View Full Version : how far do you drive
hey y'all, I've got an urge to hit the white blazes but i've only got a day to do it. I live about 4.5 hours away from the trail. Y'all think its worth it to truck it there and back for a day hike on the patch or the smokies? 9 hours of driving for about 3 hours on the trail. Anybody else done this before?
Lone Wolf
11-16-2011, 18:56
no. not me
kayak karl
11-16-2011, 18:56
600 miles to date.
you've driven 600 miles for a day hike?
i wouldn't drive anywhere if I lived in a trail town either
kayak karl
11-16-2011, 19:04
it was a three day hike, sorry! missed the 1 day part.
yeah that's not too bad, I just wonder if its a little nuts to do a turnaround like that
kayak karl
11-16-2011, 19:09
i hike with friends. they are worth the trip.
i hike alone, every time.
kayak karl
11-16-2011, 19:21
good for you. never done that
Savage Gulf. Less Driving, more hiking. ??
Kerosene
11-16-2011, 19:47
Back in February, between jobs, I headed out from Ann Arbor, Michigan early on a Friday morning, picked up my daughter and her girlfriend from school near Cincinnati, and drove straight through to Virginia so we could climb McAfee Knob with Hikerhead and a bunch of WhiteBlazers (johnnybgood, Jersey Dave, Cookerhiker, Jen Sprout, Hobbs, Ol Mole, J5man) the next morning. So, I think it was 17 total hours of driving for 4 hours of hiking. Gas: $150, Food for 3 for 3 days: $120, Tramping up Catawba Mountain on a clear, cool day with your daughter and a bunch of new friends: Priceless
keepinitsimple
11-16-2011, 20:06
I often leave my home around 3-4 AM, arriving at the trail head pre-dawn. Sometimes I hike the first hour with a headlamp. The loops are usually between 7 and 10 miles. I am chipping my way on the AT. I usually try to be home by the time my kids get up from nap ( 3-4 pm).
Follow your passion, do what you have to do, drive to the trail. The people that love me know how important this is to me. And as long as I am a good boy- I get to hike. Be well
skinewmexico
11-16-2011, 20:25
I'd be thinking "there's got to be a trail closer".
I've drove farther than that for a few hours of fishing. Does that count?
Ditto on both the fishing and the hiking.Although both were for more then 3 hours.Get there early and stay as late as i can.Drive home in the dark.
rocketsocks
11-16-2011, 20:53
Come early,stay late.;)
I drive 1 hour to this end of the Fungi Footpath, or about 2 hours to get to the other end.
Alternatively I have biked it, once so far, hope to try it again sometime.
I would not drive 4.5 hours for a 3 hour hike, but I would for a good 3 day hike.
Katahdin is a good 4.5 hours away. I would drive that, but I would make more than a day of it.
Haven't yet. Saving it for an epic trek of some sort, possibly combo paddle and hike.
We've done an all-day day hike with a mightly long drive to and from. Last time it was from NW PA down to Uncle Johnny's to sew up a piece we were missing down there. My husband recently drove across PA to finish up 13 miles or so near Delaware Water Gap. Guess it depends on how important it is to you and how much you enjoy while you're out there.
I am section hiking going North. Last July on a day trip I drove from Lexington, KY to Blue Ridge Gap, GA hiked to Deep Gap, NC for a 10 mile section. Left Lexington at 6:00 AM, drove ~315 miles (+ shuttle), starting around 2:00 PM walked 10 miles, got off the trail at Deep Gap and was on the road back to Lexington ~8:00 PM. I was in my bed at 2:00 AM.
Family and job keeps me busy, I take what I can...So far I got to Clingmans Dome with nine section hikes - 196.4 AT miles, thinking about ot that's way over 5000 miles driving. Hoping to go back after Thanksgiving and finish up the Smokies.
The drive is well worth the hike. After all, IT IS THE AT! Go for it! If you don't like it, find a trail closer to your home.
modiyooch
11-16-2011, 22:07
hey y'all, I've got an urge to hit the white blazes but i've only got a day to do it. I live about 4.5 hours away from the trail. Y'all think its worth it to truck it there and back for a day hike on the patch or the smokies? 9 hours of driving for about 3 hours on the trail. Anybody else done this before?How do you calculate just 3 hours? I always leave at 4am. You could be on the trail by 9am and have the whole day ahead of you. You'll be back by midnight. Sure, go for it.
I routinely drive 8 hours for a day at the beach.
I drove 800 miles (round trip) to hike from Davenport Gap to Hot Springs, 800 more miles to hike from Hot Springs to Devil's Fork Gap, and another 800 miles to hike from Devil's Fork Gap to Erwin.
2400 total driving miles for 95 hiking miles.
Now I live a few minutes from more trails than I know what to do with. :)
SmokyMtn Hiker
11-16-2011, 22:22
I try to keep my day hiking trips to less than about 2 1/2 hrs of drive time but I think the older I get the less I enjoy driving, it just wears me down more than the hike itself.
paistes5
11-17-2011, 02:52
I'd hit Savage Gulf. I spent a week there this summer and can't wait to go back.
I live in the Detroit area and have section hiked about 220 miles over the past 2 years over 5 shorter trips. Each trip is anywhere from 8 to 11 hours each way of driving. My hikes average 2-3 days. I just got back from a 43-mile section in SNP. Here is how it went:
Thursday: Left Michigan around 5am and hit the trail at Swift Run Gap at 3:45pm. Night hiked 18 miles.
Friday: 18 miles, including night hiking and bear scare.
Saturday: 7 miles, hitch hiked back to car using three rides. Drive home 10 hours, got home at around 1am.
Sunday: Slept.
I like to think of my section hikes as blitkrieg hiking!
garlic08
11-17-2011, 09:37
I did something like that once, and never again. If the driving time exceeds the hiking time, I don't even think about it.
9 hours of driving for 3 hours of trail hiking? are you nuts?
There's got to be some descent hiking closer by. Who cares if it's the AT or not.. just fine some woods and a path. Geez.
Cookerhiker
11-17-2011, 09:48
I also live 4 hours from the nearest AT point (Davenport Gap) and my answer to your question was going to be "no" but as Kerosene pointed out, I was on the McAfee Knob hike last winter which entailed a 7 hour one way drive for a day hike (and pizza dinner!).
Fortunately I can drive less than an hour to hike in Daniel Boone National Forest. No mountains but plenty of up and down into the gorges and the rock formations are spectacular, especially the arches & natural bridges.
I've exhausted all the trails close to me. Savage gulf, fiery gizzard, radnor and all that are good and fine but it's not the trail, know what I mean? I just wanted to see if I was crazy for thinking about this. I have hiked alone for the past 11 years, I'm getting tired of it. I have a knack for finding empty shelters and lonesome trails. I'm just trying to get to the trail without spending days on end alone. My job keeps me wound up, I only get about 2 or 3 days off a month so what do you do? Fill up the tank and drink some coffee I guess, truck it to the trail right?
jburgasser
11-17-2011, 10:05
Leave your house at 4:00 am and hike till 4:00 PM. Hell, I've driven farther than that for a girl at that sure didn't last 3 hours!!
JB
Wise Old Owl
11-17-2011, 10:15
Well TnJed - I took a peek at what is happening here your trip to the closest point of the AT is Fontana Dam - 248 miles one way, computers caculate without speeding and do not take into account stops or stop lights and tell me your best case one way is 4 hours 15 minutes - Truck? suggests 10 mpg at best. Gas $3.25 in your town today.... = Round Trip $161 in gas - Now if your truck is more modern and a fuel efficient engine 22mpg thats $73 in gas round trip....
For a hiking experience to do ten miles of trail one way - turn around and come back to the truck...
I have only done one trip to SNP like that and that was several years ago - so would I going alone for one day? no not me. an overnight with a bud who could leave a vehicle at the other end of the hike so we could hike one way - priceless.
The most I ever drove for a day hike was many years ago. Drove from RI to get to the Old Bridle Path TH to hike the Franconia Ridge Loop. A full day hike for 6-7 hrs r/t driving.
Now, the most I'll drive is 2 hrs (4 hr r/t) to do a day hike. And it has to be a long day at that (15+ miles).
But, I'm spoiled in terms of location. :)
Wise Old Owl
11-17-2011, 10:17
Wait - whats your job?
I'm the chef at a country club. I cook for rich people
The closest spot is blood mountain. I drive a 4 runner, I made it Knoxville and back on a tank of gas. Money isn't the issue, time is.
earlyriser26
11-17-2011, 12:39
I drive long distances all the time for a day hike. 400 - 600 miles of driving for a 14 miles hike? Any time! Once I left my house at mid-night, drove 8 hours, hiked 8 hours, and drove back 8 hours. Now that was a CRAZY day.
58starter
11-17-2011, 13:11
I just Drove 780 miles each way to hike 26 miles on the AT between Sam's Gap and Erwin, Tn.
It was worth every mile of it. I got to spend 3 days with my Nephew hiking.
The Solemates
11-17-2011, 13:34
while in college, i'd drive places like this all the time for just a day. now its a little harder to do that, and the price of gas is quadruple what i was paying then.
my most oft trip would be to drive 1 hr for just an afternoon 3 mi hike (6 mi RT). i would trail run actually. 3500 foot elevation gain in 3 miles - my best time was around 50 minutes. did this frequently.
also frequently while in school, i would drive about 2.5 hours for a day hike. i'd leave around 4am, hit the trail and do a 16 mile day hike in the smokies up to leconte and back down, then head back home and make it home by 8pm or so. did this multiple times as well.
on other occasions, i'd also leave after classes around 2-3pm, drive about 3 hours to go night skiing, then head home around 10 pm, arriving back in bed around 2am. then i'd have to be up again at 7am for classes.
now, i routinely drive more than 4.5 hours for backpacking. in fact, i often drive up to 8-9 hours, but this is always for a 3-5 day hike.
BobTheBuilder
11-17-2011, 14:20
I usually have no problems with at 16 hour day of driving, so 9 hours of driving and 7 hours of hiking would work for me. Just make sure you have a cup of coffee before the drive home.
When I did the approach trail, I drove from New Orleans the first day and slept in a roach motel that night, hiked the approach trail and camped on top the second day, then hiked down and drove home the third day.
Plodderman
11-17-2011, 16:06
Probably wouldn't do it for a day hike.
Plodderman
11-17-2011, 16:09
To answer your question I would probably drive 2 hours for a day hike but the hike would have to be 4 or five hours long.
KimberVa
11-17-2011, 17:13
My .02 cents worth. Do it. I have driven 8 hours round trip just to buy fireworks for the 4th of July. I definitely have driven that far for a girl before. Life's too short to not do something you want to do. A good friend of mine found that out the hard way Cancer got her at the age of 37.
Buffalo Skipper
11-17-2011, 17:24
Over 20 years ago, I had just gotten out of the Air Force and was killing time living with a long time friend who was still in the Army at Ft. Bragg. We were living outside of Fayetteville, and we were looking for something to do one weekend day. We planned and the next day we drove out to GSMNP. It took 8 hours to get there, we got out of the car to hike at Newfound Gap, but it was a cold winter day and were were too cold to do more than a 1/2 mile. We ended up driving down to Gatlinburg for dinner, and spent all night driving back home. It was a long, long day, but seeing the Smoky Mountains was worth it. It ended up being about a 700 mile round trip in one day.
Oh the memories of being young and irresponsible.
BobTheBuilder
11-17-2011, 17:59
At the end of it all, you won't regret what you did, but what you didn't do.
hikerboy57
11-17-2011, 20:14
At the end of it all, you won't regret what you did, but what you didn't do. i think this is a little melodramatic, considering he's talking about a 3 hr day hike.
If you enjoy driving, why not?If you had to walk 6 hrs to the trailhead, now that would be different. I have no problem driving 3 hrs up to the gunks or the catskills for a day hike. I like driving, I dont like traffic.
Wise Old Owl
11-17-2011, 20:20
Over 20 years ago, I had just gotten out of the Air Force and was killing time living with a long time friend who was still in the Army at Ft. Bragg. We were living outside of Fayetteville, and we were looking for something to do one weekend day. We planned and the next day we drove out to GSMNP. It took 8 hours to get there, we got out of the car to hike at Newfound Gap, but it was a cold winter day and were were too cold to do more than a 1/2 mile. We ended up driving down to Gatlinburg for dinner, and spent all night driving back home. It was a long, long day, but seeing the Smoky Mountains was worth it. It ended up being about a 700 mile round trip in one day.
Oh the memories of being young and irresponsible.
God I miss that tooo... It's really awkward when I act like that reliving my youth..... and others have to watch....:D
hikerboy57
11-17-2011, 20:35
what memories? Im just not young anymore.
Forget the AT. From Franklin, you can get great hiking at Savage Gulf, Virgin Falls, Fall Creek Falls, Foster Falls, portions of the Cumberland Trail, all within 2 hours drive that offer great views and sights, often better than what you'll get on much of the southern AT.
Within an hour, you've got BearWaller Gap, the lakeshore (Volunteer Trail) at Longhunter State Park, and the loop at Montgomery Bell State Park.
The AT is a nice trail for stretching your legs, but compared to most of what is a lot closer, it isn't all that. Especially for a day hike.
kayak karl
11-17-2011, 20:57
my son and i drive to Pinnacle Peak every Christmas Eve. about 2 hours. do the loop then go to Cabela's for their sale. :)
MuddyWaters
11-17-2011, 23:31
If you want to do it, then do it. Who cares how long the drive is.
Only an issue if 1) you dont have the money for gas or 2) you have something else to do with that time..
I once drove 12 hrs round trip, and about 900 miles to look at a boat. I spent about 3 hrs inspecting it, sea-trialed it, and decided not to buy it.
I'm sure I'll have this dilemma in the future.I'm going to do my first section hike of the AT in May,but I'll have 10-12 days.Won't always have the luxury of that much time to spend on one hike.Now I live anywhere from 6-8 hours of the trail from Springer to Harper's Ferry.For me personally to drive that far for a section hike,I'd want at the least 2 fairly full days with an overnight on the trail.
As a section hiker who lives in Philly................started in Boiling Springs, nowadays I go North in the Fall and South in the Spring, so far SW VA to Central NH, 1100 miles or so........
.....getting to be a day on each end of travel to and from the AT.
Planes Trains and Automobiles
As a section hiker who lives in Philly................started in Boiling Springs, nowadays I go North in the Fall and South in the Spring, so far SW VA to Central NH, 1100 miles or so........<BR><BR>.....getting to be a day on each end of travel to and from the AT.<BR><BR>Planes Trains and Automobiles<BR><BR>
My general rule is that I need to spend more time hiking than driving to make a trip worthwhile. I sometimes grant exceptions for special events.
I often drive 2.5 hrs (one way) to the White Mountains for a 5 to 6 hr day-hike (Mts Washington, Adams, Madison, etc). About a 1:1 drive-hike ratio, but it's well worth it.
Different Socks
11-19-2011, 17:41
I would say it is worth b/c I drive 3.5 hours to Glacier as often as i can in the summer adn then get up early the next day and hike from 6am or 7 til about 2pm, then drive the hours back to work that night.
It was worth it every time no matter how tired I'd end up.
For the AT, I'd do it too.