Mount Oglethorpe summit is now open to the public

[Adriana]

Mt. Oglethorpe, about 20 miles south of Amicalola State Park was the original terminus of the Appalachian Trail. The terminus was relocated to Springer Mountain in the 50's due to logging and smelly chicken houses. Also the inauguration AMSP provided an accessible alternative. Until recently, access to the summit of Mt. Oglethorpe at the end of Monument road near Jasper was blocked by several gates and very ominous warnings. In the past month, the very generous owners of 107 acres around the summit have removed the gate and built two hiking paths on the property. There are plans to build 3 observation platforms, adding to one that is already there, restrooms and an open air classroom. It is wonderful to see this little bit of AT history saved from development and made available to the public.

[Deacon]

Hmmm, I wonder what implications this will have for future expansion of the trail.

[Mags]

Sweet. Thanks for sharing. Any "official" link to share?

[Kerosene]

I'll definitely check it out if I ever get down that way again. If by some miracle they end up extending the AT, does that mean I'll have to hike that 20+ mile section too?!?

[Mags]

I can picture people now hiking the summit of Oglethorpe to Amicalola SP and then up the approach trail (~24 mi total) From what I understand, a good chunk of monument road is more-or-less the old AT.

At least according to Da Google, it is about 15 miles via road walking to the park.

[FarmerChef]

I'll add it to my list. Doubt the trail will change any time soon but who says we can't make our "own" trail?

[Adriana]

Any White Blazers heading down Monument Road, shoot me a message. I'm usually in the area on weekends. Might even be able to give ride from Atlanta on Friday afternoons.

This is the best I can do for a link at this time: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/04/prweb11721035.htm

[Adriana]

There are tentative plans for a Summer Solstice celebration on June 21. I will post details as they become avaialble. It would be awesome if some old-timers who hiked Mt Oglethorpe back in the days when it was part of the AT would participate. They are likely to be in their 70s and 80s. I know the Boy Scouts in the area were involved in helping to maintain the trail. In one instance, they re-blazed it, not knowing that the AT commission had decided to abandon the southernmost section.

[Mags]

Thanks for sharing all this info. I love the old trail history. Nice to see a part of it accessible again.

[Adriana]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eTXf9-5vsg&sns=em

[Adriana]

And a facebook page is in the works www.mtoglethorpe.org