Water from Sam's Gap to Allen Gap

[GSLeader_in_NC]

Planning a 2-night trip and have heard that the water sources in certain parts of NC/TN are low this time of year. I hiked I-40 to Allen Gap a few weeks ago and there was no much water to be found, even at the shelters.

Does anyone know if there any reliable sources in the Sam's Gap to Allen Gap stretch or should pack extra?

Thanks!

[The Cleaner]

A friend of mine just got back from Jerry's Cabin shelter today and the water is fine there. There is a "seasonal" spring and campsite about 1/2 mile north of Camp Creek Bald firetower, which if running may be the last water till Allen Gap. The spring at Little Laurel shelter is possibly dry or running very slow since we are several inches short of average rainfall in this area this year.

[Bear Cables]

How is the water from Spivey to sams

[10-K]

A friend of mine just got back from Jerry's Cabin shelter today and the water is fine there. There is a "seasonal" spring and campsite about 1/2 mile north of Camp Creek Bald firetower, which if running may be the last water till Allen Gap. The spring at Little Laurel shelter is possibly dry or running very slow since we are several inches short of average rainfall in this area this year.

Glad to hear about Jerry Cabin. 2 section hikers told me it was dry - I was skeptical but couldn't confirm it.

Sams to Spivey is 13.5 miles. There are a few seasonal seeps on the way up to the summit of Big Bald that may or may not be flowing. The first for-sure-for sure water that I know of is at the tent sites past Bald Mt. Shelter. After that it's dry until you get down towards Spivey Gap.

[The Cleaner]

At Jerry's Cabin, there are 2 springs. One is only about 75ft directly in front of the shelter, some must be using it as the trail is worn. The best spring is about 100ft uphill on a freshly blue blazed trail and has a good flow from a pipe. No wonder the completion rate stays about the same. A $1000 worth of gear won't help some....Do they need a flashing neon sign " Water >"?...

[The Cleaner]

Glad to hear about Jerry Cabin. 2 section hikers told me it was dry - I was skeptical but couldn't confirm it.

Sams to Spivey is 13.5 miles. There are a few seasonal seeps on the way up to the summit of Big Bald that may or may not be flowing. The first for-sure-for sure water that I know of is at the tent sites past Bald Mt. Shelter. After that it's dry until you get down towards Spivey Gap.

The older AT guidebooks mention an area called "Double Springs" which is on down the road at Big Stamp just below the summit. If you are traveling north, follow this road to your left about 1/2 mile or just bushwhack on a swampy trail down a draw and you will come to the end of the road and what used to be a nice grassy area with picnic tables There are two large springs there, which I would think never run dry. I last stopped and there in 2011 and it was a bit overgrown but the springs were running great. Some of the biggest springs I've seen on the TN/NC section.

[The Cleaner]

And FWIW, the older guidebooks gave directions to "Double Springs" because Bald Mtn. shelter was not built until about 1990. This was a great campsite with a nice grassy area and picnic tables. I stayed there several times in the 80s.

[Bear Cables]

How do I find these springs going southbound from Spivey Gap?

[SteelCut]

How do I find these springs going southbound from Spivey Gap?

Did that section about a month ago. Whistling Gap is dry. There is good water at the Bald Mountain Shelter and there is supposedly good water at the obvious campsite about a 0.5 mile NOBO of Bald Mountain Shelter (but didn't check it out since we got water at the shelter).

[The Cleaner]

If hiking south, you will cross a gravel road just below the summit of Big Bald. Follow this road down, not taking the side road to the summit. You will see a natural draw to your left which used to have a trail to the Double Springs area. As you walk down the road you may think your going the wrong way but you will come to a switchback and this will lead to the springs. Or you can follow a faint game trail through a marshy area which is a bit overgrown but this will come out at the spring area too.It's probably 1/2 mile but the springs are really big just bubbling up in a small clearing near the end of the road. It used to be well kept and had picnic tables but when I was there in 2011 it wasn't as nice but still room to camp. You could take a bird bath just below the head of the springs but will be cool at this time of year...

[10-K]

If you get water at the shelter or tent sites you probably can skip this water source... It's only a mile from the shelter..


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[The Cleaner]

If you get water at the shelter or tent sites you probably can skip this water source... It's only a mile from the shelter..


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The reason the older ATC guidebooks gave directions to the Double Springs area was that there was no shelter (Bald Mtn) until about 1990. At one time it was a nice grassy area and several hikers did use it. Just a bit overgrown, you could still camp there and probably not see any other hikers...

[10-K]

So basically you walk down the road like you're heading into Wolf Laurel? Is the trail to the springs before the gate (I'm guessing it has to be?)

[The Cleaner]

Opposite direction, take the road at Big Stamp to your right if hiking SOBO, then it should fork with one leading to the summit and the other goes to the Double Springs area. I think at one time property owners up there who had access kept the area cleaned up. On my last trip there it looked kind of spooky and grown up but the huge springs were running. I was thinking of camping there as there were many NOBO thru hikers heading for the shelter. I got some water and made it to the shelter where there were only 2 hikers. It would be a nice place to check out if you have some extra time. Always nice to know about the water there if the spring at the shelter does dry up or the shelter is crowded. BTW if you head toward Wolf Laurel you should find the Blue blaze bad weather trail around the summit.

[10-K]

Ah! Good to know - I will definitely check that out. I didn't even know there is a bad weather route up there until recently. Never seen it and I've hiked over it a dozen times at least.

[The Cleaner]

I've only taken the Bad weather trail once many years ago. It was raining and windy nothing to see on the summit but the inside of a cloud. Most seasoned hikers know what that looks like...Once I slept out on the flat area just before you go back in the woods. I was using a gore-tex bivy sack and the wind blew so hard I couldn't sleep much because of the flapping from very high winds. At least I was warm. Bivy sacks are useful in some places as a tent would have been blown away or suffered damage.