View Full Version : Benton MacKaye-Ocoee to Hiawassee
David S.
04-23-2009, 12:31
I am putting together a backpacking trip on the Benton MacKaye trail. I am considering doing the section through the Cohutta and Bigfrog wilderness areas and then continuing on and doing the section from the Ocoee to the Hiawassee River. What I need to know is...is this section worth doing? How does it compare to the trail running through the wilderness areas before it? From the maps it doesn't look nearly as hilly. Is it scenic or is it boring? If you've hiked this section, whats your take on it and would you do it again? Thanks! David.
take-a-knee
04-23-2009, 13:19
I am putting together a backpacking trip on the Benton MacKaye trail. I am considering doing the section through the Cohutta and Bigfrog wilderness areas and then continuing on and doing the section from the Ocoee to the Hiawassee River. What I need to know is...is this section worth doing? How does it compare to the trail running through the wilderness areas before it? From the maps it doesn't look nearly as hilly. Is it scenic or is it boring? If you've hiked this section, whats your take on it and would you do it again? Thanks! David.
I just walked from 3-Forks to the Ocoee. I had a wonderful time. The section along the eastern edge of Cohutta was the most beautiful part of the hike, most of it is an old forest service road that runs the ridge. Tim Homan's BMT guide book refers to this section as one of the premier hikes in GA. Unless you are leaving in a few days you won't have the winter views I had, but everything is starting to bloom. Heading down from Big Frog is straightforward but it is easy to miss a turn off and wind up on the extensive system of bike trails that exist down near the river. That is what I did, so I missed the last 3 miles of the BMT and came out at the Whitewater center. Getting hopelessly lost wasn't an issue, just missing the intended trail. There is a more detailed map of the Big Frog Area that I'll have next hike. Nat Geographic #781 (Cherokee Nat Forest) covers all of that route
TAK is right about the section north of Big Frog. It is very nice walking that ridge.
The section from Ocoee to the Hiawassee is easy and has some nice views. We did this section in two days with a beginner
No water issues anywhere
Have fun
Wife and I will start a section hike from Springer to Hiawasee in mid May, any advice on shuttle from Hiawasee back to Neells? Thanks
take-a-knee
04-24-2009, 14:44
Wife and I will start a section hike from Springer to Hiawasee in mid May, any advice on shuttle from Hiawasee back to Neells? Thanks
I'm not understanding your question, Neel Gap on the AT? Hiawasse GA or Hiawasse River in TN on the BMT?
David S.
04-24-2009, 23:14
Nobody else has hiked this section that cares to comment?
Just go hike it. its a nice section.
I day hiked the 17 miles between US 64 and the Hiwassee. It's a nice section. I saw more sign of Bobcat in that section than anywhere other than the Florida Trail through the St Marks NWR.
Enjoy!
Gladiator
05-28-2009, 08:54
David, did you make the trip? If so, how was it? I am taking a group through Cohutta/Big Frog on the BMT soon. I'd be interested in knowing how your trip went.
Thanks,
Gladiator
David S.
05-28-2009, 11:55
Yep, made the trip....sort of. We started out at mile 39.8 at the Falls branch road trail access and hiked about 50 miles to the Ocoee river. It was a great hike over all. There did seem to be a surprising amount of road walking for about 8 miles near the beginning of this section but the rest was just wonderful. The first 4 days we had a lot of rain which kind of got old near the forth day. The fifth day was absolutely spectacular and that day we walked the entire Cohutta and Big Frog section and ended up at the Ocoee, Thunder Rock campground that evening. A friend brought us some pizza...and a weather forecast. The next two days there was lots of rain forecast and we were just tired of having to hang out under the tarp in camp. Simply put....we were wusses. We decided to camp at thunder rock that evening and leave the next morning with our friend. So, we didn't get to hike the section from Ocoee to Hiawassee. This month however, my girlfriend and I are going to hike this section tegether so that I can feel complete in my original goal of doing this section.
We did see a moma bear and a cub near the end of the Big Frog section. Moma was climbing down out of a tree when we saw her and then the little baby cub followed a minute or two later. That was a highlight.
The top of Big Frog mountain was also spectacular as it was still early springtime up there and the views were pretty good. The hike up the southeast side of Big Frog coming out of Double Spring Gap was the toughest climb of the hike by far so anticipate going pretty much straight up the mountian...it gets you to the top quick though! I think its almost 1000 feet in .7 miles or something close to that.
We thoroughly enjoyed the hike over all. We only saw two other people on trail the entire time (one was a turkey hunter and the other a mountain biker near the Ocoee region) and we had some gorgeous campsite locations all to ourselves.
I would definitely recommend this hike but just prepare yourself for a good bit of road walking for about 8 miles or so after the trail crosses US Hwy 76.
We did the section between the Ocoee and Hiwasse this past Labor Day. It's really pretty easy. We parked at the dam/camping area. Left shuttle cars at Hiwasee Outfitters. First day was pretty much uphill but not too bad. Campsite was.....a bit weird..1st nite. Near a stream crossing that had obviously overrun. Looked like a major blowdown area. But we made it home and had a nice little campfire going till it started raining. 2nd day more or less followed a creek and was level.
Can't remember where exactly but I did get attacked and stung probably 20 times but yellowjackets. While we were being careful about getting around the nest we could see, they came out of another hole in the ground at my feet. Applied some sting medicine and had a couple of Benadryls and I Had no real effects from it. Other than the Benadryl and the Woodford Reserve I chased it with at the CS.
Nice little trip. No water problems at all.
grillmastertoo
11-23-2009, 23:41
im looking to hike the trail that runs along the hiwassee river---i believe it is part of the john muir trail....does anyone know where to park shuttle vehicles....the trail i am referring to has access on the road that follows up river of the hiwassee river to the "canoe/kayak put in" applachia powerhouse...
thanks
park 1/4 mi downstream of the powerhouse on the north side of the river in the parking area
grillmastertoo
11-24-2009, 09:59
thanks for the reply egads----do you know where the next trail heads would be...im trying to to decide if this section could be done in a weekend....leave from the powerhouse on a friday around noon and be back at a car on sunday mid afternoon....
CBSSTony
11-24-2009, 12:53
Depends on how far you plan to go. About a year or so ago I tried to hike this trail from Hwy 68 to the lake,past the forest service road east (I think) of Hwy 68 the trail was really overgrown and hard to follow. It was getting dark and I was only out for the day so I turned around. You could park on Hwy 68 or the FS road, but I would not recommend it. It may be OK, but I wouldn't do it. Maybe a down and back?
The hike from the H river powerhouse to Hwy 68 is only 8 miles. Can be done round trip in a day
grillmastertoo
11-24-2009, 23:39
So you would recommend a hike from the powerhouse to 68 and then back to powerhouse---8 miles one way or total of 16 there and back?
would you recommend leaving a vehicle at the parking lot where the boaters put in overnight?
Would this be a nice hike to turn into an overnight? Hike in some distance, camp and then hike back in the morning?
thanks...
If you want to make it an overnighter, I recommend that you park at the river and hike up to Buck Bald to camp (dry) then hike back. Buck Bald is ~1 mi north of Hwy 68,
CBSSTony
11-25-2009, 10:45
If you wanted to stay on the Muir Trail, there seemed to be some nice ones past the FS road east of Hwy 68. You may even get to the lake. If you take this route I think there is water between 68 and FS road. After that, not too sure.
tnwolf51
06-02-2010, 13:42
fixing to do bmt from big frog this weekend tril hike for the at camping at sylco in big frog hope the trail isnt to bad shape.wouldnt mind company if anyone else is doin it.
I did the BMT from US76 to US64 this past weekend. There were a few sections that were starting to grow over a bit, but overall the trail was in great shape. The Big Frog wilderness sections were in nice shape other than missing trail signs. The trail is easy to follow, but I recomend having a map for the trail junctions as the BMT isn't always the most used of the trails. Once you pass the summit of Big Frog, I think it is left, left, right at the junctions but verify that before you go.
Have a great trip!