Work Under Way to Connect BMT and Bartram Trail

[Slugg]

Volunteers, in conjunction with the USFS and the Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy, have begun work to connect the Bartram Trail to the Benton MacKaye Trail. This would connect from near the Bartam’s northern terminus at Cheoah Bald to Haw Knob right next to the BMT near the Snowbirds.

This is considered an extension of the Bartram Trail. This connection will open up additional big loop/figure 8 opportunities incorporating other long-distance trails if you wanted. A lot of the route is already roughly laid out thanks to manways and hunter trails but a lot of brand new trail is being put down as well. This will go through some pretty rugged country, I’m looking forward to hiking this once complete.

[Gambit McCrae]

Volunteers, in conjunction with the USFS and the Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy, have begun work to connect the Bartram Trail to the Benton MacKaye Trail. This would connect from near the Bartam’s northern terminus at Cheoah Bald to Haw Knob right next to the BMT near the Snowbirds.

This is considered an extension of the Bartram Trail. This connection will open up additional big loop/figure 8 opportunities incorporating other long-distance trails if you wanted. A lot of the route is already roughly laid out thanks to manways and hunter trails but a lot of brand new trail is being put down as well. This will go through some pretty rugged country, I’m looking forward to hiking this once complete.

Timeframe for this Slugg?

Unrelated,
Starting my BMT completion in a couple weeks

[Crossbar]

Planning on finishing my BMT this Fall. This Bartram connection sounds good.

[HeartFire]

This sounds fantastic.

[Slugg]

Gambit, haven't seen anything about a timeframe, but they have seem to have a fairly large, dedicated, and capable team of volunteers working on it. Hopefully next year? I also saw something in the most recent Bartram Trail e-newsletter about a southern extension - you can already connect the Bartram to the Foothills Trail with a 3.9 mile stretch on the Chattooga River Trail - I wonder if they are talking about making that officially a part of the Bartram or creating new trail entirely. Enjoy your BMT hike - you picked a pretty brutal time of year to be on it how long are you going to be out for?

Enjoy your upcoming BMT hike as well, Crossbar!

[Gambit McCrae]

Gambit, haven't seen anything about a timeframe, but they have seem to have a fairly large, dedicated, and capable team of volunteers working on it. Hopefully next year? I also saw something in the most recent Bartram Trail e-newsletter about a southern extension - you can already connect the Bartram to the Foothills Trail with a 3.9 mile stretch on the Chattooga River Trail - I wonder if they are talking about making that officially a part of the Bartram or creating new trail entirely. Enjoy your BMT hike - you picked a pretty brutal time of year to be on it how long are you going to be out for?
Enjoy your upcoming BMT hike as well, Crossbar!

Just 2 days. Family is getting airbnb and I am day hiking.
Day 1- 25 miles nobo from springer to Skeenah
Day 2 - 17 miles nobo from Skeenah tp Falls Branch