The Holy Family Hostel is one of the oldest on the trail that is still in operation. It has a full kitchen, shower, washing machine, sleeps 12- 18, and is within walking distance to wal mart.

Recommended donation is still just $10.

The barn was given new purpose in 1977 and continues to this day in 2025, nearly 50 years.

The church property has some of the biggest and beautiful trees in the area.

It’s currently managed by caretaker Twig, who has been there during the season since 2015 after LASHing from Georgia to Virginia. Twig is an avid bicyclist and snowbird who spends the colder months down south. Twig also had a cameo in the movie “A Walk in the Woods”

A warning to all travellers: the town of Glasgow, VA, is different. The rules of time and space work differently there. The vortex is strong and few make it out in less than 3 days.

It has everything you need in close walkable distance, and free camping with showers and electricity. You can come any time you want…

I don’t do a lot of documenting in town. Maybe that’s a weakness I need to work on. I’ve spent 7 days there this year spread over 2 visits. I even made an unlikely friend.

Stuck in a vortex

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My day of rest in troutville wasn’t very restful, even though I had a “zero day.”

The mosquitoes were far too bad and the grocery and hot food places were all far, far away down dangerous roads with no sidewalks nor shoulders. It was an exercise in managing anxiety for sure: push it down and complete the mission.

Troutville has some of the best infrastructure available for travellers, with hot water, electricity, and free camping.

However, it’s poorly executed: the location has none of the town amenities that people need on a journey. Most people will walk, shuttle, or hitch to Daleville, meaning that Troutville foots the bill while Daleville makes the money.

I picked up my grocery resupply, ate many sandwiches, and battled mosquitoes nonstop. I picked up a case of trench foot doing long road walks on wet grass. I got a new outfit at goodwill.

I couldn’t find laundry anywhere in town, so I used the wash sink. This is what the sink looked like after washing 1 set of shorts and 1 set of socks.

That is all.