Springer Mountain to North Carolina

[stewill]

I want to hike the Georgia portion of the AT, from Springer Mountain to North Carolina. My question is: Where is a good spot to be picked up after crossing out of Georgia? Thank you, any help would be appreciated.

[Egads]

Either Deep Gap or Rock Gap

[MintakaCat]

First thing that comes to mind is Bly Gap. Ron Haven has some good directions on how to get there:


If you are going to Bly Gap from Franklin.As you pass the Chunky Gal Trail crossing on US64 going west you will be going down a 4 mile grade of the Chunky Gal Mtn.At the bottom turn left on Vineyard Rd.Go 300ft and turn right on old US64.Go oppx 1 mile and turn left onto Eagle Fork Rd right at the Eagle Fork Fire Dept.About 6 miles the pavement ends.500ft before it ends turn left on Upper Eagle Fork Rd and you will go past a couple of old houses with fish ponds and you will see an old forest service rd turning to the left with a locked forest service gate.I think it is FS2153.

If you walk up thru there it is a couple of miles of good rd and it turns into an old washed out,grown up logging rd that hasn't been used in 30 yrs or more.It proceeds criss crossing back and forth up the Eagle Forks Mtn and as it is coming into Bly Gap it makes a left switch back and into the grassy field just a few ft north of the old crooked Oak Tree there that is Bly Gap.Many years ago this old rd bed crossed Bly Gap and connected into Hightower Rd before you cross the Tahullah River.There is an old logging rd there where they comes together turns left and comes up the backside of Muscrat Creek shelter and referred to as Case knife Gap and up around Kitchens Knob and will come into Deep Gap.

That is the old forest service logging rd there with the markings saying Deep Gap Trail.The Deep Gap Trail turns Left onto a blue blaze about 1/4 mile down that rd.This will intersect with the south side of the Beech Gap Trail to the left and Tate City,Ga to the right.This whole area is very thickly inhabited with bear.This is why you always find bear hunters trucks parked at Deep Gap in the fall of the year.One time I was hiking with my wife and twin sons when we came upon a cave.We counted 8 bears between the cave and branch crossing near Kitchens Knob.

Here is a link to my son Cody's website with a picture of a bear encounter we had near Deep Gap http://codyhaven.com/?level=picture&id=200

[bigmac_in]

Deep Gap is the first real trailhead North of the GA border. You can get a shuttle from there. I would suggest what I did last year - hike the AT to deep gap, then take the Kimsey Creek Trail down to Standing Indian Campground. You can have you car waiting for you there in the backcountry parking lot. Kimsey Creek is a nice trail, with a gentle downhill grade.

[max patch]

Deep Gap is the first real trailhead North of the GA border. You can get a shuttle from there. I would suggest what I did last year - hike the AT to deep gap, then take the Kimsey Creek Trail down to Standing Indian Campground. You can have you car waiting for you there in the backcountry parking lot. Kimsey Creek is a nice trail, with a gentle downhill grade.

Either do this or backtrack back to Dicks Creek. Whatever is best for who is picking you up.

[stewill]

Thanks to all for the replies. This helps a lot.

[Ox97GaMe]

Most people dont like the climb out of Bly Gap into North Carolina. The hike over to Deep Gap from Muskrat Creek shelter isnt too bad, and if you have the extra time to hike the additional miles into Standing Indian campground, I would suggest you look at that option.

The quickest and easiest route out would be to hike back to Dick's Creek. It is also the easiest place for your ride to find you.

I dont know if I would be sending folks that arent familiar with the area down some of the forest service roads that snake into the back country around Standing Indian and Yellow Mountain. It gets pretty remote, and if something happens, it is a LONG walk out of there.

There is another option for FS access. About 2 miles south of Bly Gap, you cross a gravel road. The maintainers use that road, and it is usually in pretty good shape. I dont know where the access point is for that, but you could probably find it on a N. GA map of the area.

[stumpy]

You can find that road on a map. We have used it a couple of times. Be advised that it is steep and not always in the best shape. However, one could easily park at the bottom of the road and walk up to the trail. It is not a very long way.


When I get home I will check my map and see if I can get the name of that road for you.

[daddytwosticks]

I'm with bigmac in...hiking the Kimsey Creel trail is a nice way to finish up a section hike to Standing Indian Campground. :)

[stewill]

Thanks again for all your help. This gives me a lot to think about and research.

[mateozzz]

You could just hike out to Rt 64 by Franklin, Winding stair gap, add a couple of days of fun. That's what I plan on doing.

[Ox97GaMe]

Yes, if you have the extra 2 days, then I would highly recommend continuing on across Standing Indian and over to Big Butt Ledges and Mt Elbert. From there, you could either hike out along the Long Branch trail to the campground or continue on the AT to the road (wallace gap or glassmine gap)