Brown Gap Safety & Water Reliability

[barf_jay]

Has anyone hiked the section from I-40 to Hot Springs? I am wanting to hike up to Brown Gap to camp, but looking on line this site is on a Forest Service Road & the water source can be not reliable? Just wanted confirmation on how safe Brown Gap is and how the water source reliability is? Appreciate any help on this, going to be hiking this section in the next week or so.

[full conditions]

I was thru there in April and it didn't look like any place I'd like to camp - well maintained and well used gravel forest service road right thru it. I don't recall the water situation. There are some very nice campsites near Groundhog Creek shelter that are far enough away from the shelter that you can have relatively good privacy. Also, there's a small but nice campsite just down from the summit of Snowbird Mountain on the north slope - campsite is on a small ridgeline perhaps a half mile north of the summit with a spring about 100 yards or so below it. Either of these would be way preferable to Brown Gap.

[barf_jay]

Thanks full conditions, I was thinking of my schedule:

Day 1: Groundhog Creek Shelter 8.0 miles
Day 2: Walnut Mountain Shelter 13.1 miles
Day 3: Hot Springs 12.7 miles

[full conditions]

You're welcome and this is a beautiful section - your schedule looks about right to me. I'm sure you already know that the climb up from I-40 is big and arduous - for the likes of me at least.

[R C Fischer]

Section hiked thru there last week. Water is fare and is located adjacent to road crossing. My group camped on fire road bed to right of trail about 40 yards up on side trail. There is a better camp site about 200 yards up AT trail on left that is a great campsite. You will need to pack water upto that site. Great section and you will love Max Patch & FAA tower.

[barf_jay]

Thanks Fischer, good to know info. Would welcome more feedback from anyone who has been thru there lately. :-)