Good location for a shakedown hike?

[scottem27]

Hi everyone! I'm considering doing a thru-hike in 2017 and I'm looking to do a week-long (or so) shakedown hike this summer to get my gear sorted out and frankly, make sure this is something I really want to commit to! Two main things:



I currently live in the middle portion of Florida, so a location near the Southern terminus would work best for me. I'm thinking about hiking 2 or 3 days in one direction, turning around and backtracking back to where I started.
I need someplace where I can park my car for a week or so without worrying about it getting broken into, towed, etc. Any paid lots in any towns near the trail, or hotels I can pay just for parking privileges, or even homeowners I could pay to leave my car in their driveway for a week? Really kind of just looking on some input for this, since there may be some options I am not thinking of.


It's also possible that I am going about this entirely the wrong way, so if anyone can offer any extra insight into what I should focus on during a shakedown hike, it's appreciated!

[rafe]

Start at Springer, then. Georgia's hiking isn't quite as gnarly as what you'll find in NH or ME, but it's pretty challenging in terms of verticals. Sorry, I can't comment much on the parking...

[Slo-go'en]

You can park indefinitely at Amicalola Falls SP (trail head to Springer) and it would be easy enough to get a shuttle back from any one of a number of places depending on how far you get. Driving up from Tampa you'd get there early evening.

Doing this trip in the middle of summer when it's hot out won't help in finding out if you can handle the cold and wet weather you'll encounter in the early spring, but you will still be able to try out your tent, cook system, boots and general camping technique.

[Just Bill]

http://www.floridatrail.org/
How about your own backyard? Saves a day or two of driving better spent hiking?

Otherwise agree- Drive to Amicalola, park the car and do an out and back or catch a shuttle back to the park.
Georgia is 80 miles or so springer to the border, plus a few on either end to hit a road crossing and do the approach trail and easy to cut short from there if needed.
If that's a bit much- Amicalola to neel gap and back to the car is a 60-70 mile round trip and you can do a resupply at the outfitter there and get a feel for how that works.

[Just Bill]

As a floridian- you probably won't be as off put as us northern boys by the prospect of Georgia in summer either. :D
Hell, I hear it told that's where you folks go to cool off.

[scottem27]

Starting at Amicalola was my initial thought as well but I was unsure about the parking there, thanks for the info. And yeah, I'll probably need to do another practice run when it gets a bit cooler... don't get much of that here in Florida!

[scottem27]

http://www.floridatrail.org/
How about your own backyard? Saves a day or two of driving better spent hiking?


I thought about this as well... the issue I was thinking of though is that there really isn't much in the way of elevation change on the (limited number of) trails I've been on in Florida. This is flatland, pancake zone! I have this mental image of floating effortlessly along the flat footpaths in Florida and thinking it's a piece of cake, only to get wrecked when I get to the actual AT because I'm not used to elevation. That's a surprise I want to avoid, for sure. So I figured, why not see what it's like by actually hiking a small section on it?

Thanks for the advice!

[Datto]

You've got the very right idea for preparation.

During my prep for my AT northbound thru-hike one of the hikes I did was a hike starting at Damascus, VA and hiked north for a week (using the Fox Hill Inn as a base came since they gave me rides into Damascus and hiked back to Fox Hill Inn from Damacus -- call them in Troutdale, VA and see if they still do this for AT hikers). Also, the idea presented above to hike north from Springer Mountain/Amicalola is a good one too (probably for you it is a better idea due to logistics).

Another, closer hike for you would be to hike the Ocala Trail in Florida. This was one of the trails I hiked (about 70 miles in length or so -- I started at Rodman Dam and came south -- might be too hot for July -- check for resupply points and pickups from people on Florida Trail websie). Although there is very little elevation difference it's a nice week long hike with resupply points along the way to get you accustomed to hiking. The AT in Georgia is, as expected, much more difficult than the Ocala Trail but the Ocala Trail is closer to you and will give you a little feel of a long-distance hike of sorts.

For those reading this and living in the Midwest, the closest I ever came to simlated AT hiking during my AT thru-hike preparation was hiking the Knobstone Trail in southern Indiana for a week during July. Handed me mine.


Datto

Twenty years ago I never thought I'd be spraying a chicken named Ginger with chicken-butt medicine. Wow, is that a lifestyle change to expectations. Off to get that off my to-do list today.

[CoolBobby]

Florida trail is great to try your warm weather gear out, but man is it FLAT. I hike it all the time. Great place to test out your bear gear, and your bug kit.

[rafe]

Shakedown Street, of course. ;) 34420

[Trailweaver]

One of the advantages of starting at Springer is that there are a lot of shuttle drivers and road exits for you to get picked up from if you have to get off. If you go to the Hiker Hostel, you can get a bunk for the night, fabulous breakfast, and a shuttle. They will then come back to pick you up, or you could park your car & hike to it. I recommend them because they know the area so well, & can tell you about trail conditions, water, etc. but, as I said, there are a lot of shuttlers if you want someone else. Just look up hikerhostel.com.

You are going to probably have a tough time with elevation, but the humidity won't bother you unless you wait till June-Aug.

[soumodeler]

Start at Amicalola or Springer and hike back to your car at Neel Gap. Call Ron Brown for the shuttle from the parking lot just north of Neel Gap at the Byron Reese trailhead.

[bigcranky]

My partner and I did the Ocala NF section of the FT a while back, and found hiking in the sand wasn't particularly easy, but yeah -- there's not a lot of elevation gain.

Go to Amicalola Falls State Park, leave your car in their parking lot (check in at the ranger station), and start hiking northbound. When you're done, call a shuttle driver to come get you and bring you back to your car. Alternately, stay at the Hiker Hostel, and they will drive you to Springer and pick you up when finished, and your car is safe at the hostel.

Hiking for a week in Georgia will give you a good taste of what the trail is like, and let you dial in your gear. Have fun with it! :)