Hiking GA/NC sections in the Fall

[Ladytrekker]

Anyone do this?

I am doing my first section in 4 weeks the first 30 or 40 miles starting at Springer. I have not yet done the hike but am mad I did not plan for more time off and already planning the next week I can get off to hike. Do many people hike this area in Sep, Oct, Nov?

Not that I need others to be there it seems to me from Whiteblaze alot of the good parts of the AT are the people you meet.

I hike alot in Florida so the I cannot wait to be in the mountains and thanks to everyone for all the info and especially all the humor some of these threads make me laugh out loud.

[Gray Blazer]

Anyone do this?

I am doing my first section in 4 weeks the first 30 or 40 miles starting at Springer. I have not yet done the hike but am mad I did not plan for more time off and already planning the next week I can get off to hike. Do many people hike this area in Sep, Oct, Nov?

Not that I need others to be there it seems to me from Whiteblaze alot of the good parts of the AT are the people you meet.

I hike alot in Florida so the I cannot wait to be in the mountains and thanks to everyone for all the info and especially all the humor some of these threads make me laugh out loud.

Fall is a great time to hike the AT in the South. Especially late Oct into Nov.

[scope]

Yes, depending on the weather, can be as many on the trail during Oct as are during March. Might have fewer staying at shelters except for large groups.

[tagg]

i guess it can go either way, because i hiked all of georgia last september, and overall didn't see many people. i met quite a few hikers on the weekend, but from tuesday-friday, i saw more bears (4) than people (3).

[Kerosene]

Fall weekdays are a great time to hike any part of the AT!

[Tennessee Viking]

Labor Day weekend is going to be a mad house at major trailheads. Which will probably be the worst.

I walked up Blood Mountain then, and it was heavy traffic. Families and groups in my way.

September or so, Helen GA is going be hosting Oktoberfest so possible traffic from Unicoi to Neels Gap.

With the leaves changing colors, you will see a bit of few people around Fontana and Smokies. Then Standing Indian Loop is usually popular. During the fall time, I only saw maybe 4 people around SI.

Most of these people will be day hikers or weekend hikers. So some days you will see no one, then weekends you will see crowds.

Be sure to camp out at the Standing Indian summit. Its quite a view.

[Lilred]

I hiked neels to deep gap in Nov and barely saw another soul on the trail. Had most shelters to myself, and it was COLD!!

[max patch]

.

I walked up Blood Mountain then, and it was heavy traffic. Families and groups in my way.



That pretty much describes Neels Gap to the top of Blood every Sunday afternoon during the non winter months.

[wcgornto]

I finished a SOBO thru hike the Sunday after Thanksgiving last year. The GA section was the most crowded section on my hike other than the White mountains in NH. I came across thirty to fifty people on the trail each day in the GA section. I think the numbers were high because people had time off work for Thanksgiving.

[Chaco Taco]

If you are going to do a section in fall, gotta be the Hot Springs- Damascus section. It has the most views, challenging terrain, some of the coolest Hostels. You do the Leap out of Hot Springs, Rich Mtn, Camp Creek, Mill Ridge Pond, The Exposed Ridgeline, Big Bald, the hike into Erwin over the river, Beauty Spot, Unaka, Roan, Round Bald, Jane Bald, Grassy Ridge, Overmountain, Big Hump, Little Hump, I mean should I even continue....Depending on how much time you have in Fall I recommend this section as probably the jewel of the south!!! Very beautiful!!!

[Bare Bear]

Chaco is right about that Section. If you have 3-4 days even the hike out of Hot Springs is nice and great campsites. I have gone thru 4 times now and always enjoyed it, even in the rain.