Water source summary

[Bear Cables]

I ask for water reports for the section Spivey Gap to Allen Gap. This is what I think I read. I can count on water at the shelters except for Little Laurel, there's a water source southbound near the campsite approaching big bald shelter. (Is this the water source for the shelter to?) . I should be able to water up near Devils Fork. There are springs down an old road at Big Stamp. After Jerry' s cabin no more water till Allen Gap.
Am I good to go next week with this info. Pease make corrections or additions. Thnks

[SteelCut]

I replied to your post in the other thread but here is some more info.

Did the section between Sam's and Spivey about a month ago. Going SOBO from Spivey's to Sam, we found that Whistling Gap is dry, good water at Bald Mountain Shelter (and supposedly at obvious campsite that is about 0.5 NOBO of Bald Mountain Shelter), small streams on the SOBO side of Bald Mountain, Low Gap campsite had some water flowing, and then a small seep about 2 or 3 miles before Sam's Gap.

I haven't done the section south of Sam's Gap so you will have to rely on other reports for that info.

[Seatbelt]

Just south of Sam's Gap is Hogback Ridge shelter, it will be to your left a tenth of a mile off the trail. The water source, however is an additional 3-4 tenths of a mile farther. Just before you get to Devil's Fork, you will be descending a long grade and pass a waterfalls in the bend of a switchback--on your left. At the bottom of this descent is a small creek which is usually flowing. The water at Flint Shelter is right on the trail---on your right just before you get to the shelter. The Cleaner has good information about the Jerry Cabin water. Little Laurel shelter does have a spring but it was slow when I came thru there and can dry up.

[Bear Cables]

So water for Hogback is past the shelter. Is it in the trail? And then the waterfall and creek will be before Devils gap. Are these location based on southbound?

[Seatbelt]

So water for Hogback is past the shelter. Is it in the trail? And then the waterfall and creek will be before Devils gap. Are these location based on southbound?

No, the water for Hogback is reached by first going off trail to the shelter, THEN going the additional mileage off-trail. And, yes, the info is regarding a southbound trek.

[Tennessee Viking]

If you are lucky, CMC and trail angels at times leave water caches at Sams Gap. If you are desperate, you can hitch either into FlagPond/Erwin or to a small gas station a couple miles into NC.

The Hogback source is a faint trail leading from the shelter down hill. Last I heard, Little Laurel was about the only area hurting for water. Other sources were slow but still flowing.

Ditto Check with Cleaner about the Camp Creek/Jerry Cabin section. And 10-K for around the Erwin area.

[Aaron Pulver]

I just did from Spivey Gap to Hot Springs as part of my Sobo thru hike.

There was water from Spivey Gap until Bald Mountain shelter at all points listed in Awol. The piped spring at the shelter was flowing nicely. I didn't check the Hogback Ridge spring. There's water around mile 310 as you cross a creek 2 or 3 times. I didn't see any springs At mile 308. The spring near Flint mountain shelter was good though. The spring at Jerry Cabin was running well. There was water at Jones Meadow. I didn't check Little Laurel Shelter for water. I didn't check Allen Gap for water either. There is no water from Allen Gap to Spring Mountain Shelter. There's a little trickle at the shelter and you can fill a bag or maybe a bottle. Pump filtering will be difficult. There was a little pool at mile 282 but not much. The stream at 279 was very low, it would take a lot of effort to get water here. I didn't check the spring near the pond at 279. The trail from here to Hot Springs was dry.

Hopefully this helps.

[The Cleaner]

There should be water at a well used campsite just passed the blue blazed trail out to Jones Meadow. You will be making a right turn at the campsite and the water is on your right. This point is about 1/2 mile north of the side trail to Camp Creek Bald firetower. Do not waste your time going up there as the stairs are blocked by some loose and dangerous razor wire. The views are blocked by several radio and TV transmission objects. The best views on this section are from the Big Firescald relocation about 2 miles south of Jerry's Cabin shelter. If it's rainy or really foggy, take the "Bad Weather" trail which was the original route of the AT until this relo was built about 2003-2004. I have read many entries in the register at Jerry's Cabin about several hikers being injured from falls on the relocation. As for water at Allen Gap, some guide books say that there is water there. There is a nasty pool of water in the roadside ditch on the south side of the highway. This "spring" runs from a dump area at the old store/gas station up the road on the NC side and I wouldn't drink this water with any treatment method unless your running low on your US RDA of heavy metals.

[Bear Cables]

How well marked is the Bad Weather trail?