View Full Version : Coosa Backcountry Trail?
NEGAhiker
05-13-2009, 11:03
Anyone ever hiked this trail in GA....If so, how would you rate this trail in terms of difficulty...I have some time off this coming fall and I'm trying to plan some overnighters....I know the loop is about 13 miles, I'm just wondering how tough the terrain is...also, how are the camp sites
Valentine
05-13-2009, 12:06
It is difficult. In comparrison I have hiked all of the AT in GA and do the Coosa as training and for solitude. The campsites are primitive and water in the middle of the loop is scarce. I would put it as a rugged. Definetly bring trekking poles. There are bail out points such as hwy 180. I have done it in one day but is is a challenge.
Two Speed
05-13-2009, 12:15
Hiked it many times over the last 25 years. It's gotten easier, but still includes some difficult sections, depending on your physical condition, weight of gear, weather, etc. The grade up to Coosa Bald, the climb out of Wolf Pen Gap and the descent from the Slaughter Gap area are the tough portions.
For a couch potato the Coosa is a killer. For someone coming off of a thru or long distance hike it's a good day hike.
If you do a search on WB you'll find several trip reports, some long drawn out threads and possibly some useful info, too.
The Solemates
05-13-2009, 12:24
i didnt think the coosa was too bad in difficulty. i thought the GA AT was much harder.
Two Speed
05-13-2009, 13:03
Eh, maybe. IMHO the Coosa is good prep for the Georgia AT and vice versa.
The climb up to Coosa Bald isn't so bad, unless you climb up the East slope from Big Grassy Knob Rd. That is two steps up and one step sliding back steep.
The overall trail isn't bad at all. Reroutes have eliminated some of the climbs. The entire trail can be done in less than 3.5 hours.
IIRC, water can be obtained at least 7 or 8 locations along the trail. Most of the good campsites are on the ridge and are dry.
Valentine
05-13-2009, 14:45
Egads says "The entire trail can be done in less than 3.5 hours."
That's hoofin' it. In good shape maybe. Not a weekend warrior or couch potato.
I did this trail a couple of years ago. WE went counter-clockwise. The first half was easy, and plenty of water. The second half was strenuous, and dry. (that was the year of the drought) This is a great trail. I highly recommend it. Not crowded at all, and I did it over Labor Day. It took us 8-9 hours. We overnighted on a dry ridge, near the intersection with the DRT.
I thought coosa was pretty tough. We did almost the whole loop in a day, stayed at the shelter just after the bear hair trail if you're going counter clockwise, and hiked the last mile or so out the next morning. Probably would have been easier to do it as a day hike with a much smaller pack. Great hike.
bloodmountainman
05-13-2009, 17:54
The climb up to Coosa Bald isn't so bad, unless you climb up the East slope from Big Grassy Knob Rd. That is two steps up and one step sliding back steep.
The overall trail isn't bad at all. Reroutes have eliminated some of the climbs. The entire trail can be done in less than 3.5 hours.
IIRC, water can be obtained at least 7 or 8 locations along the trail. Most of the good campsites are on the ridge and are dry.
Wow that's pretty quick @ 3.5 hours. This trail has some good climbs on it. I took 9 hours on a fair pace without to many rest stops. Guess I'll never be a speed hiker.
The Solemates
05-13-2009, 18:47
we did it ccw as well, but went up to blood mtn, messed around, did a few other side trails as well and some AT, and did it over a weekend for around 20miles. fun little trail!
take-a-knee
05-15-2009, 19:33
we did it ccw as well, but went up to blood mtn, messed around, did a few other side trails as well and some AT, and did it over a weekend for around 20miles. fun little trail!
I just got home from doing the same. Do walk it CCW, there is water everywhere for the first 6 miles of the trail CCW right now. An easy day and a half hike for a reasonably fit person who isn't carrying too much. For a day hike, you'd better start early.
I also thought the Georgia AT was harder than the Coosa. Overall a good time-- I say that even having hiked the entire think in rain. It took us about a day and a half, including a post-noon start on the first day. I'd say you could do it in one day if you were in great hiking shape and left early.
mister krabs
06-05-2009, 14:57
I'm going up to do half the CBT tomorrow afternoon and staying overnight. A friend is supposed to meet me Sunday morning to walk the other half. If I go CCW, would a good place for him to meet me be wildcat gap & duncan creek rd? Are there any good, if dry campsites on wildcat knob? I'm solo and would rather not camp near road access.
I'm going up to do half the CBT tomorrow afternoon and staying overnight. A friend is supposed to meet me Sunday morning to walk the other half. If I go CCW, would a good place for him to meet me be wildcat gap & duncan creek rd? Are there any good, if dry campsites on wildcat knob? I'm solo and would rather not camp near road access.
That's a good meeting place, and yes, there are several good dry campsites on Wildcat knob and Westward to Coosa Bald.
mister krabs
06-07-2009, 20:05
Thanks Egads, it was a good place and there's a nice campsite just before it.
Like others, I found it was about 8 hours for me. If my friend had not met me, I would have been out of water for the next 3 miles. I drink a lot of water, especially in summer. I drank 3 liters in the first half of the trail, then 2 in camp at night and 1 in the morning, then three more in the second half of the trail. If I were doing it again, I would either camp at the water 1/2 way so I'd have 2 liters going into the morning or cache water at hwy 180.
This a really nice saturday afternoon overnight to sunday morning hike for anyone in the atlanta area.
I saw one hiker and two runners going CCW and one hiker going CW. Saw no one in any of the campsites I passed. Nice and isolated. It was a bummer that I could hear hwy 180 for about 2/3 of my hike. It's popular with the bikers