Newcomer with some GA section hike questions

[urbansix]

Hi! I just joined WB. I grew up hiking a lot as a kid in Switzerland, but now live in Atlanta. Recently have started hiking again, to get my kids involved. I have been on a few overnighters with my son (age 7)...and now the AT calls. I am planning a 3 nighter for this summer. Current plans look like this:

Day 1: Amicalola to Springer
Day 2: Springer to Hightower Gap
Day 3: Hightower Gap to Gooch Gap
Day 4: Gooch Gap to Woody Gap + drive back to town
Time frame is mid-June

Question 1: Plan is to have my wife follow us to Woody Gap or Suches to drop off a car, then bring us to Ami.Falls. Is there a place to park a car at Woody Gap by the trail crossing, or should I park in Suches and walk down Hwy 60 a couple of miles on the way out? I have ridden past this location a hundred times when I had a motorcycle (sigh...) but do not remember if there is a parking area there.

Question 2: I have heard that this stretch of the AT is one of the more crowded, due to the proximity to Atlanta, and relative ease of car access to the trail. How crowded is crowded? Are we talking passing a few or several parties per day, or a constant feeling of no solitude & being surrounded by tourists? Impossible to find camping spots at the popular camping areas, or not too bad if you walk off the trail a ways? (using tarp/net, not shelters). Our previous hikes were Pine Mtn Trail, Coosa Backcountry, and Jack's River in Cohutta. We saw 2 or 3 other parties on each 2-day hike, which was not bad at all.

I'm hoping he will be drawn in by the Lore of the AT and the hopefully scenic vistas. He said he was getting a bit bored with "nothing but trees" on the Pine Mtn, and Coosa trails, but had so much fun on the Jack's River that he sulked like a teenager in love when we got home.

[max patch]

The thru-hikers will be long gone; it won't be too busy during the summer.

There is a large parking area at Woody Gap.

I would suggest starting at Woody and hiking the Amicalola. I wouldn't call Woody "unsafe" (although I am aware of one reported incident earlier this year) but Amicalola is probably the safest place to park in Georgia.

[max patch]

The thru-hikers will be long gone; it won't be too busy during the summer.



Although it will be busier than the 3 other places you mentioned. Still, I wouldn't worry about crowds in June.

[orangebug]

You have also made a pretty easy hike for yourselves. Check to assure he isn't bored with a leisurely pace. Remember it will be summer, and that you won't need nearly the gear you might wish for now.

I second the suggestion of a walk back to your car at Amicalola.

[urbansix]

You have also made a pretty easy hike for yourselves. Check to assure he isn't bored with a leisurely pace. Remember it will be summer, and that you won't need nearly the gear you might wish for now.

I second the suggestion of a walk back to your car at Amicalola.

Maybe start at (or head to) Neels gap over Blood Mtn?

[deeddawg]

Another thought -- contact the Hiker Hostel http://www.hikerhostel.com/ -- they're down the road and you might be able to make arrangements with them such that you wouldn't need to spend the gas money having your wife drive up there to shuttle you.

As for crowded -- remember that's a relative term. When I did Hogpen to Dicks Creek Gap a couple weeks ago there were plenty of thru's and weekenders at the shelters... but I spent 99% of my time walking the trail completely alone. If I'd camped at campsites instead of at shelters I'd likely have had little company.

[bloodmountainman]

Maybe start at (or head to) Neels gap over Blood Mtn?
Parking is safe at the Byron Reece trailhead a little north of Neels Gap (quarter of mile from Neels). This will take you up and over Blood Mnt. and on to Amicalola State Park. About 30 miles.

[bigcranky]

Nice parking area at Woody Gap, though I second the suggestion to park at Amicalola Falls and walk southbound from Woody or even Neel Gap.

Crowds: no thru-hikers, as mentioned, but still plenty of hikers. We saw a lot of groups in mid-June -- scouts, school groups, that sort of thing. Not like a constant parade of hikers, no, but there are definitely people on the trail. Shelters will be crowded on weekends in particular.

There are several people who shuttle hikers in that area, if you want to save some gas and your wife's time. (You'll pay for the shuttle, of course.) You can download a PDF (http://www.appalachiantrail.org/site/c.jkLXJ8MQKtH/b.806835/) from the appalachiantrail.org web site. The Hiker Hostel is a good suggestion.

[paradoxb3]

When I hike sections here in GA, i usually go NOBO -- however given your situation you might wanna take the advice of those saying go a SOBO route... Your car would probably be safer as many have mentioned, but being that you're taking your children, something that has been overlooked is Amicalola falls might be a more exciting end to your trip than the parking lot on hwy 60... Theres of course the falls to see, and times i have been, the staff at AF sometimes have things for kids like snake shows, and educational talks about animals, plants, safety, etc... Might want to plan to end on a saturday or something, and check ahead for what events will be going on.

Just my .02, but i would think the kids would enjoy it more knowing there will be fun things to do near the end of the trip. Even a really "bad" hard trip could turn around for a 7 year old if they had alot of fun at the end. Otherwise they would see the fun stuff first, climb mountain after mountain for 3 days, with an exhausted ending at a parking lot where nothing awaits them but an empty car... which they are glad to see because it means no more "boring, stupid walking"

[paradoxb3]

double post :eek:

additionally -- be prepared to buy them a goofy AT trinket in the gift shop :D

[Ghosthiker]

I'm leaving Monday to do Neels Gap to Amicalola. I decided it would be better to leave my car at the State Park and hike SOBO.

[urbansix]

Maybe start at (or head to) Neels gap over Blood Mtn?

That said, he is 7, and they are three 8-mile days and a half-day, as planned. If we tacked on Neels Gap it would have to be four 8-10-mile days.

So far we have only done 6 or 7 mile days, but two weeks ago I did notice he has vastly improved in speed and stamina, even over last fall. Last hike, we did a 5.5 mi leg between 4 PM and 7 PM in the Cohutta (2 miles longer than expected due to a camp site being closed) and it seemed like a piece of cake. 1 year ago we barely squeaked out 6 miles in a whole leisurely day.


PS - why won't this thing let you edit your own posts?

[astrogirl]

Springer lacks drama, and most of the thrus I met this year found the approach trail unimpressive. I started at Springer, so I have no personal opinion re: the Approach trail, but I did hear rather a lot of complaining about it.

If I were trying to get someone into backpacking, I would definitely want to camp around Three Forks. (4.3 miles from Springer) That area is beautiful, and there are a lot of nice spots.

I don't recall Hightower Gap being much to write home about. I'm pretty sure there were Army Rangers there when I went through. Hawk Mtn Shelter is right before it, but I didn't go to the shelter as I had 6 more miles to do that day.

I liked the area near the campsites at Justus Creek, but if you want a shelter, Gooch is a good one with bear cables and nice privy and it's just a little farther north than Justus Creek.

I would second that bit about going over Blood Mtn. It's not that hard of a hike (people seem to blow it out of proportion, IMO) and it can be just gorgeous up there. For me, it was fogged in, but it was April.

If it were me, and it's not, I would do Springer to Neels Gap so that I could fit Blood Mtn in instead of going from Amicolala to Woody Gap. I'm sure someone will now jump in and sing the praises of the approach trail. :D

[astrogirl]

Oh my goodness. I did not catch the part about him being only 7. I have no idea what a kid that age can and can't do -- I'm a real idiot about kids. What I suggested is 30.7 miles, plus the trip up Springer for 31.6. Amicolala to Woody Gap is 28.9, so it's close, but that might be a bigger difference to a child.

[orangebug]

PS - why won't this thing let you edit your own posts?You have to be a paying member, which ain't expensive and pays for the computers and some of the labor of love our hosts provide.

Regardless, I think you will have a blast. I doubt there is really any place to camp at Hightower Gap, with it being the beginning of Sassafras Mtn, often the first challenge to hikers with no water around. If you are southbound, consider the next shelter. You should pass thru some gorgeous fern fields by that time of year.

[Nearly Normal]

Contact the Hiker Hostel. They live 5 minutes away from Woody Gap and can clue you on parking.

[shoe]

I would think about shorter days. I am 38 years old and 8 miles is alot for me on some days, granted I am an extremely slow hiker.