalachian Trail?

As always, I probed our Facebook community to share their favorite shelters along the Trail.  The most common answers have been included in the poll below, listed in no particular order.

You can vote for up to three shelters (and are encouraged to do so).

Share this poll with friends- the more voters, the better the answer!