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tlbj6142
08-17-2004, 10:29
All this talk of "pure" thru-hikers got me thinking about how on the PCT and the CDT there are dozens of unoffical routes used my the majority of hikers for the simple fact that they are "better" than the offical route. I assume these must exists on the AT as well.

What alternate routes are "better" than the AT?

What side trips (could be out-n-back trips) are worth the trip?

Lone Wolf
08-17-2004, 10:38
The Wesser Creek Trail is a great alt. to the AT. It's the old AT which begins adjacent to the Wesser Bald shelter side trail. It's basically all down hill(beautifully switchbacked) and flat. There's small falls and creeks on the way down then in the valley you follow Wesser Creek out to a dirt, then eventually paved road which leads to a store at US 19, .8 from the NOC. There are lots of wildflowers and tons of ramps along this trail in mid-April.

Lone Wolf
08-17-2004, 10:47
One of the best is the Virginia Creeper Trail which you walk on heading north out of Damascus. Instead of going left up the stairs, continue straight on the trail which parallels a beautiful creek for 12 miles rejoining the AT back on the Creeper Trail. Lotsa swimming and fishing opportunities along it.

eyahiker
08-17-2004, 11:18
Thanks L Wolf, I was unaware of that one.

Spirit Walker
08-17-2004, 13:48
Crabtree Falls was really beautiful, especially since I saw it early in the morning before the crowds arrived. I also enjoyed the Mau Har Trail on the other side, especially swimming in the pools on a hot day. Both alternates were better, IMO, than the AT.

weary
08-17-2004, 22:37
All this talk of "pure" thru-hikers got me thinking about how on the PCT and the CDT there are dozens of unoffical routes used my the majority of hikers for the simple fact that they are "better" than the offical route. I assume these must exists on the AT as well.

What alternate routes are "better" than the AT?

What side trips (could be out-n-back trips) are worth the trip?

I took almost all of the blue-blazed trails to scenic overlooks, waterfalls and such. I figured a maintaining club built them to augment the trail experience and I figured the least I could do was to check them out. I rarely was disappointed.

The loop trails that leave the AT and eventually circle back in Maine are the trail to the foot of Dunn Notch Falls in western Maine and, of course, the Gulf Hagas loop in the "100-mile-wilderness."

There may be others, but these stick in my mind as being especially good.

Weary

Kerosene
08-18-2004, 08:10
I enjoyed walking down the 4-mile Kimsey Creek Trail from Deep Gap, NC to the Standing Indian Campground in mid-April. It was late evening and the waters in the creek were beautiful with the sunshine slanting down the mountain.

Hikerhead took this same trail this summer and had a distinctly different opinion. The trail isn't in very good shape and is covered by water in several places, but I thought that the upper portion was very pretty. I would have loved to have taken the time for swim but I had to get to my car before nightfall.

MDSHiker
08-18-2004, 09:40
Yeah, the Kimsey Creek trail is awesome...bring your fishing pole. There are a few wet spots but so what?

MOWGLI
08-18-2004, 10:37
The Smokies has over 900 miles of trails, and many of them are more interesting than the AT.

max patch
08-18-2004, 11:23
Yeah, the Kimsey Creek trail is awesome...bring your fishing pole. There are a few wet spots but so what?

And bring your license. I've seen rangers (or whatever the fish and wildlife enforcement officers are called) in camo hiding along the stream.

Peaks
08-18-2004, 16:21
Best Blue Blazed trails? Good question.

My answer depends on where you are. Certainly, I blue blaze into most shelters, and then out again. And I'll usually blue blaze to catch an overlook.

In the Presidential Range, I'll blue blaze over the summits rather than around many. And elsewhere, I'll blue blaze to catch a peak.

Certainly Gulf Hagas is on the list.

How about the Approach Trail?

And I'll stop at the ATC office in Harper's Ferry.

funkyfreddy
09-27-2004, 22:55
The Knifes Edge - has to be one of the best blue blazes ever! I kept saying to myself, " I can't believe this is a trail! "

chknfngrs
09-27-2004, 23:07
First: Many blueish blazes throughout central and north central Shenandoah National Park. Many quick loops, as well as longer ones. Jeremy's Run Trail
Piney Branch Trail, any blue blaze in the central section, pretty much. No Crowds.

Second: One of the greatest was the 30 mile loop combining a section of the AT from Dragon's Tooth to Scorched Earth Gap, down the Andy Lane Trail, and a scary ascent thru bee laden North Mountain Trail back to US311 and Dragon's Tooth parking area.

A-Train
09-27-2004, 23:38
The one tenth of a mile (.1) side trail to Jones Falls in Tennessee is well worth the short walk. Check it out if you're in the Elk River area

SGT Rock
09-28-2004, 06:48
Long Creek Falls in GA and Dismal Falls in VA are two good ones. I liked Dismal so much I took a zero there.

Flash Hand
09-28-2004, 07:49
Is blue blazed the trail leading to Mt. Cammerer worth the 5 miles?

Flash Hand :jump

Lone Wolf
09-28-2004, 08:00
It's only a 1/2 mile.

MOWGLI
09-28-2004, 08:45
It's not really a blue blaze - actually the trail is blazed by White Diamonds, but for the Spring 06 thru-hiker, you'll be able to walk the Benton MacKaye Trail between Springer Mountain and Davenport Gap. That's a total length of 275 miles! That'll allow for a radically different experience than the AT during that stretch. Only 1 shelter and completely different resupply points the whole way. How cool is that?

http://www.bmta.org/

Grimace
09-28-2004, 08:57
where it picks up the Long Trail at the Long Trail Inn. Best Guinness on the trail or at least on what used to be the trail. Trail then climbs up Pico and accross to Killington Summit.

brian
09-28-2004, 17:10
Best Blue blaze for he has to be the Sugarloaf SKi lodge in between the Crocker's and Saddleback\Abraham Range. About a 3\4 mile blue blaze, going up about (looks at map) 800' vertical. Gives you the best view of the Bigelow range anywhere, and on a *very* clear day you can see katahdin! I was lucky enough to be up there in a thunderstorm at night, with a huge bank of low pressure following it, clearing the skies up enough to see the final peak on the AT. Even has a microwave, as AT trail crews stay there. A truly awsome place to sleep, and magnificent views in every direction.

Brian
Future Thru Hiker 2013

A-Train
09-28-2004, 18:05
where it picks up the Long Trail at the Long Trail Inn. Best Guinness on the trail or at least on what used to be the trail. Trail then climbs up Pico and accross to Killington Summit.

Hah, I've hiked this section twice and both times not taken advantage of the blue-blaze. Mostly the reason was that the Inn wasn't open (came thru in june both times). Next time I'll surely take the more direct route down

java
09-28-2004, 19:19
Ahhh, the best blue blaze ever? Just ask Teatree about the famous ‘retro-blaze’ of ’01. Our best day on the AT wasn’t even on the AT for a good portion of it (at least not the current AT).

It all started when we (Teatree, Brooklyn, Jeopardy and I) decided we were about done for the day, but still a bit too far from the shelter. We took out our trusty map (another good reason to carry a map) and looked at the shortest distance from our current position (Shaker campsite) to the Upper Goose Pond cabin.

At this point being at the Shaker campsite, if you look at your map, you’ll notice the trail makes a huge loop over to Baldy Mountain before scooping back down towards the shelter. Screw that.

We started towards the road, but came to an old electric fence, which we made Jeopardy touch (if you know him you’ll understand). The fence wasn’t on, and probably hadn’t been operational for a long time. Once we got to the road we started up another road/driveway. The property owner came running out towards us (which worried us at first), but then he started telling us how we were on the old AT, and how ‘they’ took it away from him! We had such a nice chat about the politics of rerouting the trail, and how much he missed seeing the hikers go by. He helped us with directions and we were on our way. Lo and behold, our path was blazed with 2x6” while blazes (albeit a bit faded), we were indeed on the old AT. So cool.

We continued on as if we were walking through history. Folks came out declaring ‘you’re not on the AT’, to which we responded ‘yeah, we know, we’re on the old AT!!’ and then they would offer up help and suggestions. The last suggestion we heard was ‘you know the bridge is out?!”, bridge? Oh well, we trudged on. Indeed we came to the waterway connecting Upper Goose Pond to Goose Pond, and no bridge.

Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem, but Jeopardy doesn’t swim, and we still weren’t sure exactly where the cabin was, so Teatree and I decided to swim it and look for it.

Well suffice it to say Kermie was very surprised to see Teatree and Java literally swim up to the dock! Where did you guys come from? We borrowed the canoe to fetch Jeopardy and our packs, and Brooklyn forded with his pack over his head. To see the evidence see this link: http://www.visualalex.com/pages/at84.html

So, it goes to show, it isn’t always the destination, but the journey that is key. And hell, even when you’re trying to blue blaze, you often end up following the old familiar white blazes in the end!

One of the best memories of our six-and-a-half months in the woods! :clap

Lone Wolf
09-28-2004, 19:25
I did the same blue-blaze back in 98. I know of a bunch like that.

hustler
09-28-2004, 23:04
There was some awesome blue blaze that I did right before Rusty's. It was the old AT, and it went along all kinds of awesome waterfalls. It was a really hard walk in the rain. I recall the waterfall being the largest cascading waterfall in the east. The AT runs along 3 ridges now instead. I believe it to be right after the priest? A little help on the name of that trail.

Lone Wolf
09-29-2004, 06:26
That would be the Mau-Har Trail. MUCH nicer than the present AT. Swimming holes.

VAMTNHIKER
09-29-2004, 06:57
Lone Wolf has it...

did a short weekend loop in July from Reeds Gap, up Three Peaks and back up Mau-Har... my last prep hike before I left for Philmont...

both Maupin Field and Harpers Creek Shelters are in good shape with great tenting areas...

adh24
04-21-2006, 09:16
There is one in PA forget the name of it, but heading south on the trail just after you pass over the tunnel for I-476 that goes through the mountain. The trail is to the left and takes you over a pretty long stretch of boulders. Eventually you have a total 360 view. Ate lunch there and did some bouldering on some of the small cliffs there.

Mags
04-21-2006, 10:46
All this talk of "pure" thru-hikers got me thinking about how on the PCT and the CDT there are dozens of unoffical routes used my the majority of hikers for the simple fact that they are "better" than the offical route. I assume these must exists on the AT as well.

Just q quick note (I admit it..personal for me. :) ), there is no "official' route on the CDT.

The CDTA said "they are official" and marked a route and put up some colorful markers.

About as official as me saying "Mags CDT route" with my own personal marker to mark it (A buger with a beer would be my trail marker).

Getting back to the thread.. :D

If you have the time and don't mind some extra miles, the Bond Cliffs in New Hampshire are one of the most beautiful places in the Whites, if not New England. Near the Guyot hut. You can link it with the AT.

If you are into "peak bagging", the AT rarely goes over the Presies. You can go over the mountain (e.g. Eisenhower) and hook back up to the AT.


I'd love to the the ATC adopt, on an OFFICIAL level, the "corridor" approach that is done by the western trail orgs. The ATC already does it unofficially based on what I've seen.

Pennsylvania Rose
04-21-2006, 12:11
It's not really a blue blaze - actually the trail is blazed by White Diamonds, but for the Spring 06 thru-hiker, you'll be able to walk the Benton MacKaye Trail between Springer Mountain and Davenport Gap. That's a total length of 275 miles! That'll allow for a radically different experience than the AT during that stretch. Only 1 shelter and completely different resupply points the whole way. How cool is that?

http://www.bmta.org/

Since I've already hiked the AT through the Smokies, I think I'll take this route when I finally get to thru.

mrc237
04-21-2006, 12:21
Ever notice the shamrock in the head @ The LTI ?

Lone Wolf
04-28-2006, 15:53
One of the best is the Virginia Creeper Trail which you walk on heading north out of Damascus. Instead of going left up the stairs, continue straight on the trail which parallels a beautiful creek for 12 miles rejoining the AT back on the Creeper Trail. Lotsa swimming and fishing opportunities along it.
I run on the Creeper Trail about every day and it's good to see SO many hikers walking it instead of the AT. Much more scenic and enjoyable. I ran into 7 NOBOs just a while ago.

kyhipo
04-29-2006, 09:20
the one that sticks out is the waterfalls before you get to rustys,and I took one going to bear mountian missed the turn off for the monastary and just kept walking it was a road walk and just seemed old school.ky

Doctari
04-29-2006, 10:26
I enjoyed walking down the 4-mile Kimsey Creek Trail from Deep Gap, NC to the Standing Indian Campground in mid-April. It was late evening and the waters in the creek were beautiful with the sunshine slanting down the mountain.



YES!! Kimsey creek is beautiful. IMHO the views atop Standing Indian & Albert are, , , , the same as the others. But I have hiked the Kimsey creek trl 2 times now, & it's the one place when I thru, I'm going to "cheat" due to it's beauty.


Doctari.

MoBeach42
05-10-2006, 07:26
I think my favorite blue-blaze that I did was in the Whites. Scrubs and I had dropped our packs off at Madison Hut, and cruised our way down via Airline into King's Ravine. We then went up through the "subway" trail through the bottom of the ravine and up the "Great Gully" trail. I cannot reccommend the Great Gully Trail enough. Hand over hand vertical exhiliration right next to a waterfall - RIGHT next to a waterfall - an you look back over this incredible valley. Check it out.

fiddlehead
05-17-2006, 21:50
I agree with the Sugarloaf lodge as the best.
Knife edge is awesome too (weather permitting)
Va. Creeper trail is also great especially for swimming or fishing
I also like the blueblaze into Gorham NH northbound. It is old AT and very very scenic. The new AT isn't bad there but not as nice and then you have that tough hitch at the end. why?

Lone Wolf
08-22-2007, 11:03
Ever notice the shamrock in the head @ The LTI ?

yeah i noticed every one of the 20 shamrocks in the pints you consumed a few weeks ago :D

Actuary
08-24-2007, 10:27
If you're a blueberry fan and enjoyed the bounty at Rainbow Ledges (end of 100 mile wilderness), I recommend walking a couple miles or so up the Blueberry ledge trail as you enter Baxter. I've never seen so many blueberry bushes, all of them bloody delicious.

jhick
09-04-2007, 11:19
There is one in PA forget the name of it, but heading south on the trail just after you pass over the tunnel for I-476 that goes through the mountain. The trail is to the left and takes you over a pretty long stretch of boulders. Eventually you have a total 360 view. Ate lunch there and did some bouldering on some of the small cliffs there.

This is the South Trail in Section #3 of the AT. Headed north from Lehigh Furnace Gap, the blue blaze branches off in about 1 mile. It is 1.1 mile long and has some great views and some very interesting rocks to scramble on. Further north is the north trail which also very open and has great views.

We did this section this weekend. The weather was nice and we had a great time.

Cloudwalker
11-04-2007, 07:59
My favorite blue blaze or loop hike along the AT would be the Mt. Pleasant National Scenic Area in Virginia. I did the AT beginning at Hwy 60 and combined that with the Old Hotel Trail and the Henry Lanum Memorial Trail.

Photos (http://www.cloudwalkersbasecamp.com/mt_pleasant.html)
Video (http://www.cloudwalkersbasecamp.com/mt_pleasant_video.wmv)

woodsy
11-04-2007, 08:51
If you get this far north, Horns Pond Trail on Bigelow Mtn is popular, was once in part the original AT. Firewarden trail here too, best to go up this one, not down, steep near the top.And, Mt Abraham blue blaze is a 1.7 mile side trip off the AT near Spaulding Mtn well worth the minimal effort, lots of Talus slope hiking above treeline, bring stiff soles on this one, lots of rocks, outstanding panorama.

rafe
11-04-2007, 09:43
Best ever: Falling Waters Trail, Franconia Ridge, Bridle Path. Eight miles, half of them above above tree line, about six thousand feet of elevation change. An incredible day trip if you can hack it.

Bootstrap
11-04-2007, 10:04
Here's a nice list of side trails in the Nantahalas:

http://www.maconcommunity.org/nhc/sides.html

rickb
11-04-2007, 10:07
What alternate routes are "better" than the AT?The AT skirts the side of Mount Monroe and Eisenhower, going over them might be "better". But not much, you are above treeline either way.

But just north of Carter Notch Hut the AT also bypasses the Summit of Mount Height, I think. The trail over the top of that mountain affords a GREAT view, by any standard.

Cookerhiker
11-04-2007, 10:37
where it picks up the Long Trail at the Long Trail Inn. Best Guinness on the trail or at least on what used to be the trail. Trail then climbs up Pico and accross to Killington Summit.

My recently-completed end-to-end hike (http://www.trailjournals.com/cookerhikerLT07) of the Long Trail was technically a blue blaze because I took the old AT/LT. And I was upfront about it when I submitted my paperwork to the GMC. Still awaiting the certificate....

Lone Wolf
11-04-2007, 10:40
My recently-completed end-to-end hike (http://www.trailjournals.com/cookerhikerLT07) of the Long Trail was technically a blue blaze because I took the old AT/LT. And I was upfront about it when I submitted my paperwork to the GMC. Still awaiting the certificate....

we took the old AT/LT down to the Inn at the Long Trail. you'd be a fool not to. also took many other blue-blaze ways on the LT. the GMC can keep their certificates

Cookerhiker
11-04-2007, 10:43
Did anyone mention the Tuscarora Trail (http://www.angelfire.com/pa2/yorkhikingclub/tuscarora.html)which, until the completion of the BMT (the trail, not the NYC subway line), may have been the longest blue-blazed loop. It runs 240 miles from the northern district of Shenandoah NP to Cove Mountain shortly before Duncannon. Downsides: some road walking, you miss Harpers Ferry and the half-gallon challenge. Upside: much less crowded and better still, more remote i.e. not as much towns, houses, sprawl. Also on the ridgelines, water can be scarce.

Cookerhiker
11-04-2007, 10:45
we took the old AT/LT down to the Inn at the Long Trail. you'd be a fool not to. also took many other blue-blaze ways on the LT. the GMC can keep their certificates

Agree of course - that's why I did it. And I really enjoyed the view down from the Pico ski area where I could see the Inn right in the middle of Sherburne Pass with the mts behind it.

rickb
11-04-2007, 11:07
we took the old AT/LT down to the Inn at the Long Trail. you'd be a fool not to.


How so? Wouldn't it be just as cool to follow the AT then walk to the Long Trail Inn down a 1/4" mile side trail (the Old AT). Or is that route not direct enough?

You did take the blue blaze to Deer Leap that overlooks the Inn, correct?

BR360
01-29-2008, 10:41
One really nice blue blaze is the short (~1mile) section that goes OVER Wilburn Ridge in Mount Rogers NRA. The AT skirts the ridge, which is rocky and would be somewhat cumbersome with a heavy pack. But if you are comfortable scrambling with your pack, there are some great views from the top of the rocky cliffs that you don't get by taking the AT. (This section of the AT has nice views, just not as nice as the Ridge trail.)

Also, NOBOers could take the Pine Mountain Trail at the junction with the AT at Rhododendron Gap, and get closer to the Old Orchard Shelter. This is scenic, also, but make sure to scramble to the top on some of the rocky areas for better views.

That said, the section along Wilburn Ridge is more scenic option.

Skuter
01-29-2008, 11:40
I was just wondering where some of the better "less populated" swimming holes up north were. And if anyone knows where theres some cliff diving/jumping.

Askus3
02-01-2008, 21:59
Going northbound after crossing the Bear Mountain Bridge. There is a blue blaze that goes off to the right (south) to the summit of Anthony's Nose. The view of the Hudson Valley from here is phenomenal. If you are going southbound from Anthony's Nose you can just scamper down an unmaintained trail down the rocks right to the bridge. At one time that was the route of the AT, but with icy ledges the rock surfaces were too dangerous so they rerouted the trail off Anthony's Nose to its mundane current route.

rafe
02-01-2008, 22:07
Don't forget the VA Creeper Trail nobo out of Damascus...

warraghiyagey
02-02-2008, 01:58
we took the old AT/LT down to the Inn at the Long Trail. you'd be a fool not to. also took many other blue-blaze ways on the LT. the GMC can keep their certificates
Does that one go up to Pico Camp? Stayed there in '06. Great site on the original AT.

hopefulhiker
05-27-2008, 22:00
Here is a picture I took in Maine off a short (straight down) blue blaze to Pierce Pond Water fall...

Rainbow refracting off the water..

http://209.200.85.146/trailjournals/photos/trailjournals/3005/tj3005_101505_145446.jpg

Ox97GaMe
05-27-2008, 23:16
The Blue Blazin Hobos used to have a website that listed various blue blaze trails. At one time, the goal was to find a way to blue blaze all the way from Springer to Katadin. They had the list sorted out by states. I sure would love to see that site back online again. Anyone know who has all that info, and how we can get it back online??

Lone Wolf
05-27-2008, 23:18
The Blue Blazin Hobos used to have a website that listed various blue blaze trails. At one time, the goal was to find a way to blue blaze all the way from Springer to Katadin. They had the list sorted out by states. I sure would love to see that site back online again. Anyone know who has all that info, and how we can get it back online??

sawman does. it won't be back online

MOWGLI
05-27-2008, 23:29
Here's a good one. Jump off the AT onto the Chunky Gal Trail and take it 22 miles to the summit of Tusquitte Bald. Jump on the Fires Creek Rim Trail and follow it two miles to County Corners. Jump of there and follow the Apple Tree Campground Trails to the NC Bartram Trail. From there, you can follow the Bartram to Cheoah Bald.

You might not see another hiker the whole way, but you'll traverse some amazing roadless areas containing abundant wildlife.

You can order the trail guides here (http://www.emapstore.com/outdoor/hike/bartram_trail.html).

Jim Adams
05-28-2008, 00:37
Gulf Hagus

geek

High Life
05-29-2008, 20:33
we took the old AT/LT down to the Inn at the Long Trail. you'd be a fool not to. also took many other blue-blaze ways on the LT. the GMC can keep their certificates

Awesome Food ,Awesome Guinness, nice rooms

blue blaze off to the inn and blue blaze back on Easy peasey chicken geesey :banana
if your a good yogi , you might get dinner and a beer

Tennessee Viking
05-29-2008, 20:58
Roan High Bluff
Grassy Ridge
Elk River Big Falls
Laurel Fork Trail
USFS 230 (yes...a forest road)
Red Fork Falls
Upper Jones Branch Falls (located on old AT off of Campbell Hollow Road)

Cookerhiker
05-29-2008, 21:38
First: Many blueish blazes throughout central and north central Shenandoah National Park. Many quick loops, as well as longer ones. Jeremy's Run Trail
Piney Branch Trail, any blue blaze in the central section, pretty much. No Crowds.

Second: One of the greatest was the 30 mile loop combining a section of the AT from Dragon's Tooth to Scorched Earth Gap, down the Andy Lane Trail, and a scary ascent thru bee laden North Mountain Trail back to US311 and Dragon's Tooth parking area.

Jeremy's Run is a great trail especially in Spring. In SNP's North District, take the Neighbor Mountain Trail down to Jeremy's Run and follow the namesake trail up where you rejoin the AT at Elk Wallow Picnic Ground. The crosses the stream about a dozen times, some crossings are easier to navigate than others. You get away from the traffic of Skyline Drive if you don't mind more elevation changes than you get staying on the AT.