Thru-hike trip report with photos

[ernie84]

I am proud to announce that I completed my thru-hike of the BMT last week. What follows is a brief trip report. A link to my photo album is at the bottom. Many thanks to the volunteers of the BMTA and to Sgt. Rock, whose trail guide was indispensable.


I started my thru-hike on May 16th, after hiking up the approach trail from Amicalola Falls State Park the day before and spending the night on Springer Mtn. Total pack weight at the start of the trip was 50 lbs, including eight days of food and four liters of water. It took me 20 days to finish, including one zero day. I walked the last six miles from Mt. Sterling on June 4th, finishing two days ahead of schedule.


To get there, I took the Amtrak from Greensboro to Gainesville, and then got a shuttle with Ron Brown to AFSP (my girlfriend picked me up at the end of the trail). I did two mail drops, the first at Reliance Fly & Tackle and the second at Fontana Village Resort. I spent one night in the cabin at Reliance Fly & Tackle, one night at the Green Cove Motel, and two nights at Fontana Village Resort. All the rest of the nights where spent on the trail in a tent.


I saw four bears, one snake (a copperhead), quite a few wild turkeys, several grouse, a few deer, and other assorted critters. I'd say the hardest section was either going up Big Frog Mtn. or the new Yellow Creek Mountain bypass. I was lucky to have good weather for most of the way. It rained off and on for the first couple of nights and there was one big storm the night I camped at Jerry Flats, but other than that is was mostly nice. There were a couple of hot days around Reliance, though.


I encountered more people on the trail than I expected to, mostly day hikers and over nighters though. I think the longest I went without seeing anyone was maybe 36-48 hours. There were only two other BMT thru-hikers on the trail that I was aware of, John and Mark, two great guys from Cullowhee. They had started the trail a couple of days ahead of me but I eventually caught up with them half way through the Smokies. We spent the last three days leap frogging each other and camped together a couple of nights.


For those that might be planning a thru-hike in the future, I have provided a list of my campsites below. On average, I guess I did about 15-16 miles a day. My longest day was around 23 miles and my shortest was just 6 miles (the last day). Mileage comes from Sgt. Rock's 2014-15 guide and does not include any off trail miles (such as to and from the Green Cove Motel).


Mile 0 - Springer Mtn. Shelter
Mile 14.7 - Toccoa River Bridge
Mile 31.1 - Tipton Mtn.
Mile 51.1 - Indian Rock Shelter
Mile 68.7 - Intersection of the South Fork Trail near Jack's River
Mile 92.0 - Thunder Rock Campground
Mile 110.6 - Cabin at Reliance Fly & Tackle
Mile 125.0 - On the trail between TN HWY 68 and Old HWY 68
Mile 137.6 - Just west of Sandy Gap on trail #85
Mile 152.0 - Green Cove Motel
Mile 168.3 - Campsite just south of Cold Spring Gap at intersection of trail #54A
YCMT Mile 2.1 - Campsite just after Bearpen Gap on the Yellow Creek Mountain Trail
YCMT Mile 11.3 - Fontana Village Resort (2 nights)
Mile 205.6 - Campsite #86 (Proctor)
Mile 220.4 - Campsite #98 (Chambers Creek)
Mile 235.7 - Campsite #63 (Jerry Flats)
Mile 250.5 - Campsite #52 (Newton Bald)
Mile 264.7 - Campsite #47 (Enloe Creek)
Mile 280.7 - Campsite #38 (Mount Sterling)


Here is the link to my Picasa album: https://picasaweb.google.com/104406359332051563806/BentonMacKayeTrailMayJune2014?authkey=Gv1sRgCLn_xO Gtt5P2GA

[Last Call]

Nice trip report - thanks for sharing!

[4shot]

I saw four bears, one snake (a copperhead), quite a few wild turkeys, several grouse, a few deer, and other assorted critters.


I encountered more people on the trail than I expected to, mostly day hikers and over nighters though.

thanks for sharing. interesting about the number of people - I just walked from tapico to thunder rock in about 5 - 1/2 days last week and saw no one else on the trail. outside of chatting with Dean at the Webb brothers store in Reliance I had no other human contact on that stretch of trail. Outside of a bear, numerous grouse and turkeys I also saw two wild boar (the Russian type, not feral pigs) and am thankful to report no snake sightings.

[FatMan]

Nice report and great pictures. Thanks

[SGT Rock]

Great pictures. Thanks very much for sharing them.

I'm quite surprised you saw so many people out there.

[AO2134]

Thank you thank you ernie84! Great trip report and pictures.

[TNhiker]

nice report....

just outta curiousity---how was the stay at the green cove?

[ernie84]

Well, I think I paid about $40 for the night, if that tells you anything. The room had two double beds and a tiny bathroom. When I pulled back the sheets on the first bed I discovered several dead bugs. But, the second one appeared to be clean. Definitely not the kind of place to go on a honeymoon, though.

However, I expected as much and I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again if I was ever thru hiking in the area. I spent a relaxing afternoon reading a book on the back deck and chugging sodas from the store. I never heard any noise from the people next door and I slept fine. The only drawback is the walk to and from the trail, but you could probably hitch a ride very easily if you wanted to.

[CELTIC BUCK]

Thanks for the Grand photo Journal looks like trail I need to add to my list.

[PapaGarrettP]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing. It definitley makes me jones for the trail, which I will return to in April for a little 60 miler from Fontana to Smokemont!!

[Dogwood]

thx. good report. nicely displayed photo album of the bmt

[mtntopper]

I am proud to announce that I completed my thru-hike of the BMT last week. What follows is a brief trip report. A link to my photo album is at the bottom. Many thanks to the volunteers of the BMTA and to Sgt. Rock, whose trail guide was indispensable.


I started my thru-hike on May 16th, after hiking up the approach trail from Amicalola Falls State Park the day before and spending the night on Springer Mtn. Total pack weight at the start of the trip was 50 lbs, including eight days of food and four liters of water. It took me 20 days to finish, including one zero day. I walked the last six miles from Mt. Sterling on June 4th, finishing two days ahead of schedule.


To get there, I took the Amtrak from Greensboro to Gainesville, and then got a shuttle with Ron Brown to AFSP (my girlfriend picked me up at the end of the trail). I did two mail drops, the first at Reliance Fly & Tackle and the second at Fontana Village Resort. I spent one night in the cabin at Reliance Fly & Tackle, one night at the Green Cove Motel, and two nights at Fontana Village Resort. All the rest of the nights where spent on the trail in a tent.


I saw four bears, one snake (a copperhead), quite a few wild turkeys, several grouse, a few deer, and other assorted critters. I'd say the hardest section was either going up Big Frog Mtn. or the new Yellow Creek Mountain bypass. I was lucky to have good weather for most of the way. It rained off and on for the first couple of nights and there was one big storm the night I camped at Jerry Flats, but other than that is was mostly nice. There were a couple of hot days around Reliance, though.


I encountered more people on the trail than I expected to, mostly day hikers and over nighters though. I think the longest I went without seeing anyone was maybe 36-48 hours. There were only two other BMT thru-hikers on the trail that I was aware of, John and Mark, two great guys from Cullowhee. They had started the trail a couple of days ahead of me but I eventually caught up with them half way through the Smokies. We spent the last three days leap frogging each other and camped together a couple of nights.


For those that might be planning a thru-hike in the future, I have provided a list of my campsites below. On average, I guess I did about 15-16 miles a day. My longest day was around 23 miles and my shortest was just 6 miles (the last day). Mileage comes from Sgt. Rock's 2014-15 guide and does not include any off trail miles (such as to and from the Green Cove Motel).


Mile 0 - Springer Mtn. Shelter
Mile 14.7 - Toccoa River Bridge
Mile 31.1 - Tipton Mtn.
Mile 51.1 - Indian Rock Shelter
Mile 68.7 - Intersection of the South Fork Trail near Jack's River
Mile 92.0 - Thunder Rock Campground
Mile 110.6 - Cabin at Reliance Fly & Tackle
Mile 125.0 - On the trail between TN HWY 68 and Old HWY 68
Mile 137.6 - Just west of Sandy Gap on trail #85
Mile 152.0 - Green Cove Motel
Mile 168.3 - Campsite just south of Cold Spring Gap at intersection of trail #54A
YCMT Mile 2.1 - Campsite just after Bearpen Gap on the Yellow Creek Mountain Trail
YCMT Mile 11.3 - Fontana Village Resort (2 nights)
Mile 205.6 - Campsite #86 (Proctor)
Mile 220.4 - Campsite #98 (Chambers Creek)
Mile 235.7 - Campsite #63 (Jerry Flats)
Mile 250.5 - Campsite #52 (Newton Bald)
Mile 264.7 - Campsite #47 (Enloe Creek)
Mile 280.7 - Campsite #38 (Mount Sterling)


Here is the link to my Picasa album: https://picasaweb.google.com/104406359332051563806/BentonMacKayeTrailMayJune2014?authkey=Gv1sRgCLn_xO Gtt5P2GA


Thanks for the info. Would you tell me where you resupplied?

[AO2134]

Here is the link to my Picasa album: https://picasaweb.google.com/104406359332051563806/BentonMacKayeTrailMayJune2014?authkey=Gv1sRgCLn_xO Gtt5P2GA

Your pictures brought such a nostalgic feeling back from my previous section hikes of the BMT. Great pictures. I also appreciate the Noland Creek Ford pictures as I will be doing those soon and I really dislike fording rivers/creeks, especially in the middle of December.

[Sheriff Cougar]

Thanks for sharing your experience and photos.

[martinb]

Nice! Would love to do this trip one day.