Week long hike starting and stopping suggestions

[bugsybrown]

I am planning a week long hike the last week in July and was hoping for some suggestions for a start and end point. I have a ride that will drop me off and pick me up, so it doesn't have to be a loop. I have never hiked any portion of the AT, so it is all good for me. I am a beginner hiker.

Thanks for the help

Asher

[bigcranky]

I am planning a week long hike the last week in July and was hoping for some suggestions for a start and end point. I have a ride that will drop me off and pick me up, so it doesn't have to be a loop. I have never hiked any portion of the AT, so it is all good for me. I am a beginner hiker.

Hey, Asher,

There are some great 1-week hikes in the South. Given your drive time, exactly how many days do you think you'll have on the Trail? I'm going to guess 6 or 7 out of a 9-day Sat-Sun stretch.

The first and most obvious suggestion would be to get dropped off at Springer Mountain in Georgia and walk North for a week. It's rugged and scenic country, with some features that make it ideal for a beginning AT hiker. (If you start at the top of Springer, the first day is easy. At 30 miles you reach a store/hostel for resupply.) You can stop at either Unicoi Gap or Dick's Creek Gap, whichever you prefer. All of these are a moderate drive from Florida.

Here are some suggestions in North Carolina and Tennessee:

1. Winding Stair Gap north to Fontana Dam. About 60 miles, some of the toughest hiking in the South. Great section, with easy driving access at both ends and a resupply point in the middle at Nantahala Outdoor Center. This can be done in 6-7 days.

2. Sam's Gap south to Davenport Gap. About 80 miles, good rugged scenic trail. Good road access, although the Sam's Gap access isn't obvious. The wonderful trail town of Hot Springs, NC, is in the middle for resupply. It took my hiking partner and me 8 days to hike this section, though one of them was a zero day in Hot Springs (mmmmm, beer.)

3. Damascus, VA, south to Kincora Hostel or US 19-E in Tennessee. This is either 50 or 75 miles, your choice. The trail south of Damascus is a ridgeline walk for the first 40 miles or so, making it somewhat easier. Kincora is a classic Trail hostel, highly recommended. You can stay there and resupply before continuing to 19-E. This is a 5-8 day hike depending on how far you want to walk. (If your driver is also your spouse/significant other, there is a great hostel/b&b at US 19-E, Mountain Harbour (http://www.mountainharbour.net/), that offers a room with a jacuzzi tub. My wife raved about it when we finished that section. Nice place to recover from a hike. Oh, and *terrific* food.)

4. Erwin, TN north to US 19-E or Kincora Hostel. 45 miles or 70 miles. This section crosses the North Carolina Balds, and is very scenic and offers a lot of climbing. This one is a little more difficult for resupply, though it's possible at 19-E to hitch or walk into a town several miles in either direction. Again, 5-8 days for a beginning hiker depending on end point.

Hope this helps. Enjoy. If you have any more specific questions, fire away.

[bugsybrown]

Thank you so much for your input. I have a friend that lives in Jonesborough TN that will let me drop off my car, and then drive and pick me up. After talking with her, I decided on Erwin TN as my starting point. It is good to know that it is a nice section. Can you give me a little more info about it? What is the weather like in that area in the end of July? Is it high enough to be cool at night, or even during the day? I plan on hammock camping along the that section of trail, is that a good option or is it easier for a tent?

Again, thanks for the info.

Asher

[bigcranky]

Erwin northbound to Kincora? Good section. I've done that southbound, so I need to recalibrate my memories of it.

Long climb out of Erwin to Beauty Spot (great campsite on top), then a ridgeline walk to the Roan Mountain area. Big big climb of Roan from Hughes Gap, then lots of big beautiful balds as you walk over Roan, Round Bald, and the Humps. (Keep your eyes open for the longhorns on top of Big Hump.) Amazing views in clear weather. Big descent to 19-E. The Mountain Harbour hostel there (1/4 mile west) would be a nice place for an overnight/shower/mail drop (call first about the drop.) The trail north to Kincora has been relo'd and I haven't hiked the new part yet, but it now goes past some waterfalls that are supposed to be nice.

A hammock should be fine through that whole stretch. You just won't be able to hang right on top of the balds. (They don't have trees.) You'll have a better choice of sites than tent campers just about everywhere else. I would recommend staying at the Overmountain Shelter just because it's a great location, lots of history in that area, good sunrise views.

Weather will be warm, probably in the low 80s during the day and 50s at night. Cooler than the valleys. You might, maybe, get some lows into the 40s, so be prepared for that, but during a warm spell you might get 90/70. Except for the balds themselves, this hike will go through the long green tunnel. We've had plenty of rain so far, unless that changes dramatically the springs should be fine in July. Expect big thunderstorms most every afternoon or evening.

You said you were a beginning hiker. That's cool -- this is a pretty spectacular section to start. But it's also a hard section, so just take your time on the climbs, drink plenty of water, bring some electrolyte drink mixes, and drink more water. If you can keep your pack weight down a bit, it'll help. Given that it's mid-summer, that should be fairly easy.

Have fun.

[CowHead]

you can section hike northern va to penmar touching 3 states go less than a mile north you can touch 4 pa that's a little under 100 miles

[bigcranky]

you can section hike northern va to penmar touching 3 states go less than a mile north you can touch 4 pa that's a little under 100 miles

That's nice, too, but the person who is shuttling him lives in Tennessee. Might be kind of a long drive. :-?

[bugsybrown]

Thanks for all the info and help. I can't wait to hike. I only wish I could take the months off of work and hike the whole AT.

Asher

[psig]

Bigcranky, lots of good info there. Thanks! One question... your various suggestions for week-long sections seem to cover most of the AT from Springer Mt to Southern Virginia, with the biggest omission being the Smokies. Any particular reason you've excluded the 70+ miles through the Smoky Mountains National Park? I too am looking to do a week-long hike in the South (in mid-August), and had been thinking that the Smokies (due to their altitude) would be a good section to escape the South's summer heat.

[bigcranky]

One question... your various suggestions for week-long sections seem to cover most of the AT from Springer Mt to Southern Virginia, with the biggest omission being the Smokies. Any particular reason you've excluded the 70+ miles through the Smoky Mountains National Park?

Yes. In my very humble opinion, the Smokies are not a good section for a first AT section hike for a beginning hiker. I know that some beginning hikers have successfully done the Smokies, but that's my feeling anyway. I just think there are better places for a first week-long section.

There are several reasons for this, but most of them have to do with needing reservations for a shelter each night, and not being allowed to camp anywhere in between. I think that a beginning hiker doesn't need to be tied down to that sort of schedule. Second, there are very few good bailout spots once you get into the park. And it's harder to resupply than the other sections that I mentioned, too.

The Smokies are beautiful, no question. And they get a lot of publicity, so hikers from other parts of the country have heard of the AT through the park, but they've never heard of the other sections. So I'd like to promote those, since I think that in my experience they make a better first section.

None of this applies to experience hikers, btw.

Oh, and let me add another of my favorite 1-week sections: From the Mt. Rogers Headquarters building southbound to Damascus, 65 miles of wonderful hiking. This one has limited resupply options, too, but it's a spectacular section.