First Time overnight

[GoNoles]

Good Afternoon - just found this forum and loving all the resources and reading. Me and a couple buddies are looking to do our first section hike next September. We all are in decent shape with varying levels of hiking experience but all day hikes. We are looking to do a 2 or 3 night trip (3 to 4 days actual hiking time) starting around Springer mountain. Here's where my question comes in, is Springer Mountain to Neels Gap too aggressive for first time overnighters? We plan to camp instead of using the shelters. Any advice or thoughts? Or is there a better section hike for what we're looking for? 2 of us will be coming from Florida and the other from north alabama so GA/NC are the only viable drive options right now. Yes we will have done at least 1 or 2 overnighters in our local areas to shake down gear and all before this trip. Thanks in advance!

[Dan Roper]

If you and your friends are 98 years old and 75 pounds overweight, have arthritic knees and chronic asthma, you've bitten off more than you can chew. If you're a 25-year-old marathon runner, you'll dance your way from Springer to Neels Gap. You're probably somewhere in between, and likely you'll be fine.

I did my first real section hike from Amicalola Falls State Park to Neels Gap in 2007. I was 46 and my son was 12. We also had a friend along who was about 20. It was hot as heck and water was seasonally scarce, forcing us to pay attention to every source and to be sure we drank plenty at each source and carried enough to get to the next. It's about 39 miles from the state park AT arch to Neels Gap, so roughly 10 miles per day, which should be enjoyable for most backpackers with any experience and a modest degree of fitness and health.

Starting at the state park and doing the 8.5-mile Approach Trail is a long, hard climb that in summer weather can be brutal. I wanted to do it, so I did.
You can make the trip shorter by getting a ride to Nimblewill Gap, hiking the mile south to Springer, then reversing and heading north. That's a 32-mile undertaking, and the first day is a breeze, mostly downhill. Good camping spots and abundant water at Long Creek Falls, about 7 or 8 miles from Springer.

[Roll Tide]

Have you thought about the Pinhoti Trail in Alabama? It will be closer for the Florida guys.

[HankIV]

You should be fine, and plenty of bailout points if you’re not.

[smithjv]

My personal favorite is the Standing Indian "loop". Drive to Standing Indian Park store. Hike the Kimsey Creek trail south to Deep Gap (a mile before Standing Indian Shelter). Then NOBO on AT to Rock Gap and walk/hitch back to car. About 26 miles total. Albert Mountain view from fire tower is the highlight; logistics for cars easier also.

[wornoutboots]

Springer to Neels is a perfect 1st time hike to see what your made of!!
Enjoy!!

[Traveler]

I think if you set up your weekend shake down camping hikes, you should be able to start lessening the pack weight to just those things you will need, which is probably the foundation of other troubles on the trail like blisters and ankle, knee, and hip joints.

Not knowing the condition spectrum of your group I can only offer some experiential observations. As far as specific trails go, At 30-miles and approximately 6,500 vertical feet in elevation gain and is considered a challenging route, which the group may or may not all be up to physically to complete at the estimated speed. Through many decades of hiking experience, whenever I have gone out with people that have little to no real camping experience I go with the "less is more" philosophy. Having a pleasant hike with gear in a more moderate setting may be beneficial as a first time camping trip with the group and likely will have long term benefits of attendance and physical training to tackle higher level trails.

[GoNoles]

Thanks all for weighing in with some good advice and ideas.

[HankIV]

Continuing on Traveler’s idea, if upon finishing at Neel’s Gap the group thinks they’d want to return for more sections, get a shakedown there. Even if you have to wait until the next morning. I didn’t experience thiers, but Poet’s inMonson was very revealing after the first hundred miles. Amazing what a disinterested professional can point out.

[Kittyslayer]

If your gang has only had day hikes and never overnighted I would suggest a backyard campout at someone's house before venturing into the wilderness overnight. Gather all your gear in your packs, lock the door to the house, and see if you survive the night. Includes fixing dinner and breakfast. Bonus points if the sprinklers turn on overnight.

Make a list of everything you "forgot" to pack. More importantly make another list of everything you didn't use and think about whether you really need to carry it for your three day outing.

Have Fun!

[GoNoles]

thanks and great advice from all

[Praha4]

Springer to Neels Gap is a great 'shake-down' backpacking hike. Allow an extra day if you plan to include the Approach Trail from AFSP.
I'm in NW Florida and have done that AFSP to Neels Gap section hike as a training hike at least 7 or 8 times over the last 10 years. Know it well.

It's really a nice hike to get a taste of the AT, and like someone else said, there are plenty of bail-out points if you decide to cut it short.

fwiw, if you could delay the hike til October you'll see better fall colors in North Georgia.