View Full Version : Georgia/NC Section Hike Question!
Hello All! I have viewed this forum for a long time, but this is my first post. I am planning a section hike around the first part of June starting at Amicalola Falls. Can someone with more knowledge of the area then me please take a look at my tentative schedule and see if it's doable or if any changes need to be made in order to stay at better locations or see more along the trail. I will be hiking with a friend and we are both fairly experienced hikers, but have never been to this section of the AT before. We will be driving about 8 hours south to get to Georgia so we want to make our time on the trail as worthwhile as possible. I have already made reservation at a hostile in GA to stay at for a night and then shuttle us to the trailhead. This schedule was made by simply looking at a guide book and breaking up the 12 day hike to a reasonably equal number of miles per day. Normally, I wouldn't care much about maintaining a schedule, but I'm stationed overseas and I'm flying in to meet my friend and hike some of the AT so I want to see as much as possible. Any advice or tips you guys could offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!·
Day1- Amicalola Falls State Park- Springer Mt. Shelter 9.0 Miles
Day2- Spring Mt. Shelter- Hawk Mt. Shelter 8.1
Day3- Hank Mt. Shelter – Suches, GA 13.0
Day4- Suches, GA- Neel Gap 10.7
Day5- Neel Gap- Low Gap Shelter 11.5
Day6- Low Gap Shelter- Helen, GA 9.7
Day7- Helen GA- Deep Gap Shelter 13.1
Day8- Deep Gap Shelter- Muskrat Creek Shelter 15.4
Day9- Muskrat Creek Shelter- Carter Gap Shelter 11.9
Day10- Carter Gap Shelter – Franklin, NC 15.9
Day11- Franklin, NC- Cold Spring Shelter 15.8
Day12- Cold Spring Shelter- Nantahala Outdoor Center 11.7
Day13- Nantahala Outdoor Center- Brown Fork Gap 15.8
Day14- Brown Fork Gap- Fontana Dam, NC 11.6
Total- 173.2 Miles
bigcranky
05-20-2016, 07:27
Very doable. Just be flexible with the plan once you get on the trail. :)
Happy hiking.
Unless you are intent on staying in a shelter, I would encourage you to try the new sidetrail at Hawk Mtn. Just a little before you reach the shelter you'll see a sign for the trail. 30 new campsites, with bear boxes and a privy about halfway down the trail. Good water at the end of the trail as well. Let's you avoid the usually-overcrowded shelter.
Gambit McCrae
05-20-2016, 07:52
Firstly, Welcome! :welcome
Your plan is very reasonable! Are you planning on not hiking a day or 2 in this lineup? I find that I need a zero hiking day every 7th day, sometimes more then that. That is where I would be flexible with your plan. Helen, Neel Gap, Dicks Creek, NOC, they are all very nice towns to stop for a day and enjoy the area.
saltysack
05-20-2016, 07:56
3 camps spots I'd try to stay at if possible....
-Top of standing Indian mtn small clearing with great view.
-Top of Siler bald I think it's 4 miles up hill from Winding stair gap(Franklin)
-Cheoah bald is 8mi uphill from NOC....
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3 camps spots I'd try to stay at if possible....
-Top of standing Indian mtn small clearing with great view.
-Top of Siler bald I think it's 4 miles up hill from Winding stair gap(Franklin)
-Cheoah bald is 8mi uphill from NOC....
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As a section hiker, believe me I understand the limited time you may have to finish a hike, but I would +1 on this. Some of the best campsites with views in this section. I loved camping here. If you are comfortable with cowboy camping you could camp on top of the fire tower of Wesser Bald too.
Day13- Nantahala Outdoor Center- Brown Fork Gap 15.8 - a lot of climbing this day, but not awful by any means. It has a worse reputation then it really is.
Plan is very doable. I like it. Do consider a zero day somewhere. At least try to have an extra day in your plan just in case you need it.
This is just my opinion on a few points since I did this section and beyond last month.
Day1- Amicalola Falls State Park- Springer Mt. Shelter 9.0 Miles
Day2- Spring Mt. Shelter- Hawk Mt. Shelter 8.1
Be sure to check out Long Creek Falls on the way.
Looking back.. I loved this section of the AT.
Day3- Hank Mt. Shelter – Suches, GA 13.0
Sassafras and Justus mountain are known to be rough. I got an injury here, so be careful.
This hostel in Suches is sub-par and overpriced. Nice people though. You're better off tenting. Easy to drop in for supplies. DO NOT SLACK PACK FROM HERE!
If you do decide on Suches for stay/resupply.. we called Wolfpen Gap General Store shuttle about 12pm but they never showed up. Odie from the Hiker Yearbook eventually gave us a ride after two hours at Woody Gap.
Woody Gap Outfitters bills itself as a "discount outfitter", but they were overpriced IMO.
Day4- Suches, GA- Neel Gap 10.7
Enjoy hiking Blood Mountain.
Watch your step on the downhill.
I suggest a stay at the Blood Mountain cabins.
Day5- Neel Gap- Low Gap Shelter 11.5
Day6- Low Gap Shelter- Helen, GA 9.7
Watch your step on Blue Mountain.
Day7- Helen GA- Deep Gap Shelter 13.1
Kelly Knob is NO FUN at the end of the day!
Push up from Deep Gap to Powell Mountain vista for great camping and views.
There's an unreliable water source not in the guides near the top of Powell.
Day8- Deep Gap Shelter- Muskrat Creek Shelter 15.4
This day should KICK YOUR ASS pretty good.
Enjoy the views and be sure to rest at Sharp Top and Courthouse Bald.
Take the blue blaze on the left near Raven Rock just before you get to the shelter.
Day9- Muskrat Creek Shelter- Carter Gap Shelter 11.9
Carter gap has great tent camping.
Don't miss the short blue blaze on your right on the way to Betty Creek gap.
If you were to push on a few miles... Betty Creek gap has some great camping spots beyond the preservation area. Head down the blue blaze about .2 to great camping near the creek!
Take the .1 blue blaze to Standing Inidan Summit. Great camping and views. LNT and don't camp on the grass.
Day10- Carter Gap Shelter – Franklin, NC 15.9
It was easier to use my hands instead of poles when scrambling up Albert Mountain.
Enjoy some time at mile 100 on Albert Mountain.
Assuming you stop at Rock Gap for pickup. This is doable, just be sure you've got a shuttle lined up and are there on time. Cell reception sucks here!
I suggest a stay at Ron Haven's Budget Inn (their shuttle is legendary) and taking a ride with Ron around town for resupply.
Vito's Pizza is great, and they will pick you up from Ron's place and take you to and from the restaurant.
Outdoor 76 and Three Eagles carry different items, so be sure to check out both if you need gear.
Day11- Franklin, NC- Cold Spring Shelter 15.8
Take the blue blaze up to Siler Bald summit. Great camping up here too.
Enjoy some time at Wayah Bald Fire Tower.
Explore Cold Spring Shelter.. it's got carvings from hikers as far back as 1964.
I suggest pushing on past Cold Spring to Rocky Bald Summit for tenting. 11 miles into the NOC from there. Thank me later.
Day12- Cold Spring Shelter- Nantahala Outdoor Center 11.7
Be careful descending the 5 miles into the NOC.
Enjoy some time at the Wesser Bald Fire Tower.
The Jump Off is an awesome view.
At the NOC, pay the extra $20-30 and get the Dogwood or other cabins instead of the bunkhouse. They are super nice and have laundry in the unit among other things!
Day13- Nantahala Outdoor Center- Brown Fork Gap 15.8 -
You're going to climb 8 miles of uphill out of the NOC to Cheoah and then descend into Stechoa Gap and up/over Jacob's Ladder in one day. ASS KICKER!
Day14- Brown Fork Gap- Fontana Dam, NC 11.6
Be careful on the downhill into Fontana Dam. It can be rough.
Thanks Rush! I couldn't have ask for better advice, exactly what I was looking for. Hopefully we make it all the way to Fontana Dam, but If not, I'm sure we will still have a good time. Thanks again!
Thanks Rush! I couldn't have ask for better advice, exactly what I was looking for. Hopefully we make it all the way to Fontana Dam, but If not, I'm sure we will still have a good time. Thanks again!
You're welcome. Have a great hike!
Moosehead87
05-22-2016, 06:10
I just finished the Amicalola to Franklin section a couple of days ago. I had a re-supply box at Neel's Gap (Top of Georgia), but because their water supply was down there were no showers I opted to zero in Blairsville in order to see a Doctor for a minor knee issue. A terrific little town, everything relatively close. Great restaurants and amenities. My mileages were quite a bit shorter than yours, but I am old and creaky! It was a great walk, but surprisingly difficult in my humble opinion. The Blood Mtn. north bound downhill is a knee/ ankle buster, take care.....and Sassafras Mtn. was tougher than it appears. Your schedule looks very "doable" provided you are in reasonable condition. I agree with everyone that suggested flexibility!
Moosehead87
05-22-2016, 06:11
Neel's Gao is Mtn. Crossings of course and not TOG...sorry.
MuddyWaters
05-22-2016, 07:31
Easily doable
Not any zeros
Hitching into town like helen or franklin to resupply and planning to be back on trail for a full day the next day isnt likely to happen. You probable will want a zero day, or at least to eat big breakfast and stay thru lunch and get another meal in you before hitching back to trail. Probably get very few trail miles in those first days back on trail.
Thanks Muddywaters, I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get into those towns (Helen & Franklin) from the trail. We may alter our plans and do less miles the first days out of town. From what I've seen online Helen looks like a pretty cool little town so we may want to spend more time there. My wife is wanting to send me a mail drop, do you know of any convenient locations to send a package thats easy to get to? Thanks again for your help!
MuddyWaters
05-23-2016, 05:17
Thanks Muddywaters, I wasn't sure how hard it would be to get into those towns (Helen & Franklin) from the trail. We may alter our plans and do less miles the first days out of town. From what I've seen online Helen looks like a pretty cool little town so we may want to spend more time there. My wife is wanting to send me a mail drop, do you know of any convenient locations to send a package thats easy to get to? Thanks again for your help!
Its a 15 min car ride to Helen so its possible to hitch in and out same day. Im just saying you will want to eat real food, shower, wash clothes, and eat more real food next morning. It is a cool little faux alpine tourist village tucked away in GA. Its a tubing destination in summer, you can do that there. , id have reservations in advance in June and mail a package to where you stay if you want a maildrop.. As a tourist destination outright, its probably worth a day there if you need one.
Most skip helen and opt for hiawassee in spring, buts its a neat little town. Mostly due to ease of getting to hiawassee with routine shuttle pickup.
Fireplug
05-30-2016, 10:25
Might see you there IDK your start date but I'm starting at Neels Gap on the 14th of June going to Damascus.
Hikingjim
05-30-2016, 11:20
that's a decent plan, and you've gotten good advice. All I'll say is that you might get into some of those shelters pretty early in the afternoon if you're average or quick hikers, and if you press on a bit you can earn yourself some relaxation and flexibility for later in the trip if you want/need it
juniorace
05-30-2016, 13:00
That is all very doable. I am 56 and have hiked to Fontana in 12 days total. (That was done in 3 section hikes. Springer to Deep Gap, NC, 7 days. Deep Gap to NOC in 3 days. NOC to Fontana in 2 days.) I live in the 2nd flattest state in the US, so basically every time I start a section hike, I am not up to par. I would suggest you drink PLENTY. Drink BEFORE you are thirsty. I got dehydrated on my first day out of Springer at Sassafras Mtn and it was not pleasant. (My hike was in mid-May and it was pretty warm.)
Hiking out of NOC NOBO is no joke. I would suggest making up some time in those first 10 days and hike NOC to Cheoah Bald and stay there for the night. Enjoy your hike !