View Full Version : Three forks holy busy!
billnchristy
05-24-2015, 22:25
We went up to three forks to do a hike along the BMT. Saturday morning it was about normal, 6-7 cars at the crossing. When we came out from Bryson Gap this morning there were cars as far as the eye could see in either direction, probably about 30 parked at this crossing alone.
The good news is we saw a total of 10 people on the BMT and about 4x that once we got to the AT/BMT intersection.
How has the trail been in your areas this weekend?
No Directions
05-25-2015, 05:24
Long Creek Falls is published in every hiking book about N GA. Notice how many of those license plates are from Fulton, Cobb, Gwinnett counties. That area has become difficult to hike on weekends. Maybe I'm just more aware of it but it seems like more people are getting out and hiking now. I suppose that's a good thing.
mrcoffeect
05-25-2015, 09:13
More people on the trail would be a good thing if, all those folks shared an inate love of nature and desire to keep it pristine.
But that is not the case these days. There are multiple generations of people on the trail who share an inate love of themselves and their stuff.
billnchristy
05-25-2015, 11:19
We spotted random things like shoes and even a kid's bike left behind, our trash sack was already full so couldn't take anything big out.
Also, sorry to those two guys trying to hitch out, my little Fiesta was packed with the three of us and our gear.
daddytwosticks
05-25-2015, 15:35
Hiked from Wayah Gap to the NOC this past Fri, Sat, & Sun. This is kind of an annual hike I take this weekend every year. The shelter areas at Wayah Bald and Wesser Bald area was very crowded. One could still find solitude during the actual hike itself, only passing a few hikers every now and then. Everybody seemed pretty well behaved. Not as much trash compared to thru-hiking season. :)
Actually the trail has not been all that busy here at Grassy Gap. Considering the weather I would have thought we would have seen many more hikers. No surprise that Three Forks area was busy. USFS 58 has tons of car camping sites all the way down to Three Forks. Memorial Day Weekend has always been a huge car camping event.
Glad you could get out and enjoy the fabulous weather. Definitely a Chamber of Commerce weather weekend up in these parts.
billnchristy
05-25-2015, 17:30
Yes, weather was amazing! A little chilly at night but my makeshift underquilt worked pretty darn good. Combine that with wearing the dry ducks jacket and it didn't feel too bad.
maptester
05-26-2015, 10:16
My son and I were also on the BMT from Three Forks this past weekend. I thought there would be mobs at Long Creek Falls, so we made an early start and missed the crowds. The BMT is the place to be, low numbers and folks just out for a hike in the woods. One of the quietest overnights I've had in a long time.
30829
billnchristy
05-26-2015, 10:29
You didn't happen to stay at No Name Gap did you?
on the last 6 or 7 AFSP to Neels Gap section hikes I've done, I can't count how many dayhikers I have met on the AT south of Three Forks, that stop me to ask "where is Long Creek Falls". It's apparent a lot of dayhikers park at the road xing, and hike the wrong way back toward Springer. Wonder how many others here have seen this?
billnchristy
05-26-2015, 20:01
I was surprised when a guy asked me about the BMT this weekend. Then we saw 7 Saturday on the trail and 7 again on Sunday (different folks), one was an older couple, no gear (besides the guy's 357), not even a water bottle and here they are lumbering up the trail onto the bald without even being winded. They apparently walk the woods and know a heck of a lot more trails than we as they went off into the campsite after the bald and down that trail. They said they track the Army guys when they come out and play war games. It made me chuckle to think of the guys fighting it out and these two just stroll through.
Dillon_Nelson
05-29-2015, 09:35
Billandchristie; that was me and my dad hitching out of three forks! We caught a ride shortly after you passed so no worries! We left Amicalola on sat. and were parked at Springer, but decided to push a little farther to three forks and then hike back to the car from three forks. Dad's knees wanted to get a ride back to springer instead.
I had at least two people come up to me at three forks with that waterfall book in hand asking where it was haha.
billnchristy
05-29-2015, 10:48
Well, nice to meet you, kinda.