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Frog
04-09-2005, 21:17
Can some one tell me a safe and legal place to park a car at neels gap for a week. Planing on doing a section hike and ending up there.

orangebug
04-09-2005, 21:22
The safest would be down the hill at Goose Creek Campground, between Neel's Gap and Blairsville.

Also legal would be the state's parking lot just north of Neel's Gap, maybe a quarter mile. I've left cars there over weekends without trouble.

You might even be able to leave a car in Yargo State Park, just south of Goose Creek, but there wouldn't be as convenient a shuttle for you.

Lilred
04-09-2005, 21:30
Can some one tell me a safe and legal place to park a car at neels gap for a week. Planing on doing a section hike and ending up there.
Try The Hiker Hostel. I just spent four days on the trail and they let me park my car there and shuttled me to where I needed to start, then picked me up at Neel's Gap when I finished. Great people. I don't know if they would charge for the vehicle. They didn't charge me but I used their shuttle service twice and spent the night there. Nice place to spend a night I might add. VERY nice. They throw a killer breakfast feast in the morning. You wouldn't go wrong by spending a night there. Great way to end a hike for me. Had the private room with the private bath. SWEET!! Course, they have bunks too, a little cheaper. You can reach them at thehikerhostel.com

Footslogger
04-09-2005, 21:57
A week might be a stretch in terms of safety, but there is a parking area about a quarter mile north of Walasi-Yi at Mountain Crossings (Neels Gap). It's at the Byron Reese Trail Head and I have personally parked there for 3 days at a time with no problem.

'Slogger

Youngblood
04-09-2005, 22:11
A week might be a stretch in terms of safety, but there is a parking area about a quarter mile north of Walasi-Yi at Mountain Crossings (Neels Gap). It's at the Byron Reese Trail Head and I have personally parked there for 3 days at a time with no problem.

'SloggerThere is a $2 per day fee to park there (I heard something about maybe raising that to $3) and you need a pen to fill out the pay envelope.

Youngblood

Frog
04-10-2005, 06:33
Thanks for the info very much .

Footslogger
04-10-2005, 12:56
There is a $2 per day fee to park there (I heard something about maybe raising that to $3) and you need a pen to fill out the pay envelope.
Youngblood========================================
Good catch Youngblood ...that must be new since I moved out of Georgia. Still not much considering it's a great place to park and about a 10 minute walk from the AT.

'Slogger

FatMan
04-10-2005, 13:50
I agree that the Byron Reece parking area about a quarter mile north of Neels Gap is your best bet. I am pretty sure the cost is only $2. To the best of my knowlegde the USFS only bumped the fee at boat ramp parking areas to $3. Let me add that this is a very popular parking area and if you are dropping off your car on a nice weekend day the lot may be full after 10:00am. Get there early. Weekdays are no problem at all. The lot is very safe with the FS in the area often.

If you plan on returning to the Georgia AT within the year I would recommend getting an annual pass for $25. With the pass you can park anywhere in the NF. Google "Chattahoochee National Forest" and you can apply by mail.

Another option if you don't want to pay for parking would be to continue on the trail to Tesnatee Gap at the base of Cowrock Mtn. There is a no fee parking area there, however I do not know how safe it is. I have not heard of any problems but that means little.

Honestly though, I have parked just about everywhere in Georgia for weeks at a time and have never had a problem. I know there have been reports but I personally don't believe car safety is much of an issue. I'm sure we can find others here to disagree.

BTW, the state park down the road is not Yargo, it is Vogel.

Dances with Mice
04-10-2005, 13:54
Go to Goose Creek Cabins. Less than one mile west of the Byron Reese parking area, maybe 100 yards left from the GA-180 intesection. Ask for Keith.

$1 per day. Protected parking. Shuttle available.

Can't beat it with a stick.

BirdShooter
05-29-2013, 12:15
I've parked at Tesnatee Gap at the base of Cowrock Mtn. on numerous occasions with no problems.

theoilman
05-29-2013, 13:23
There is a $2 per day fee to park there (I heard something about maybe raising that to $3) and you need a pen to fill out the pay envelope.

Youngblood

I just parked there for a week - 3 weeks ago - with no problem. I didn't see anything about paying or leaving an envelope or a drop box.

max patch
05-29-2013, 14:14
I don't know why this old thread has bubbled up to the top, but I'll add that the parking fees at Byron Reece (Neels Gap) and Springer Mtn were removed 5 years ago or so Now hopefully this thread will disappear again.