Parking at Springer

[angelam52]

We are planning our next section hike in September. May need to cut short by a day, thinking about parking up at Springer Mountain instead of at Amicalola Visitor Center and skipping the Approach Trail. Does anyone know if there have been any safety/vandalism issues at Springer parking lot? It would be for about 2 weeks.

[AfghanVet]

There is a trans-am up there with Florida plates and a flat tire that has been there at least a month. Other than the tire running flat which it did on its own, nothing has been changed or touched about it. The only time I might even be slightly concerned would be at night when there's not really many people coming up and down the trails.

[jbwood5]

One year I was there (2009 or 2010), there was a pickup truck in the lot with broken windows. It may have been vandalized. There is a fair number of people coming and going, both on foot and driving from that lot; more so in the Spring. Personally, I feel that there is some risk because of the remoteness and I have always used Amacolola, registered paid the few bucks, and hiked the extra 7+ miles which is insignificant if you are going on a really long hike. :)

[FatMan]

I would park at Springer without worry. Has crap happened there over the years...sure. But a lot less often than to cars parked in their driveways in my higher end subdivision in suburban Atlanta.

Park you car at Springer and enjoy your hike. No need to worry.

[Sarcasm the elf]

When I was there last October there were two cars that had broken windows, however both of them looked like they had been parked there so long that they might have been abandoned. There were also plenty of cars parked there that looked fine.

[Gonecampn]

I have parked at Springer on two different occasions and felt totally comfortable leaving my car there overnight but I'm really not sure what the history off vandalism is there.

[78owl]

If you are going for 2 weeks, Amicalola would be safer and an easier retrieve.