Approach trail - yes or no and why?

[evyck da fleet]

+1 to saving your driver if it's a friend or family member a couple extra hours driving to fro the service road to Springer with others getting dropped off around the same time.

If you live locally, consider doing the Approach Trail. There's always people at Springer when I'm there but I can pretty much chill at the Arch by myself for a few minutes reflecting on the start of a ridiculous choice for my first overnight hike. The log book, scale, bathroom, water, gift shop are all nice too.

Of course you can hike to the top of the falls, best part of Georgia, with a friend or relative and then get dropped off at Springer if you're lucky.

[Grampie]

Having thru-hiked and hiked the approach trail, In my estimation if you skip the approach trail you will also skip other parts of the trail.

[Dogwood]

If you are going to hike the better part of 2200 miles.. why the heck would one squabble about an 8 mile approach trail?!!!! I did the approach trail. I think all should.
Here are advantages of doing the approach trail:
1) you are always hiking north and climbing Springer mtn (the alternative means hiking south a mile to tag the terminus then going north...)
2)again why fuss over 8 miles?
3) You have a great jump off point in Amicolala falls state park. you can see the vistors center, get into the log book and start your long trek from a proper parking lot!
4) lastly... you are about to do a 5-6 month 2200 mile hike. Whats another 8? do the damned trail!

Having thru-hiked and hiked the approach trail, In my estimation if you skip the approach trail you will also skip other parts of the trail.

I will not make any judgements but it also makes me wonder if those that are already debating 8 miles of "unofficial trail" before the start of their anticipated AT thrus have a lower completion rate or are more apt to skip trail(yellow blaze, etc).

In 2006 8 thru-hikers including myself were being dropped off by the Hiker Hostel with our choice of starting at A SP or at Springer Mt to hike back to and then retrace NOBO from Springer. Two of us chose to be dropped off at A SP. The other six at the Springer Mt parking lot. Both the other guy and myself dropped off at ASP finished our NOBOs. Only one of the other six finished.

I wonder of that's standard?

[Lyle]

Totally your choice.

I'm not a die-hard purist.
Amicalola is the easiest to get to.
It's insignificant as far as added miles.
It's a unique section with the steps up over the falls.
It's a surprise when you see the stream that feeds the falls.
Seems a more continuous and logical hike instead of hiking backward to start the hike.
It's a pleasant trail.
It's what I did.

[AO2134]

If you google approach trail site=whiteblaze.net, you will find this question is repeated often.

I think its the best way to get to Springer.
It only takes a couple hrs.
Its there.
The falls are possibly the highlight of GA, especially after a good rain when they are roaring

Its not official AT, but parts of the approach were original AT between springer and Oglethorpe.

+ 1

If you enjoy hiking, I'd say why not? If the goal is just to complete the AT and not to hike the AT, then perhaps it doesn't make sense.

It is the easiest access point to Springer Mountain, especially if family/friends are dropping you off.

[Uncle Joe]

Having thru-hiked and hiked the approach trail, In my estimation if you skip the approach trail you will also skip other parts of the trail.

I disagree. That said, if I were thru-hiking I might see the importance of doing it. I did the entire GA section then went back and added it primarily because I had a guest with me and wanted to hike something I hadn't. I didn't find it particularly enjoyable. I've been to the falls many times so that wasn't a draw. I didn't dislike it necessarily. I wouldn't advise it for someone who has never hiked. The biggest plus to it is that it prepares you for what lies beyond say Hawk Mtn Shelter far better than starting at Springer will. In that regard, it's probably a good place to start your thru.

[Christoph]

I hiked the approach trail and enjoyed every single step. It was lightning and was under a severe thunderstorm/tornado warning. That made an interesting (and very wet) start to my trip. Reason for hiking the approach? I guess tradition to get my pic under the arch, what's another 9 miles, and it was a great place for the family to camp out for the night before I left.

[clusterone]

Don't forget to start at the BOTTOM of the falls, and tackle those stairs for the full experience.

[fastfoxengineering]

People who talk about doing/not doing the approach trail due to its length have no idea what they're in for. It's true, 8 miles on a 2200 mile long hike is nothing for your regular thru hiker.

Logistically isn't it easier just to do the approach trail?

It's a no brainier for me. Get dropped off and hike to springer. Every trail I've hiked I had to "hike" to the terminus. Some a mile, some 5 minutes, the AT well just so happens to be 8 miles.

For the AT, I guess I would say the approach trail is part of the AT experience. So many have started there.

If your worried the approach trail will make you or break you. Stay home.

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[tiptoe]

Yes, don't miss the approach trail. As a section hiker (since 2006), I completed the southern part of the trail when I hiked from Damascus to Amicalola two summers ago. The state park, with its spectacular waterfall, buildings, services (FOOD), and parking areas, felt like an end point (or a start point if you're NOBO) in a way that Springer didn't.

[jcreamer]

One more opinion. I did the Georgia section last September. We started at Amicalola and hiked the approach trail as part of our hike. I don't regret it. However, do yourself a favor and stow your packs at the top of the falls and walk up the stairs to enjoy the scenery. Hauling your full packs up the 5 million stair steps (not really, but you get the idea) made for a less than enjoyable start. I do think the approach trail is more strenuous than the trail coming out of Springer and, in my opinion, matched the most difficult Georgia section for us (the area around/before Blood was tough too).
Enjoy and let us know what you thought/decided.
JC.

[peakbagger]

I skipped the approach while slacking GA. I did a "victory lap" after I finished sectioning filling in sections that were rerouted due to storm damage (Standing Indian due to hurricane Floyd) and while I was at it did the approach trail. I guess I am not that sentimental but it was another walk in the woods in the spring before the canopy leafed out. I would much rather someone spend the time doing one of the unofficial approach trails at Baxter like Helon Taylor and then Knife Edge to the summit which is a real approach trail worth hiking.

[1azarus]

My son and I hiked the approach trail from the Lodge one cold February day... woefully (typically?) unprepared and overloaded. We dragged ourselves to the Stover Creek Shelter sorer than I can ever remember being, and we were happy to make it as far as the Hawk mountain shelter the next day -- humbled by the experience. I was inspired enough by that first intense introduction that I continued to section hike the whole trail, and more besides, along the way learning how to walk pretty far in a day. I might have been discouraged by the first day's protracted climb. I might have preferred the gentler start form the forest service road. That I'll never know. I do guess if you want to ease yourself into the experience, leaving out the approach trail's protracted climb isn't a bad idea.

[rafe]

Don't forget to start at the BOTTOM of the falls, and tackle those stairs for the full experience.

I missed the falls. I got to the park late in the day. Some guy started chatting, offered me a ride to a campground, and up we went. I wasn't thinking about the falls. Started out the next morning from the campground. I remember it was a beautiful day, I was in jeans and my pack must have weighed 50 lbs. in spite of my careful planning. (Last minute additions.) Not a day I'll ever forget.

I'll just have to do the falls climb some day. And make up a few other blue blazes as well.

[Dogwood]

For spring AT NOBO hikes adding Amicalola Falls into the mix is real scenic with the increased flow volume and perhaps some ice. Walking up all those steps with a huge load at the start of a lengthy hike is great advertisement for promoting UL backpacking.

[AfterParty]

I will most likely start or finish at the archway. But it bothers me none if you don't I will not think less of you or your hike its none of my concern how you walk 2200 miles. As it should be none of yours how I do mine.

[One Half]

Having thru-hiked and hiked the approach trail, In my estimation if you skip the approach trail you will also skip other parts of the trail.

I'm doing a section next spring, not thru hiking. It's not "part of the AT" and thus I find your assertion highly inaccurate.

[One Half]

+ 1

If you enjoy hiking, I'd say why not? If the goal is just to complete the AT and not to hike the AT, then perhaps it doesn't make sense.

It is the easiest access point to Springer Mountain, especially if family/friends are dropping you off.

I love hiking. Don't know how I am getting to the start so I don't know if I will do the AP.

[Theosus]

So if you have thru hiked or plan to thru hike or even just decided to do a section starting at Springer, did you/will you do the approach trail and why? Just extremely curious.

If you're doing a 5 or 6 month trip, why not? It's just one more day. If I was doing a two week section, probably not, but maybe. A long weekend section? Nope. I want to do a springer section in the future, maybe a week long or so, but I'll just get shuttled to the top of Springer and skip the approach.

[danil411]

I did it to start my 13 thru. I wanted to see the largest waterfall in the East and starting at the traditional terminus appealed to me. I enjoyed the visitor center, the arch, the scale that is too high for short people! Weighing my pack was my first adventure.

Ending my first day on a mountaintop having touched my first whiteblaze was the right call for me. It is likely a colder option.