Argow Cabin

September 2, 2019

Argow Cabin is located at N38° 20.015′, W78° 36.308′. It is most accessible by parking at Eaton Hollow Overlook along Skyline Drive.

Argow Cabin offers great north-facing views along Eaton Hollow and towards Elkton, VA.

Outdoor Fires

At one time, Argow Cabin had a fire pit built into the deck, but this fire pit has been removed. There is a stone fire pit on the lawn to the east side of the house.

Water

Water is available from a spring near the cabin. The flow of water from the PVC pipe in the ground will vary due to rainfall. I set one of the cabin’s drink coolers underneath the pipe to collect the water over time. When I was there, I was able to collect about 4 liters of water every 3 hours.

There is also running water available from Schairer Trail Center, 3/4 mile back up the trail.

Privy

Argow Cabin offers an outdoor privy.

Trail

The trail from Eaton Hollow Overlook is easy to follow. After the first 1/4 mile, the trail leaves Shenandoah National Park.

At 1/2 mile, Schairer Trail Center will appear in a clearing to the west (left side of the trail). From Schairer Trail Center to Argow Cabin, the trail follows a fire road.

While some maps (including the one below) show the fire road continuing north at the switchback, that fire road no longer continues, and the only obvious way to stay on the trail is to follow the path to Argow Cabin.

Likewise, some maps and PATC trail descriptions show the Argow Cabin Trail cutting east off the fire road and heading straight toward the cabin, but as of September 2019, that trail was heavily overgrown and not maintained. The only clear path to the cabin was along the fire road. This is a slightly longer route than described: the total distance from Eaton Hollow Overlook to Argow Cabin is 1.22 miles, but the PATC documentation states it is 1 mile.

Trail Profile:

Note: This information is meant to supplement official materials, not to provide a comprehensive overview. It reflects my experience and the observations I made at the time I visited, but conditions and policies may change over time.