Dick's Creek Gap to NC Border (where to egress upon completion)

[googlywoogly]

We are about to complete the AT in GA via Saturday day hikes. It looks like the closest egress off the trail after completing GA and going into NC is off a Forest Service Road you get to via Hwy 64 (Google maps lists this road only as forest service road, I am not sure if it has another official name).

Can anyone familiar with that area advise if this road is more or less passable to most cars? We both have Honda Civics. Today we marched from Tray Mountain to Dick's Creek Gap. Getting to the parking area at Tray Mountain after dropping a car off at Dick's Creek proved to be a white knuckled affair due to the horrible condition of the road. We are trying to determine if we need to seek alternate locations to park car B next week.

Any info most appreciated.

Also, can the savvy veterans of this area suggest alternate places for getting off the trail after crossing the GA/NC border? We live in Atlanta and will be waking up well before dawn to drive from Atlanta to "point b" in NC. We will then drive a car back to Dick's Creek gap to complete our GA section hiking of the entire GA AT via day hikes.

Thanks in advance.

[Trailweaver]

Check in with Sally and Joyce (shuttle providers in Hiawassee, Ga - listed on this website). They're really nice, and very knowledgable about the area's roads. I don't remember the FSR's number, but I know it's well maintained and a car can easily travel it. J & S can give you what you need to know.

[daddytwosticks]

I have not been down that FS road this year. However, last year I drove it in a Scion Xb. Very narrow and twisty. :)

[Turk6177]

When I did the GA section last year, we backtracked from the state line around 3 miles to Blue Ridge Gap. There is a very passable road that the trail crosses.

[max patch]

You have 3 options.

If you are intending to continue hiking NOBO in NC from where this hike ends, then your first thot is the best. FS 71 goes from 64 to Deep Gap. Its a good forest service road and any passenger car can travel it.

If your goal is just to complete GA, then what I would do is just take one car, Hike Dicks Creek to Bly Gap and then turn around and backtrack to the car. Its a long drive to Deep Gap, and you'll easily hike the extra 2 miles faster than it will take you to do the shuttle.

The last option would be to hike from Dicks to Bly, then backtrack 3 miles to Blue Ridge Gap where a forest service road crosses the trail. Its been 20 years since I've been on this road - and my 4 wd Ford Explorer had to turn around cause it was too rutted to travel on - so I'm not going to attempt to give you directions. Its a short shuttle, you'll go a couple miles W from Dicks, take a paved road, and eventually you'll reach the forest service road. The forest service road will be be too rutted for you to drive to Blue Ridge Gap so you'll have to walk it. I believe its about a mile. Unless someone has current info about this route, I'd suggest sending a PM to generoll. He is probably the best source of info about Blue Ridge on this site. Survivor Dave or the Hiker Hostel may also be able to help.

The GATC offers a nice patch and certificate for those who complete the AT in GA.

[WMR]

We were shuttled to Blue Ridge Gap by Bill's Wheels a couple of years ago. The last mile of that road past end of the blacktop is very rutted, requires 4WD and high ground clearance. Some report that they walk that last mile down to the blacktop, that is another option.

[googlywoogly]

Thanks for the great info folks. I think we are going to shoot for the egress at Deep Gap in NC. Thanks again!

[daddytwosticks]

Thanks for the great info folks. I think we are going to shoot for the egress at Deep Gap in NC. Thanks again! NC welcomes you with one heck of a climb after you reach the GA/NC state line going north. Once you reach the top, the rest of the trail to Deep Gap is fairly easy. :)

[googlywoogly]

I relish good challenging climbs, but steep descents kill me. At the end of the hike from the top of Kelly's Knob down into Dick's creek Sunday my poor legs were wobbly and felt like rubber.

[Last Call]

That's my next section...plan on getting off at U.S. Hwy. 64, Winding Stair Gap.....shuttle reccomendations?

[googlywoogly]

I'm a 2 person operation day hiker so have never had cause to use a shuttle. (We use 2 cars and shuttle ourselves). You may be better served starting a new thread. Some of the nice folks who answered this one might know who to contact, but may not come back to this one since they said their piece.

[atmilkman]

Thanks for the great info folks. I think we are going to shoot for the egress at Deep Gap in NC. Thanks again!

We were just down to Deep Gap via USFS 71 yesterday. The road was perfect, passable by any vehicle. It's 5.7 miles from US 64. Very winding and slow hardly wider than a pig trail in some places but in very, very nice shape. Be careful of vehicles from the opposite way. A lot of places if you meet another vehicle somebody is gonna have to back up, usually not far. Downhillers are supposed to have the "right of way" meaning the up hillers are supposed to do the backing up but just use your best judgment. Sometimes it's easier for the downhiller to back uphill if it's not to steep and it's closer.

[googlywoogly]

Thanks for the super fresh current report for this road atmilkman. The tray mountain road was so horrible it was really questionable if we were going to make it out of there in our little low rider civics. Good to here this road might not be as traumatic.

[googlywoogly]

Thanks again for the great and accurate info folks. My hiking buddy and I completed Dick's Creek Gap to Deep Gap in NC today. Saw my first bear north of Courthouse Bald in NC to boot.

That climb from Bly Gap up to the top of Courthouse Bald was a real butt kicker too. I guess it's your welcome to NC climb of humility.

Thanks again folks.

[Trailweaver]

Yea You! Glad you had a good hike. I loved Bly gap. . . I hated the next day. Still one of my best hikes - weather was perfect on that trip. I think it was this time of year.