Looking for weekend AT backpack trip ideas

[tombolino]

Hi all,
I live in Atlanta and would like to spend a Fri-Sun on the AT, staying in shelters or near them (to meet peeps) at end of April or beginning of May. Im trying to pick beautiful a section in GA, NC or TN, no more than 1-3 hours drive from ATL.Im guessing I can hike 10 miles a day. I dont want to go back to my car the same way I came.
Just ordered the David AWOL AT book.
Curious on your suggestions!
Thank you!

[bigcranky]

Call the Hiker Hostel near Dahlonega, make a reservation for the night, drive up after work and stay there. They will feed you a great breakfast and drive you to Springer, where you will start hiking north. You'll probably want to stay at Hawk Mountain then Gooch Mountain or Gooch Gap (both are ~8 mile days), then get picked up on the third day at Woody Gap (~5 miles?) and go back to your car at the hostel and head home.

It's a very nice hike and not too far from you.

For another great hike, you can park at the Standing Indian Campground trailhead parking area and do the Standing Indian Loop with the AT and a couple of side trails. This is a wonderful 2-night 25 mile loop. SIC is about ten miles west of Franklin, NC, on US 64.

Have fun!

[saltysack]

Call the Hiker Hostel near Dahlonega, make a reservation for the night, drive up after work and stay there. They will feed you a great breakfast and drive you to Springer, where you will start hiking north. You'll probably want to stay at Hawk Mountain then Gooch Mountain or Gooch Gap (both are ~8 mile days), then get picked up on the third day at Woody Gap (~5 miles?) and go back to your car at the hostel and head home.

It's a very nice hike and not too far from you.

For another great hike, you can park at the Standing Indian Campground trailhead parking area and do the Standing Indian Loop with the AT and a couple of side trails. This is a wonderful 2-night 25 mile loop. SIC is about ten miles west of Franklin, NC, on US 64.

Have fun!

Too funny....those two sections were my first on the AT also...logistically and scenery wise the SI loop is a great way to start! Lots of info on this loop available....feel free to pm me for info....

[daddytwosticks]

Second the Standing Indian Loop. Can't go wrong. Creeks, views, etc.

[tombolino]

So the logistics for the SI loop....just park there and start hiking? Seems simpler than Springer right? Are there shelters on the SI loop?

[tombolino]

Im confused is the whole SI loop on the AT?

[bigcranky]

No, the SI loop includes the AT and two side trails, the Kimsey Creek Trail and the Long Branch Trail. Park at the trailhead parking lot, start hiking up one of those side trails, hit the AT, hike in the correct direction , and when you get to the other side trail, walk down it back to your car.

The whole loop is pretty obvious on one of the AT maps.

[daddytwosticks]

Three shelters on the loop. Going clockwise: Standing Indian shelter, Carter Gap shelter, and the Long Branch shelter.

[saltysack]

So the logistics for the SI loop....just park there and start hiking? Seems simpler than Springer right? Are there shelters on the SI loop?

Long branch shelter
Carter cap shelter
SI shelter

[Trance]

Just go Springer to Neels Gap.

Perfect hike.... ends with Blood Mountain, views, and then a victory snack at Mountain Crossings. Can get Hiker Hostel to shuttle you cheaply.

[rafe]

Bring a bicycle and close the loop that way. You need a good road/highway map that shows all the road crossings on the trail. DeLorme Gazeteers (detailed state maps) are great. For a three-day hike you might find yourself doing three hours of bicycling.

It's great when there's a perfect loop of blue-blazes like the SI loop discussed above. Blue blaze trails are how we (non thru hikers) often access the AT. Thru hikers can ignore them but day hikers, weekenders, section hikers, peakbaggers and all the rest of us are likely to spend as much time on blue blaze trails as the AT.

[tombolino]

Hey gang, for the Springer going North plan/route....

I cant park right at Springer and start hiking? Any reason I wouldn't want to?

As far as getting back to my car at the Dahlonega hostel and their shuttle service.....what if I dont wanna commit to knowing where I will be by Sunday (Gooch vs Woody Gap vs Neel)?

[tombolino]

pls be patient with me, Im a newbie...

So besides my question about Springer I just posted....heres a couple of question for SI Loop

Im looking at my new Awol AT book, cant find on it: SI Campground, Kimsey Creek, Long Branch.

I want to learn how to figure this out. Trying to figure out distances between all key points. I can see on the book the relevant shelters: Carter, Long

[bigcranky]

You can't park right at Springer, no, but you can park about a mile north and walk back to the summit on the AT, then turn around and start walking north (back past your car) and keep going. You'd need to arrange a ride back, which is easily done in GA.

Or you can park at the visitor's center at the state park and walk the 8 mile Approach Trail to the Springer summit. Then keep walking north.

[saltysack]

Do Hooke search for the Standing Indian loop.....Tons of info...parking at springer not recommended as cars frequently broken into....


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[saltysack]

Google.....damn fat fingers


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[rafe]

pls be patient with me, Im a newbie...

So besides my question about Springer I just posted....heres a couple of question for SI Loop

Im looking at my new Awol AT book, cant find on it: SI Campground, Kimsey Creek, Long Branch.

I want to learn how to figure this out. Trying to figure out distances between all key points. I can see on the book the relevant shelters: Carter, Long

Get the official map set for this section from the ATC store. A guide like AWOL's is aimed at thru hikers, not section hikers or weekenders. Maps show you stuff that's off the trail, access points, blue-blaze trails, etc.

Alternatively if you live near there, you may be able to find local maps that show local trails -- check local outfitters or bookstores. Eg. for hiking in the White Mountains, people use AMC maps, which you can get at REI or even Barnes & Noble.

[MuddyWaters]

Hiker hostel is a great place to stay at and use for shuttle.

Another option is to spend night before at goose creek cabins and leave vehicle there. Goose creek is like 2 mi from mountain crossings at neel gap. Then get shuttle to springer the next morning from any of a dozen shuttlers. When you get back to neel gap, call goose creek cabins and they will come pick you up and you are back at your car.

Or park at fontana, shuttle to NOC, and walk back to fontana. You can spend night at fontana hilton, and get shuttle from jeff at the hike inn.

[tombolino]

I cant spend this night at Hostel because Im doing Fri-Sun. I want to sleep 2 nights on the trail. I was hoping to drive in at noon, park, get shuttled and start hiking.

Can I get shuttled to and from visitors center?
How long is drive from dahlonega hostel to springer start?

[tombolino]

What do you all think of this plan?
-Drive Fri am and park somewhere at noon/12pm and get a pre-arranged shuttle take me to Springer terminus
-Fri, 1pm. Start hiking and end Friday at Hawk Mt Shelter (8 miles). How long does would it take to shoot for Gooch starting at 1pm take roughly at a normal fit hiker pace?
-Saturday, hike to Gooch Shelter (about 7+ miles) and I guess stay there bc it seems my only other option is to keep hiking way more til Lance Creek Gap campsite...
-Sunday, hike to Woody Gap or Suches and catch shuttle back....?