View Full Version : Conasauga River Trail
energy_turtle
09-09-2009, 09:00
A friend threw out the Conasauga River Trail as a suggestion for a last-minute hike idea this weekend. None of us have ever done it. Can anyone provide personal opinions? If you went lately, how is the water?
http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip.aspx?tripID=55421
umm, it's a river trail. there is always water. 13 miles, 38 river crossings. start at betty gap at the se end and hike nw. you'll start out with a couple of creek crossings but by the 4th, you're wading across. prepare to have your feet stay wet the entire time. it is an incredible trail! i've done this several times. great camping spots the entire way. if you have more than 3 tents, you might want to camp down at bray field where the hickory creek trail comes in. from experience, if you take a camera, put it in a ziplock... ; )
note that the shuttle from the nw dropoff for your car back down to the betty gap start off takes about 45 minutes..
energy_turtle
09-09-2009, 10:07
umm, it's a river trail. there is always water. 13 miles, 38 river crossings. start at betty gap at the se end and hike nw. you'll start out with a couple of creek crossings but by the 4th, you're wading across. prepare to have your feet stay wet the entire time. it is an incredible trail! i've done this several times. great camping spots the entire way. if you have more than 3 tents, you might want to camp down at bray field where the hickory creek trail comes in. from experience, if you take a camera, put it in a ziplock... ; )
note that the shuttle from the nw dropoff for your car back down to the betty gap start off takes about 45 minutes..
Do most campsites have firepits? I'm OK with getting wet, but not all of my gear is. Are there wading spots deeper than waist-high?
Do most campsites have firepits? I'm OK with getting wet, but not all of my gear is. Are there wading spots deeper than waist-high?
yes, they all have firepits, but most sites are directly by the side of the trail. there are a few stealth sites, but only a few have small rings. depends on the weather as for the fording. take note that if it rains for more than an hour or two (a very common occurrence up there - it really is its own ecosystem..) you may have trouble with some of the larger fords. know your bailout side trails as you may need to use them. the last 10 or so crossings can be tricky. they're around mid thigh in good weather but there are spots where fast water has dug out runnels over time and if you're not paying attention, you could step off in a head high or deeper hole.
the one thing you should really always have on a river trail is a dry bag liner for your pack. personally, i use a 20 gallon trash compactor bag (NOT a plain trash bag) because they are tough and can take you shoving gear into them without tearing time and time again. i usually twist the top shut, fold it over, and twist a hair band around the "knot". never had a problem with leakage and i've gone down a few times.
energy_turtle
09-09-2009, 19:48
yes, they all have firepits, but most sites are directly by the side of the trail. there are a few stealth sites, but only a few have small rings. depends on the weather as for the fording. take note that if it rains for more than an hour or two (a very common occurrence up there - it really is its own ecosystem..) you may have trouble with some of the larger fords. know your bailout side trails as you may need to use them. the last 10 or so crossings can be tricky. they're around mid thigh in good weather but there are spots where fast water has dug out runnels over time and if you're not paying attention, you could step off in a head high or deeper hole.
the one thing you should really always have on a river trail is a dry bag liner for your pack. personally, i use a 20 gallon trash compactor bag (NOT a plain trash bag) because they are tough and can take you shoving gear into them without tearing time and time again. i usually twist the top shut, fold it over, and twist a hair band around the "knot". never had a problem with leakage and i've gone down a few times.
Thanks for the help. We won't be getting there until after dark, so we won't hike long Friday night. Are the first campsites not far from Betty Gap? Could we car camp it that night?
Skidsteer
09-09-2009, 19:56
Thanks for the help. We won't be getting there until after dark, so we won't hike long Friday night. Are the first campsites not far from Betty Gap? Could we car camp it that night?
No, you'll need to hike 1-2 miles(down) from Betty Gap to where the Chestnut Lead trail intersects. I suppose you could camp at the gap if you wanted, but I wouldn't.
Thanks for the help. We won't be getting there until after dark, so we won't hike long Friday night. Are the first campsites not far from Betty Gap? Could we car camp it that night?
No, you'll need to hike 1-2 miles(down) from Betty Gap. I suppose you could camp at the gap if you wanted, but I wouldn't.
Skids, you gonna tell em about the banjo music?
Thanks for the help. We won't be getting there until after dark, so we won't hike long Friday night. Are the first campsites not far from Betty Gap? Could we car camp it that night?
well, there are several options here. about 200 yds in, the trail turns to the left and goes down sharply. to the right and straight is a nice flat spot that will support several tents. however...you are right next to the road, but it's a good area, never seen any trouble there. also, you are right next to a first order stream so please be clean when you camp.
also, about halfway on the shuttle from the nw trailhead to betty gap, there is a place where you drive up a steep hill and intersect with another road. to go to betty gap, go across the "x" it forms to the left. to the right, the road takes you back down to ellijay and the lake. hard left (almost behind your shoulder) is fs 630 and will take you up to a parking lot for the hickory creek trail in like 200 ft. as long as nobody's there, which they probably won't since it's short enough to be a day hike, has a nice flat surface for stealth camping. aaaand, you're almost halfway through your shuttle at that point which leaves you time for an early start saturday. then again, you could call carter's lake (army corp of engineers) and get a campsite for friday night. they're around $16.00.