Foothills vs. Bartram Trails

[Coffee]

I'm planning to hike the Foothills Trail in early-mid March and I have been reading up on the trail and logistics involved using the excellent Foothills Trail official guidebook and map. Toward the end of the Foothills Trail 8.3 miles before reaching the terminus at Oconee State Park, I noticed that there is a connector to the Bartram Trail. I've vaguely heard of the Bartram Trail before but never looked into it. Intrigued by the connector trail, I spent some time reading up on the Bartram Trail and it sounds really great, although remote. I found a number of discussions on White Blaze as well as this excellent resource: http://www.trailquest.net/BRbartram.html

Rather than a Foothills Trail thru, I've been thinking that it would be a possibly better hike to start at Onocee State Park, hike the 8.3 miles to the connector, and then hike the Bartram Trail 79.8 miles to Wayah Bald where it intersects the AT, then hike the AT to Fontana Dam (45 miles) for a total hike of around 133 miles. It also seems possible to continue on the BT to its terminus at Cheoah Bald and connect with the AT there going north to Fontana Dam for probably similar mileage (and a complete thru of the BT).

Although longer than the Foothills Trail, I feel like a BT hike combined with an AT section I've never done before may be a more diverse experience. However, I'm concerned about (1) relatively remoteness and maintenance of the BT; (2) 14 mile roadwalk on the BT; (3) higher possibility of winter weather as elevation is gained; (4) possibly early nobo thru hiker crowds on the AT - although perhaps not so much if I'm there in early-mid March.

My intent for the Foothills Trail is primarily as a final shakedown prior to my PCT thru hike so maybe I should just leave it simple but, as is often the case, reading about one trail leads to another and a couple of hours of cyber hiking later, I'm wondering about possibly better plans...

[The Solemates]

You cant go wrong with either trail. I wouldnt worry about maintenance of the Bartram. Its easy to follow. The roadwalk is also easy, and relatively easy to hitch a ride if you dont want to walk it. I got a ride after less than a mile of walking without any trouble.

You know you could do both, right? start at table rock (or before...jones gap, hospital rock, or other options) and hike to near the end of the Foothills, hop on the Bartram, and continue as you had planned. that's what I would do if you had time.

[Coffee]

You know you could do both, right? start at table rock (or before...jones gap, hospital rock, or other options) and hike to near the end of the Foothills, hop on the Bartram, and continue as you had planned. that's what I would do if you had time.

The thought has crossed my mind. It looks like I could start at Table Rock and would have something less than 100 miles before a resupply in Clayton, just 3 miles off the BT.

[royalusa]

Coffee,

We yo-yo'ed the Bartram in 2011, including the road walk. At the time, as far as we were aware, not much had been published about the road walk, so we took extra care to publish in our journal as much as we could about it for future hikers. Our journal is here: http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=349088. It includes the location of some dogs that were interested in using us as their next meal. We yellow-blazed a couple hundred yards on our return yo-yo for safety purposes.

Other than that, it was a great little trail. Our next to last journal entry includes our overall thoughts on the trail.

[Coffee]

Thanks royalusa, looks like a very interesting journal.

[TNhiker]

Hey coffee---first off, thanks for jacket...

as you know---I live in knoxville...

if you hike the bartram route and depending upon when your trip is and my schedule---I can help ya out with a ride....

chances go up if i can squeeze a trip in as well (I'm only a weekend hiker though)....

[Coffee]

Thanks TNHiker. I'm leaning toward the Foothills Trail at this point, possibly with some of the spur trails to add some miles. But all the reading on the Bartram Trail has definitely heightened my interest in hiking it at some point, maybe in the fall if I finish the PCT and still want to hike. I like the idea of hiking some of the lesser used trails.

[TNhiker]

Right on.....

offer still stands for foothills trail----I've never been on it and it would be an excuse to go somewhere new....

[HeartFire]

be aware that the Bartram trail has a 14 mile road walk through Franklin NC. paved/concrete, city walking. Otherwise it's a fabulous hike. If I were you , I'd arrange a shuttle from Outdoor 76 and skip the road walk - no sense in it. Scott Ward wrote up a pamphlet on hiking the Bartram and it's really mostly very good. He has all the really necessary stuff in it, but there is also a lot of unnecessary info it it, some of it drove me nuts, but the important stuff is all there. I got the booklet at Black Dome outfitters in Asheville.

The trail was very well maintained, easy to follow (I hiked it this past summer/fall). Mostly very easy grade, and the climb up Cheoah in the end is gorgeous. There are some really sweet camping spots on the mountain.

[AO2134]

Coffee,

We yo-yo'ed the Bartram in 2011, including the road walk. At the time, as far as we were aware, not much had been published about the road walk, so we took extra care to publish in our journal as much as we could about it for future hikers. Our journal is here: http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=349088. It includes the location of some dogs that were interested in using us as their next meal. We yellow-blazed a couple hundred yards on our return yo-yo for safety purposes.

Other than that, it was a great little trail. Our next to last journal entry includes our overall thoughts on the trail.

Royalusa. I read your trail journal. It was great thanks. I really appreciate all the work you did on the road walk. I was going to skip it, but now I think I might do it. Unfortunately, I can't thru hike any trail, as I am a weekend warrior, but I will section hike the BT this year.

Coffee, if you decide to do the BT, I may join you for a section. I live in GA. So far, I have only done 2 small sections of the BT. Russell Bridge to Warwoman Dell and Reach Osage Mountain overlook to Jones Gap. I can possibly join you for a weekend hike if our schedules match up.