Looking for 20 mile GA Section recomendations...

[Buffalo Skipper]

My family will be camping for a week in north GA the last weekend of April. My son and I are looking for a 20ish mile stretch we can do on the AT. We would like to camp, perferably not at shelters, for 2 nights. Two full days, hitting the trail by 9am and hiking about 2ish miles the third day and off by, again 9am.

We will likely be coming from Vogel State park, so we would like to start at a trailhead near there, and end at one on a larger road.

Our schedule is flexible, and we will likely choose a start date with a good weather window.

Any ideas?

[MkBibble]

lots of good choices here. i really enjoyed the area just south of unicoi gap. you could start there and go sobo all the way to neels gap which is about 20 miles. alternately, unicoi north to dick's creek was fun too, but significantly more challenging.

[Llama Legs]

lots of good choices here. i really enjoyed the area just south of unicoi gap. you could start there and go sobo all the way to neels gap which is about 20 miles. alternately, unicoi north to dick's creek was fun too, but significantly more challenging.


and it would be fun to end at Mountain Crossings !

[Buffalo Skipper]

lots of good choices here. i really enjoyed the area just south of unicoi gap. you could start there and go sobo all the way to neels gap which is about 20 miles. alternately, unicoi north to dick's creek was fun too, but significantly more challenging.

Thanks for the ideas. I do like going to Hwy 19/129 which just below Vogel. Should make things easy for my pickup. This works out to 19.2 miles, according to my TOPO software.

How is the water on this leg?


and it would be fun to end at Mountain Crossings !

Actually, I am going to be at Mountain Crossings beforehand, hopefully to try and purchase a ULA Circuit. I will call beforehand to see if they have them in stock.

[MkBibble]

i went through in september, no significant water issues even then. i'm sure there will be plenty in april, but you can always check with the locals (like mountain crossings) before heading out. have fun!

[Red Hat]

MkBibble, all I can say is "WHOOP!" (it's an Aggie thing) and to the original poster, I was there in January, with plenty of snow, and plenty of water, no problems. Personally, I'd do from Unicoi to Dicks or visa versa if you are going to MT Crossings beforehand...more fun hiking

[Buffalo Skipper]

Should I expect to use a bear bag on this section at the end of April? My son and I will be splitting our food, but it would be simple enough for us to hang a bag together. I have hiked in bear country (Florida, yes, Florida even has it's own subspecies of black bear), but I have never put any thought into it.

[max patch]

Should I expect to use a bear bag on this section at the end of April? My son and I will be splitting our food, but it would be simple enough for us to hang a bag together. I have hiked in bear country (Florida, yes, Florida even has it's own subspecies of black bear), but I have never put any thought into it.

Unicoi to Neels (continuing on to Woods Hole) in recent years has had probably the highest incidence of problem bears in Georgia. Low Gap shelter - right in the middle of your hike - has probably had more bear problems that any other shelter in Georgia. So yes, whatever your system is re bear proofing food you need to use in on this hike.

[MkBibble]

i'm sure you will get (or find elsewhere on whiteblaze) plenty of other opinions, but i think why not bear bag? only takes a few minutes, even less is there are cables...