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MarkWanhainen
03-06-2019, 22:15
Hello All,
Im planning a trip to Georgia in early June for a 5 day backpacking trip. Does anyone know if you need a permit or not for the trail or for the shelters? Also any reservations on the shelters? Ive hiked the trail quite a bit but never in Georgia.
Thanks,
MW
One Half
03-06-2019, 22:27
no permits needed in GA but bring a tent in case shelters are full
MarkWanhainen
03-06-2019, 22:47
Always do! Thank you boss
MW
Newt0556
03-07-2019, 02:51
No permit needed. But dude no way I would use those things! When i did the ga section some of those things stunk bad. I used my tent and camped far away from those things. You may have to use your tent anyway i suspect we will have a bumper crop of mosquito's this year. Have fun!!
Gambit McCrae
03-07-2019, 10:55
Bugs will indeed be bad this year. I would bring and only consider sleeping in my tent. But to answer your question directly, the only places on the entire AT you need any kind of permits is GSMNP, SNP and BST.
I'm local to the area. Feel free to PM me if you need further info or have questions that would not be of general interest to the forum.
Dan Roper
03-09-2019, 10:40
I've lived in northwest Georgia since 1979. I've back section hiking the AT since the '90s. I've never encountered a mosquito on the Georgia AT (nor, for that matter, in North Carolina, Tennessee or Virginia). And I rarely see ticks in Georgia, and never past about early June. Gnats can be an issue in late April and early May. Yellow jackets can be an issue from July through October. That's about it for insects.
Many of the shelters in Georgia are very nice or in nice locations. I'd sleep at Stover Creek, Hawk Mountain, and Gooch Mountain without hesitation. THe only one I'd probably avoid for certain is Blood Mountain.
The shelters will not be very crowded in June, barring some random crowd like a Boy Scout troop or youth group. The last of the busy thru-hiker season is generally early May.
Ain't no stinkin' squeeters on the trail in Ga. With all the rain we will have plenty of gnats though. They don't bite but will annoy the crap out of you. Shelters will not be an issue in June. The throngs will already be gone. See you on the trail!
Phil "Grits" Parrott
03-10-2019, 08:35
Dan I couldn't agree more, Shelters in Georgia are fairly clean except when the spring swarm comes through. 3/15/09, first day of my thru hike, there were 70 people at one shelter, pouring rain, and lots of noise.