View Full Version : forestry road near GA/NC border
A friend and I are going on our first section hike September 4th - 12th. My guidebook says there is a forestry service road (maybe 71, I can't remember the number and don't have my book with me) that crosses the trail north of the border, but that it is a 6 mile gravel road. Another friend will be picking us up, and we are considering this as an option. Does anyone know how easily traveled that road is and if this is a realistic pick-up point? He will be in an SUV, but it's not a Hummer or anything like that. I'd like to think we will make it to Hwy 64, but want to have a couple of other options in case we come up short.
max patch
08-03-2009, 11:21
Thats FS71 at Deep Gap, good road, you can drive it with a regular car, 4wd or high clearance not needed.
MoodyBluer
08-03-2009, 11:27
A friend and I are going on our first section hike September 4th - 12th. My guidebook says there is a forestry service road (maybe 71, I can't remember the number and don't have my book with me) that crosses the trail north of the border, but that it is a 6 mile gravel road. Another friend will be picking us up, and we are considering this as an option. Does anyone know how easily traveled that road is and if this is a realistic pick-up point? He will be in an SUV, but it's not a Hummer or anything like that. I'd like to think we will make it to Hwy 64, but want to have a couple of other options in case we come up short.
FS 71 is a gravel rd for a short distance before it crosses the AT it is very passable by any type of vehicle...couple of spots are kind of steep but not bad...problem is no real parking spaces except couple of places where the gravel rd is wider than normal....one of those wide spaces happens to be within 25 yds or so of the trail (it crosses the AT at Blue Ridge Gap) ...left my car there once and nothing happened to it but I was nervous about leaving it at that spot, even though I don't think that FS road gets a lot of traffic.
Tennessee Viking
08-03-2009, 11:46
A friend and I are going on our first section hike September 4th - 12th. My guidebook says there is a forestry service road (maybe 71, I can't remember the number and don't have my book with me) that crosses the trail north of the border, but that it is a 6 mile gravel road. Another friend will be picking us up, and we are considering this as an option. Does anyone know how easily traveled that road is and if this is a realistic pick-up point? He will be in an SUV, but it's not a Hummer or anything like that. I'd like to think we will make it to Hwy 64, but want to have a couple of other options in case we come up short.
I took my Cavalier on 71. Very passable. You can also park down at the campground and hike up to the trail.
daddytwosticks
08-03-2009, 15:23
FS71 road comes off of state highway 64 that runs between Hayesville and Franklin NC. FS71 dead ends at Deep Gap on the AT. Max Patch and Tennessee Viking are dead on w/description. :)
Tennessee Viking
08-03-2009, 16:05
And not to mention Ron Haven in Franklin has a great shuttle service.
Thanks everyone, very helpful.
MintakaCat
08-03-2009, 18:03
I took my Cavalier on 71. Very passable. You can also park down at the campground and hike up to the trail.
I took my Camry up there many times. It's no problem, very easy road.