Iron mtn gap to Hot springs section hike info...

[saltysack]

Looks like I'll have a few days to hit the trail mid to late July. I'd like to finish where my last section left off. Thinking I'll shuttle from my truck in hot springs to iron mtn gap...appears to be about 90 miles. Curious about the terrain headed sobo. I'll shoot for 4 -4.5 days. Any info on this section appreciated....i.e. great camp spots, water availability etc..I'll be solo with the dog tenting.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MuddyWaters]

Standard terrain. It can get dry right south of erwin sometimes for 20 mi. But will be well known if the case. You can do the 9 miles downhill from indian grave gap into erwin in 3 hrs. Probably easiest section in south going sobo.

Theres a rocky ridge between erwin and hs for half mile or so thats cool. And big bald

Id park at uncle johnnys, shuttle to iron mtn, dayhike back. when get back to erwin go eat in town and spend night at hotel. Next morning, drive to hot springs and shuttle back to uncle johnnys to continue. Or...shuttle to hs and walk back to uncle johnnies.

Either way its logical to break it up at erwin. Since there, why not eat. But i really wont recommend anyone with money and a vehicle to stay at UJ. One benefit of parking there, is shower there when get back to car before driving home.

[saltysack]

Ill prob get a late start after the 8 hr drive so will prob only do 12 miles or so day one or I'd break up as you recommended.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SteelCut]

I just got back from doing Sam's Gap to Hot Springs and water was good due to rains a week ago. Even the AWOL unreliable sources were flowing. Lots of (managed?) burn areas along the trail from south of Rich Mtn into Hot Springs made that section rather dissapointing.

[daddytwosticks]

I just got back from doing Sam's Gap to Hot Springs and water was good due to rains a week ago. Even the AWOL unreliable sources were flowing. Lots of (managed?) burn areas along the trail from south of Rich Mtn into Hot Springs made that section rather dissapointing.

Those burn areas were not managed. From what I understand, they had some crazy wildfires back a few months ago. four weeks ago I ended a northbound section hike at Hot Springs. The mountains north of town looked devistated. :)

[saltysack]

I just got back from doing Sam's Gap to Hot Springs and water was good due to rains a week ago. Even the AWOL unreliable sources were flowing. Lots of (managed?) burn areas along the trail from south of Rich Mtn into Hot Springs made that section rather dissapointing.

Maybe I'll change up section....how much was burned out....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SteelCut]

There are sporadic burned sections from a few miles south of Rich Mountain to the 25/70 overpass that are lightly charred just along the trail corridor and then similarly from the "pond" to Lover's Leap overlook just before HS. The type of burning is a repeated linear pattern of several hundred feet long along the trail by 20-50 feet on either side of the AT where ground duff has been burned but most trees and still intact and living. There was a couple of spots that were burned fairly bad.

You would cover this area in a few hours and I wouldn't let it deter your plans.

[SteelCut]

The next two pictures are the worst of the areas I encountered.

35155

35156

More typical of the burned areas:

35158

35159

In many of burned areas the ground cover is already starting to grow back.