Ga overnight hike

[jtimjones]

I am looking to do an overnight hike on the AT in Georgia. I have done a 7 day hike before but was with a big group of which a number of them were avid hikers and knew a lot about the AT. That was about 8 yrs ago... So needless to say, anything I learned, I have now forgotten.

I am thinking of doing the hike from wolf laurel top to blood mountain. Has anyone done this hike? Any advice on parking, shuttles, etc? Just need any info you can provide as there is not a lot of info online about this specific hike.

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[MuddyWaters]

I would plan to start and end at roads, instead on top of mountains.

If you know how to eat, drink, and walk you have most of it down.

[max patch]

You have plenty of options, I'll start off with one, and refine as I get your feedback. My main question is how far do you want to hike each day?

First off, you don't "need" a shuttle. Nothing wrong with doing an out and back.

Go past Mountain Crossings at Neels Gap about 1/4 mile and park in the Byron Reece parking lot. You'll take a blue blaze trail about a mile to where it intersects with the AT. Turn left and you'll be at Wolf Laurel Top in 5 miles. On the way you'll go pass through Mountain Crossings. I'd stop in the store and check out the gear on your way.

I have never camped on Wolf Laurel but to my knowledge there is no water there. There is water about a mile before you get there.

If you took one car and did not hire a shuttle then backtrack the next day. If you have a second car, or hired a shuttle, you can park at Tesnatee Gap (about 2 miles N) or Hogpen Gap (about 3 miles N). If thats not far enough you can take the blue blaze to Whitney Gap Shelter which is between Tesnatee and Hogpen. That will add about 3 miles roundtrip.

You will notice this trip does not go over Blood. To do that, when the blue blaze trail from the parking lot hits the AT turn right and go S on the AT for 1 1/2 miles to the summit of Blood. If you end up taking 1 car you can do this either day. Or do it another day.

There are other options you can take to Blood that are longer.

[moytoy]

The Blood Mtn area was where the bear canisters were required. Is that still the case? It's just a point that might make a difference where the OP does his overnight stay.

[max patch]

Not required this time of year. Jarrard Gap to Neels Gap 2/1 thru 6/1.

[FatMan]

I suspect max patch had a typo above as I know he knows the correct dates. 3/1 though 6/1 for bear canisters. Regulation in effect through 2016.

[jtimjones]

I plan on doing the 15.8 mile hike I found in "the best of Appalachian trail overnight hikes" book. This is where I got the idea for the hike I mentioned. Have any of you read/used this book? The only problem is that it doesn't tell u where to park and a lot of people I've talked to don't seem to know much (if anything) about wolf laurel top.

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[max patch]

I don't have the book. If you give me the starting and ending points I can tell you about parking. Blood to Wolf is 6 miles (and no parking at either) so that section is somewhere in the middle.

[max patch]

The most logical guess would be Tesnatee Gap to Woody Gap. 16.6 miles; but that book is close to 20 years old so there has probably been a relo since it was written. Is that right? Easy parking, all paved roads, if thats what the hike is.