View Full Version : First gravel road out of Hot Springs - which way?
I'm getting ready to section hike going north out of Hot Springs, and lots of trail journals say that there is a section that's confusing and not marked well. Bugs' 2006 journal is typical:
"At the first gravel road, I couldn't figure out which way to go (for the most part , I don't understand how people can get lost on the trail, but this was an exception). So I took what I thought was the trail (the rule of thumb is "take the path most traveled-by") and followed it for half a mile without passing a white blaze, and turned back." (4-02-06)
Which way IS the right way? If anyone knows, would you mind writing a brief description, something like "When you come out on the 1st gravel road, turn right and walk X yards. You'll see a blaze..." The map I have isn't very clear and I didn't buy a Companion or whatever it's called. Thanks.
Jack Tarlin
09-06-2006, 14:39
Dainon--
I've hked this section a dozen times and never had a problem.
If you pay attention to the blazes, I'm sure you won't either.
And incidentally, anyone who doesn't retrace their steps wel before hiking half a mle witout seeing a blaze is something of a fool. Except in VERY rare circumstances, you'll see a blaze at least every 20 yards or so, and often, they're even more cmmon than that.
I'm sure you'll be fine.
And incidentaly, to "take the path more travelled by" isn't necesarily the way to go. The A.T. is one of the best-marked and best-blazed Trails in the country. Instead of taking the "most travelled" path, stick to the one with white blazes, and you can't go too far wrong.
D'Artagnan
09-06-2006, 15:10
At the risk of incurring Mr. Tarlin's wrath -- which I am loathe to contemplate -- I am afraid I must take umbrage with his answer above. As Dainon posted, all that's being asked for is a simple left/right direction with an approximate yardage to pick up the next blaze.
Even with Jack's extensive experience on-trail, I am sure even he must concede there are places where finding the next blaze can be -- how would Ann Coulter put it -- "a pursuit similar to a woman searching for a boyfriend in a room full of choreographers".
If Jack or anyone else can answer Dainon's question in the manner it was originally asked, I'm pretty sure he'd appreciate it.
BTW Jack, the above was posted with tongue firmly in-cheek. :D
Bloodroot
09-06-2006, 15:29
Cross bridge and start looking immediately right for blaze
just follow the blaze man, i never had a problem getting to erwin from there.............
Bloodroot
09-06-2006, 15:34
When I hiked out of Hot Springs last year "Skywalker" kept going strait instead of making the right and walked the road for several miles. He ended up catching the trail somewhere up the road I think. So I can't say this has never happened.
When I hiked out of Hot Springs last year "Skywalker" kept going strait instead of making the right and walked the road for several miles. He ended up catching the trail somewhere up the road I think. So I can't say this has never happened.well he shaved a couple of miles off then..............
Lone Wolf
09-06-2006, 15:49
When I hiked out of Hot Springs last year "Skywalker" kept going strait instead of making the right and walked the road for several miles. He ended up catching the trail somewhere up the road I think. So I can't say this has never happened.
I was driving into Hot Springs this spring and saw a hiker a mile out of town, I asked him where he was going. He thought he was on the AT. I gave him a ride back to the bridge and showed him the trail. It IS NOT very well blazed at the end of the bridge. Lotsa folks miss it.
Bloodroot
09-06-2006, 15:53
well he shaved a couple of miles off then..............
LOL yeah but was much rougher on the feet.
EarlyBird2007
09-06-2006, 15:56
Speaking as a trail maintainer (in PA), this is something you should bring to the attention of the club that maintains that section of the AT. As far as I can determine, the responsible club is the Carolina Mountain Club, whose website is http://www.carolinamtnclub.com/ Get on their site and send them an email describing the problem. They will appreciate it.
By the way, you don't HAVE to buy Wingfoot's guide, though I have and I think it's worth the $. You can get ALDA's very servicable guide FOR FREE on the internet. Go to http://www.aldha.org
Dainon:
Contact me in the usual way, I have the 2006 WF book at home. I'll get the info to you.
The Old Fhart
09-06-2006, 16:05
The last time I went through there was 2000 and the Trail left the paved road on the right just after you got over the bridge. There were a number of hikers ahead of me that went straight on the road instead of going over the guardrail and following the trail along the river past the gauging station before taking a hard left to climb to Lover's Leap above the French Broad. If you have the trail information and maps that will prevent problems like this turn being missed.
Just as you cross the bridge (going north) look to your right. Where the concrete bridge ends and the metal guard rail is in place. You will step over the guard rail as the trail will head down toward the river, Follow the white blazes. I maintain the 7 miles south of Hot Springs, & I am a Carolina Mtn. Club member. I will inform the section maintainer for the north side of town that this is a problem and may need a sign at this turn (end of the bridge). Thanks to all who have responded so far to this thread. Your input helps !!
Thanks & Happy Trails,
Chip :)
Rain Man
09-06-2006, 20:57
... I maintain the 7 miles south of Hot Springs, & I am a Carolina Mtn. Club member. I will inform the section maintainer for the north side of town that this is a problem and may need a sign at this turn (end of the bridge). Thanks to all who have responded so far to this thread. Your input helps !!...
Just so you know, I notified him last December, after my Thanksgiving hike to Hot Springs. He knows about the problem and (if I recall correctly) said there's some problem with the state highway people not allowing a sign there? The blazing is woefully inadequate and as it involves stepping over a guardrail, isn't obvious at all. My daughter's group hiked right by the turn and up the highway about a mile in '04 before turning back.
Rain:sunMan
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freefall
09-06-2006, 21:34
Last chance, I go into detail about the route. If you don't wanna know, don't read beyond the quote.
I'm getting ready to section hike going north out of Hot Springs, and lots of trail journals say that there is a section that's confusing and not marked well. Bugs' 2006 journal is typical:
"At the first gravel road, I couldn't figure out which way to go (for the most part , I don't understand how people can get lost on the trail, but this was an exception). So I took what I thought was the trail (the rule of thumb is "take the path most traveled-by") and followed it for half a mile without passing a white blaze, and turned back." (4-02-06)
Which way IS the right way? If anyone knows, would you mind writing a brief description, something like "When you come out on the 1st gravel road, turn right and walk X yards. You'll see a blaze..." The map I have isn't very clear and I didn't buy a Companion or whatever it's called. Thanks.
I don't think you're asking about stepping over the guardrail after the bridge since you said DIRT ROAD. You are probably talking about the area before Tanyard Gap after the pond
Once you pass the pond, you'll soon come to the dirt rd. Make a left on the dirt rd and follow it around and to the right. Ahead you will see a big tree at the edge of the road with a parking lot beyond that. There is an offset blaze on the tree that is(as of this passed March) very difficult to see. You will stay on the road(it turns left at parking lot), don't go into the parking lot. Follow the road down and you will eventually come to Tanyard Gap, US 25/70 and a bridge. cross the bridge and then go to the left into the woods.
This section was not well marked at all in March as I was going through. I ended up going into the parking lot and up into the woods following a defined path across a field(>1/4mile) before turning around. Coming out of the parking lot you can actually see the blazes on the tree but from the "south" or "north" on the trail it's almost invisible.
Just so you know, I notified him last December, after my Thanksgiving hike to Hot Springs. He knows about the problem and (if I recall correctly) said there's some problem with the state highway people not allowing a sign there? The blazing is woefully inadequate and as it involves stepping over a guardrail, isn't obvious at all. My daughter's group hiked right by the turn and up the highway about a mile in '04 before turning back.
Rain:sunMan
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Thanks for your post Rain Man. I will check with the section maintainer to see if anything else has been offered to fix this problem. I will also take this issue to the ATC. The regional office is here in Asheville. There are AT logos that have been inserted into the sidewalk thru Hot Springs (on the trail as it goes thru town) maybe something like this can be done instead of a sign. I am going up there in a couple of weeks and will check things out again. My wife & I have hiked both sides of Hot Springs many times.We always knew to hop over the guard rail to stay on the trail, took it for granted. That does not help out thru or section hikers who may miss that turn. Sorry to hear that your daughter's group missed the turn. It would be easy to do. I think there is only a single blaze there which as we know will not show a turn, but should be a double staggered set of blazes to alert hikers of a turn.
Thanks again,
Chip
Last chance, I go into detail about the route. If you don't wanna know, don't read beyond the quote.
I don't think you're asking about stepping over the guardrail after the bridge since you said DIRT ROAD. You are probably talking about the area before Tanyard Gap after the pond
Once you pass the pond, you'll soon come to the dirt rd. Make a left on the dirt rd and follow it around and to the right. Ahead you will see a big tree at the edge of the road with a parking lot beyond that. There is an offset blaze on the tree that is(as of this passed March) very difficult to see. You will stay on the road(it turns left at parking lot), don't go into the parking lot. Follow the road down and you will eventually come to Tanyard Gap, US 25/70 and a bridge. cross the bridge and then go to the left into the woods.
This section was not well marked at all in March as I was going through. I ended up going into the parking lot and up into the woods following a defined path across a field(>1/4mile) before turning around. Coming out of the parking lot you can actually see the blazes on the tree but from the "south" or "north" on the trail it's almost invisible.
Freefall,
Thanks, your description in regards to the road is excellent, great directions. I will also check out and inform our club AT Supervisor
about the poor blaze position in this area.
Thanks,
Chip
Just finished a 35 mile, north to south hike into Hot Springs. The problem I had was the trail followed a old road between Big Butt and Devils Fork Gap. The blazes were hard to find at times and I was constantly worried that the trail had moved off the road and I had missed the turn. The late summer growth had lowered some limbs of trees and made seeing the blazes difficult at times. I would look forward and backwards at times to make sure I would locate a blaze and verify I was on the trail. Going from South to North the turn at Big Butt is a right angle turn at a small clearing. You come out of the woods and the turn is marked by a stone on the ground. The summer weed growth in this clearing had covered part of this marker and I met two guys that had kept going straight, as others had done previously, and lost about 45 minutes retracing their path.
hopefulhiker
09-07-2006, 12:42
I remember the guard rail coming out of Hot Springs, but I did get confused trying to get out of Pearisburg after a night in the catholic hostel.....
Jack Tarlin
09-07-2006, 19:03
D'Artagnan had a perfectly legitimate point.
I didn't answer D.'s original question, and my original post sounded pretty glib.
What I meant to say was I've hiked this section several times, and never had a problem here, and I'm sure he won't either. Also, if one ever does take a turn on the Trail, or takes a fork in the path, don't go half a mile without retracing your steps!!
I expect to be talking to some friends in Hot Springs soon. I will certainly mention this thread to them, with the suggestion that whoever maintains this section might want to know that there is some concern about navigation here, and that perhaps corrective measures (i.e. a few more blazes!) might be in order.
D'Artagnan had a perfectly legitimate point.
I didn't answer D.'s original question, and my original post sounded pretty glib.
What I meant to say was I've hiked this section several times, and never had a problem here, and I'm sure he won't either. Also, if one ever does take a turn on the Trail, or takes a fork in the path, don't go half a mile without retracing your steps!!
I expect to be talking to some friends in Hot Springs soon. I will certainly mention this thread to them, with the suggestion that whoever maintains this section might want to know that there is some concern about navigation here, and that perhaps corrective measures (i.e. a few more blazes!) might be in order.
Jack,
Thanks for your input, as a CMC member and AT trail maintainer I will let our club AT Supervisor know of the items shared by all who have posted those concerns regarding blazes.
Thanks,
Chip
mweinstone
09-07-2006, 21:12
my post was gonna be,...yo jack i estimate 42 people will post trying to correct you. but then i came up with this,...
at the four billionth molicule after the pebble, exicute a 13 degree left turn and travel 16 million atoms untill you see a shard of glass. youll need your 50 power glasses. then go 8 trillion quarks and there you will see a blaze.
Rain Man
09-07-2006, 21:25
... There are AT logos that have been inserted into the sidewalk thru Hot Springs (on the trail as it goes thru town) maybe something like this can be done instead of a sign. ...
Yes, I think that's almost part of the problem. That is, you follow those wonderful sidewalk inserts down the primrose path, then..... nothing.
Anyway, my next section is out of Hot Springs, but when I was there and searching and found the trail across the bridge, I took it a little ways. So, when I go back, I'll know about hopping the guard rail at the end of the bridge, faded out blaze or no. I think that finding the trail is sometimes part of the adventure!
Rain:sunMan
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Rain Man
09-18-2006, 10:53
... as a CMC member and AT trail maintainer I will let our club AT Supervisor know of the items shared by all who have posted those concerns regarding blazes.
Chip,
My wife and I section-hiked out of Hot Springs this weekend, NOBO. I have to say, those blazes have been fixed (painted or re-painted) since we were there last Thanksgiving. I don't think there's a problem any longer, though for the life of me, I don't know why the two blazes on the light pole at the sharp turn (over the guard rail at the north end of the bridge) aren't offset to indicate a turn. There is sort of a wimpy down arrow someone painted on. Maybe I'm just being picky. Anyway, a BIG improvement since we were last there last year.
Also, you might congratulate the CMC maintainers on the trail conditions from Hot Springs to Rich Mountain. We were very impressed. From Rich Mountain north the vegetation overgrowth could use some attention in areas. We love all the hard work trail maintainers do out of the goodness of their hearts! THANKS!
Rain:sunMan
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