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View Full Version : Good overnight loop hikes in Georgia



floyd242
02-27-2007, 14:45
Does anyone know any nice loop hikes that are 15-20 miles that I can overnight on in Georgia. I have a bunch of new gear and need to do a couple shakedowns.

Thanks!

Gray Blazer
02-27-2007, 14:50
If you don't mind going one way and then back the next day, start at any road crossing on the AT. A nice shakedown with some good GA mountain climbs would be to start at Unicoi Gap and hike to Tray Mountain shelter (some beautiful camping sites there) and camp and back the next day. It's some of the nicest hiking on the whole AT.

briarpatch
02-27-2007, 15:08
Park at the Byron Reece Parking Area just north of Neels Gap and take the blue blaze Byron Reece Trail 1 mile till it reaches the AT. Continue across the AT on the Freeman Trail around Blood Mountain till it comes to the AT again in Bird Gap. There you can either 1) go south to Woods Hole Shelter and camp for the night. Go north on the At the following morning, up and over Blood Mountain and return to the parking area via the BR blue blaze trail. OR 2) Go North on the AT from Bird Gap to the sidehill campsites on the south side of Blood Mountain. The next morning, go north on the AT up and over Blood Mountain and return to the parking lot via the BR blue blaze trail.

Trailwind
02-27-2007, 15:52
Does anyone know any nice loop hikes that are 15-20 miles that I can overnight on in Georgia. I have a bunch of new gear and need to do a couple shakedowns.

Thanks!

Here's a couple of options for you:
Start at Springer FS 42 parking lot, head up to Springer then left on the Benton MacKaye Trail. It does almost a figure 8 with the AT so you can do a shortish loop back to the parking lot on the AT. Trails are well marked in this area.

Another option - find someone to shuttle you for a one way walk.

Third option - I'm heading out from Springer this weekend and would rather do a one way hike than an in & out hike on the same trail. If you're interested we can meet up and drop one car down the trail. Email gassd (at) bellsouth.net if interested. My wife isn't so keen on me going alone, but I keep telling her if you're on the AT in Feb or March you are anything but alone.

TDale
02-27-2007, 16:00
http://www.sherpaguides.com/georgia/mountains/blue_ridge/western/cohutta_wilderness.html

iesman69
02-27-2007, 16:42
Head down south about 1.5 hours and do an overnight on the Pine Mtn. Trail, located inside of FDR state park. Most of the trail itself is easy-moderate, and there are plenty of good campsites and water sources. I was up there 2/24 and did 14 miles(7 in, 7 back), but starting from either the western terminus or eastern terminus you can walk 23 miles one way. There are also 3-4 loops off of the main trail ranging from 3-4 miles to 6-7 miles. Here's a link:
<LI class=first>www.pinemountaintrail.org

iesman69
02-27-2007, 16:44
I couldn't link the website correctly in my last post. Sorry! Just do a search for Pine Mountain Trail in Pine Mountain, GA, or go to www.pinemountaintrail.org

max patch
02-27-2007, 17:07
My fav dayhike in GA can be done as an overnighter.

Start at Lake Winnifield Scott State Park and take a blue blaze trail to the AT. Head N on the AT and stay at Woods Hole Shelter. Continue on the AT and take a different blue blaze back at Slaughter Gap to the Park. In summer go swimming in the lake. Google to get the exact names of the blue blaze trails.

If staying overnigt you can extend your hike with a side trip to Blood Mtn.

soulrebel
02-27-2007, 21:30
coosa backcountry trail out of vogel state park is great for shakedowns 12 miles. One of the best vertical climbs in GA.

Skidsteer
02-27-2007, 21:41
coosa backcountry trail out of vogel state park is great for shakedowns 12 miles. One of the best vertical climbs in GA.

My vote too. 12+ miles but feels more like 15-20.

Great dayhike for training too.

Tumblerisk
02-28-2007, 12:41
My fav dayhike in GA can be done as an overnighter.

Start at Lake Winnifield Scott State Park and take a blue blaze trail to the AT. Head N on the AT and stay at Woods Hole Shelter. Continue on the AT and take a different blue blaze back at Slaughter Gap to the Park. In summer go swimming in the lake. Google to get the exact names of the blue blaze trails.

If staying overnigt you can extend your hike with a side trip to Blood Mtn.
__________________________________________________ _______________

The blue blaze trails are named Slaughter Gap Trail and Jarrard Gap Trail. The Slaughter Gap Trail hits the AT further north than the Jarrard Gap Trail. I think the mileage to use those trails for your ingress and egress and then to go over and around Blood Mountain using the AT and Freeman Trails comes out to around 12 or 13 miles. It makes for a challenging day hike or an easy overnighter.

Footslogger
02-28-2007, 12:48
I second the motion for the Blood Mountain loop. Park in the lot just north of Neels Gap, at the Byron Reese trailhead. Head up to where it crosses with the AT and then either go right on the AT, up an over Blood and back down again ...OR, stay on the blue blaze and hike over to Bird Gap where the AT crosses again and go up and over Blood. Carry water and camp on top of Blood Mountain (no water up top). Great little overnighter. Have done it many times alone and with my daughter.

'Slogger

floyd242
02-28-2007, 13:41
Thanks for all the ideas!

I've actually done the Jarrard Gap -> top of Blood Mountain -> back down Slaughter to the parking next to the pond as a day hike. It was nice.


Thanks for the offer Trailwind but unfortunately this weekend is not good. Maybe some other time though!


I'm actually trying to find hikes other then the AT for now since my last 4 or 5 were AT hikes, so if anyone else has any ideas I'd appreciate it.

I'm looking at the Chattoga River trail (I know it isnt a loop but I like to fish) has anyone been there recently?

Tumblerisk
02-28-2007, 21:11
I'm actually trying to find hikes other then the AT for now since my last 4 or 5 were AT hikes, so if anyone else has any ideas I'd appreciate it.



I would advise the Cohutta Wilderness in Northwest/North central Georgia, especially if you're seeking solitude. I don't think I've seen more than 5 people on any overnight trip that I've done in there. There are almost limitless loop options depending on what distance you are going for. Just make sure to get a map, as there are very few blazes (there may be blazes at trail junctions and river crossings and that's all you will see.) Also, I've found that the wooden signs at a lot of trail junctions are fallen or missing, or that the carved writing has long since eroded away. I don't say this to discourage anyone from going in, but you should know that it's not anything like the AT in terms of navigation or likelyhood of someone coming across you if you get in trouble. If you're interested, I can direct you to a local website that is chock full of info on the Cohutta Wilderness and other non-AT backcountry experiences in GA.

Skidsteer
02-28-2007, 21:18
Thanks for all the ideas!

I've actually done the Jarrard Gap -> top of Blood Mountain -> back down Slaughter to the parking next to the pond as a day hike. It was nice.


Thanks for the offer Trailwind but unfortunately this weekend is not good. Maybe some other time though!


I'm actually trying to find hikes other then the AT for now since my last 4 or 5 were AT hikes, so if anyone else has any ideas I'd appreciate it.

I'm looking at the Chattoga River trail (I know it isnt a loop but I like to fish) has anyone been there recently?

Hiked it August '06.

Some nice campsites on the water from the half-way point to about the three-quarters point. Didn't fish it but there's probably fish in there. Pretty good swimming holes. Easy to moderate hike.

John Klein
02-28-2007, 23:40
coosa backcountry trail out of vogel state park is great for shakedowns 12 miles. One of the best vertical climbs in GA.
The map they give you at the park office only lists a couple of backcountry campsites. Did you ever camp overnight on this trail and, if so, did you camp at the "official" backcountry campsite or somewhere else? Any reliable water sources up there?

Skidsteer
03-01-2007, 08:05
The map they give you at the park office only lists a couple of backcountry campsites. Did you ever camp overnight on this trail and, if so, did you camp at the "official" backcountry campsite or somewhere else? Any reliable water sources up there?

You can camp anywhere you want to. If you want to camp atop Coosa then carry water with you. There is none at the top.

If you hike the loop counterclockwise(recommended),you can get water from a creek to the right of the trail about one mile before the summit.

soulrebel
03-01-2007, 09:57
There are 4 or 5 good spots to camp along the way. I believe most if not all camps are dry up on the ridge.

Water a mile or 2 in and a few seeps, but nothing on top of the mountain.

If you have to bail out, you can skip the last 5-5.5 miles approx. and bail at the road mile 7 or 8 (hmmm can't member the gap atm) and roadwalk left/down to the 1st trail/road crossing at mile 2 if going counterclockwise.
I've done this with friends when we ran out of time or energy for the second set.

If you try this as an overnighter get an early start. It takes about 5-6 hours to arrive at that road crossing and an additional 3-5 hours to hike the rest of the loop back to the park. Total hike is roughly 8 to 11 hours.

GL--and that map is a lil backasswards and can be confusing at times on the hike.