Top of Georgia Hostel at Dicks Creek Gap

[thecyclops]

Hello,could anyone tell me if parking is available there for 5-6 days? We are parking one car at springer and the other there,and...well you get the picture.
I have called them,left a message and emailed but so far have not been able to get a hold of anyone.
Also our plan is to do from Dicks Creek Gap to the border and back in a single day hike,does this seem doable?
Thanks in advance.

[bemental]

Top of Georgia has a pretty tiny parking lot. But there is a parking lot at the gap a half mile up the road. Not sure if you can safely (or legally?) leave your car there at all.

[thecyclops]

Top of Georgia has a pretty tiny parking lot. But there is a parking lot at the gap a half mile up the road. Not sure if you can safely (or legally?) leave your car there at all.
SO there is a parking area at dicks creek gap 1/2 mile up the road?

[AO2134]

Ok, yes there is parking at the Gap. Medium sized parking lot. I have parked there a few times for overnight without issue. I have heard others park there for longer without issue, but like any parking location, you are taking a risk. I think dicks creek is on the safer side.

Also, I do not believe there is overnight parking at The Top of GA hostel, but I may be wrong.

I would feel comfortable leaving my car at Dicks creek for a few nights. I've done it overnight several times.

Hope this helps.

Yes, Dicks Creek Gap to Border and back is doable. You will likely be slack packing. From memory it is about 8 miles each way. So total of 16. As a day hike, I'd say that is an easy day hike.

[AO2134]

Put this into Google: 34.912035, -83.618756. Go to street view. See the parking lot.

I forgot to say, have a fun trip!

[bemental]

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/10/bf94dfd833ccd9178547b920b1523957.jpg

Sure is, all along the North side of the road, in the grass as well.

[thecyclops]

Awesome guys thanks!!!

[daddytwosticks]

The PAVED parking area at Dick's Creek Gap is very small. There is a grassy area to park, but it was rough for me in a low-slung car. I've left my car there for several days in the past with no problem. It's a highly trafficked area IMO. The parking area fills up quickly, especially on a nice weather holiday weekend. :)

[upstream]

There is also an overflow area about 1/2 mile east, on the south side of the highway.

[thecyclops]

Awesome,thanks again!!! Keep the responses coming!

[Rising3agle]

For the Dicks Creek to the GA/NC border question - that's mile-marker 69.6 - 78.5, or 8.9 miles. So round trip that would be 18 miles. The 9 miles toward the border has a good bit of climbing - not insurmountable, but it's definitely not flat walking. 3 peaks, with the last 3 miles just going up (and up another 2-3 miles past the border marker). Coming back toward DCG would be a bit easier, but it's still going to have you climbing around 1200ft total. If you're in really good shape and can cover 18 miles in a day-hike in that kind of terrain, well - you know if you can or not. Me, I'd be prone to hiking to Muskrat Creek Shelter (mile 81.4), spending the night, then hike back out the next day - or camp somewhere that looks good close to the border marker.

Another option to consider would be to leap-frog the cars, although that will definitely take you longer - it does give you a bit of a break. you could go Springer to Unicoi (52 miles), then drive back to Springer, get the 2nd car and move it to Dicks Creek. Hike from Unicoi to NC/GA border and back to DCG (~35 miles total). I've parked at Unicoi with no problems, and DCG appeared to have some decent parking.

without knowing your hiking capacity, it's hard to say what's doable. For me, right now I start struggling around the 12 mile mark. I can crank out 14-15 but I feel like doodoo the next day. So I usually plan around 10m a day. By putting a car at Unicoi, you could plan on 10m / day - so 5 days you would hit that car. Moving the vehicles would take a couple hours, let you resupply, and you could do the other 35 miles in about 3.5 days.

if you can do 16m / day or thereabouts, then everything is possible - park one at springer, one at DCG and knock it out. You would get to DCG in about 4-5 days, and if you can do 16m/day you could push the other couple you would need for one day to do a day-trip out to the border and back in a single day.