View Full Version : Is it crowded on AT now?
FossilFool
03-26-2016, 17:26
I'm about to do a hike from NOC to Fontana dam in the first week of May. Who's been on the trail lately, and was it ridiculously crowded? I figure that after 'Walk in the Woods' lots of people will be inspired.
Any other suggestions, thoughts about this section hike? We're newbies and will take about 4 days/3 nights to do it.
thanks!
MuddyWaters
03-26-2016, 17:35
First week of May @ NOC puts you in bubble tail there. Ridiculous is personal judgement. I hiked thru there before at that time. The trail wasnt too bad. Fontana hilton was....ridiculous. People stacked up there, probably 40 or so.
You're right in the thru-hiker bubble. It doesn't get any more crowded than that. Expect crowds at shelters, be prepared to tent, tarp or hammock. Just don't expect shelter space.
Lone Wolf
03-26-2016, 17:56
I'm about to do a hike from NOC to Fontana dam in the first week of May. Who's been on the trail lately, and was it ridiculously crowded? I figure that after 'Walk in the Woods' lots of people will be inspired.
Any other suggestions, thoughts about this section hike? We're newbies and will take about 4 days/3 nights to do it.
thanks!
i was in georgia march 19-22 at gooch gap and saw about 50 per day pass through there so yeah it's crowded
daveiniowa
03-26-2016, 20:28
Can I ask what NOC stands for?
Slo-go'en
03-26-2016, 20:55
First week of May might not be too bad. It should have thinned out significantly for that area by then. Right now it's a zoo and will be that way for another month, easy.
daveiniowa
03-26-2016, 21:04
Nantahala Outdoor Center
Thanks Adriana!
I too am section hiking in that area first week of May. From Albert MTn to Stecoah Gap +-. I have been really excited about it but now am concerned about hoards of thru hikers. I have never been on the trail this early, usually late fall to early winter, when I might see a handful a day. Wondering if it will be on the tail end of the bubble , middle, or what?
Hikingjim
03-27-2016, 00:05
NOC is at mile 135... so the big bubble of march and first half of april hikers will be well past that.
Doesn't mean it won't be busy still, but certainly not peak.
illabelle
03-27-2016, 08:00
We were at Russell Field Shelter in the Smokies yesterday afternoon - hiked up from Cades Cove. We left at 6 pm, late enough that most who planned to be there would have been there by then. Only 5 or 6 people there. But they said the next shelters north and south of them (Mollies Ridge and Spencer) were overloaded.
FossilFool
03-27-2016, 08:26
Thanks for the replies! For those who hike it frequently over the years, are you seeing an uptick this year particularly? I am wondering what effect the movie had on AT traffic.
I guess we won't even try to make it to shelters. Can I assume there will be plenty of spots to put a tent or hammock along the way?
blazercoach
03-27-2016, 10:48
I just came off from a section hike Mar 20 afternoon-23 morning, Neel to Dick's Creek. Busiest night was the first at Low Gap. Shelter was full and there were about 15 tents. Second night at Tray there were only 5 of us, although Cheese Factory was pretty crowded as we passed through. Didn't see many people at all the next day or following morning.
Most NOBO thru-hikers arriving at NOC May 1 will have started their hikes during the second-to-last week of April. The thru-hiker crowd starts decreasing substantially after mid-April at Springer, so the trail in your section probably will not be swamped with them the first week of May. If you hike during a weekend you will see a lot more section hikers and day hikers.
There has been an increase in the number of thru-hikers this year but according to reports it's been a little more than the steady year-over-year growth that's been going on for a long time, but not the dramatic increase some feared.
Slo-go'en
03-27-2016, 13:30
I guess we won't even try to make it to shelters. Can I assume there will be plenty of spots to put a tent or hammock along the way?
I wouldn't say plenty of camping spots, but AWOL shows four which may or may not work out for your daily mileage goals. NOC to Fontana is a pretty rough section of trail and finding a suitable place to camp other then these already established sites is not too likely.
IIRC, people camp at the top of Cheoah Bald. Also, between top of "Jacobs Ladder" and Cable Gap shelter, it's all hardwoods and fairly flat or mellow rolling terrain. Been ages since I was there, though.
LittleRock
03-28-2016, 12:43
I hiked that section mid-May a few years ago and the NOBO bubble was just thinning out. The shelters were full, but not overcrowded. The end of the bubble was littered with all the partiers and "shelter-to-shelter" hikers, along with a few people who'd gotten a late start. Many of them were taking nearly a month to get from Amicalola Falls to Fontana, and I doubt most of them made it farther than Damascus.
twistwrist
03-29-2016, 07:28
I registered over 800 hikers in March alone at Amicalola State park...and those were just the thru-hikers. Yep, there won't be any lonely nights on trail south of the Smokies for a while.
I usually do my southern hiking on the AT in mid/late April... it's more reasonable then.
Also... the weather is better, and the trees start to fill in from the March "skeleton" forests.