View Full Version : Section Hiking the AT in July
Funk steer
04-23-2015, 14:30
Hi All,
Just wondering if anyone has started the AT in Georgia in July. If so, hows the weather and can the trail be crowded?
Thanks
hikernutcasey
04-23-2015, 16:38
Hi All,
Just wondering if anyone has started the AT in Georgia in July. If so, hows the weather and can the trail be crowded?
ThanksShouldn't be too crowded down there that time of year but there is a reason for that...it's Georgia in July. I'm sweating just thinking about it.
RADHiker
04-25-2015, 22:56
We hiked Ga to NOC the first week of August. Most of the trip was wonderful. It's summer, so you expect the heat. What I didn't expect was wild flowers up to your armpits filled with bees.....seemed like half a mile of it. Not my favorite pick for the heat of summer.
bigcranky
04-26-2015, 08:32
We did our family section hikes in June and July, starting in GA and heading north. Warm, humid, afternoon thunderstorms. The trail can be pretty overgrown. And it was surprisiningly crowded -- not with thru-hikers, of course, but with camp groups. Many of them were very large. "Hoods in the woods", Christian camps, etc.
I gave a ride to a hiker a couple of years ago. He told me that he had started in GA the previous July and had to be rescued off the trail on his second day because he had under estimated the heat and the toughness of the trail ...... Be careful, go slow, drink a lot of water ...Over enthusiasm in the heat can spell disaster...
As others have noted Georgia in July is going to be hot and that should not be a surprise. However, with that said it can also be a great experience. The good news for this year is we have had plenty of rain the past few years so water should be quite available. During dryer years water in July can be a challenge but unless we have a drastic change between now and then you should be in good shape.
The temps on the trail at elevation generally top out in the upper 70s and you will be hiking pretty much in the shade through a thick green tunnel. So it is not the temps that will get you, it will be the humidity. And as such, expect to hike in drenched with sweat clothes that will never dry, even over night. You may also find yourself in a weather pattern that creates afternoon thunderstorms everyday, some being severe. But honestly, those can feel great.
It is best to get up before sunrise and get your mileage in early. Because of the green tunnel that hottest time of the day is between 3-5pm.
You will pretty much have the trail to yourself during the week, but you will definitely see hikers on the weekends. As long as you can tolerate the humidity, drink plenty of water, and keep your camp clothes dry you can have a great time.
Good luck and enjoy your hike.
I was in PA in July 4th on my 2011 hike. Remember hiking up a ridge and sweated some much that my cell phone quit working due to the moisture. Basically my point is it's hot in July no matter where you are.
The major thing is to drink PLENTY of water!!!