Chunky Gal Trail

[gunner76]

I am planning on doing the GA to NC state line section of the AT this June. I plan on leaving my van at Ron Havens hotel in Hiawasse and looking at the best way to get back to it.

Can I pick up the Chunky Gal Trail just past Muskrat Creek Shelter in NC and hike it to Hwy 64 ? How long is this section of the Chunky Gal trail and what shape is it in ? Any info will be appreciated.

[generoll]

You can hike the Chunky Gal to hwy 64, but I'm not sure why you'd want to. It's not any closer to a road then hiking on to Deep Gap and personally I'd rather leave a car at Deep Gap then parked alongside the road where Chunky Gal crosses 64. The trail itself is of course less used and less maintained then the AT and dispenses with switchbacks on the steep descents. Just slide from on tree to the next.

[Ccooksey11]

We are doing the same thing in June. We're looking for fellow hikers. When in June are you going?

[gunner76]

I am starting at Springer Saturday 2 June. Game plan is to get to Hyawasse Sat AM; leave my van Ron Havens hotel in Hiawasse and get a shuttle to Amicola Falls SP. Will hike till the following Sat (hope to make it to the GA/NC state line) when I have to get off the trail so I can drive back home Sunday.

[baxter]

To answer your question, the Chunky Gal runs 5.1 miles from The AT to hwy 64 at Glade Gap. It's a nice ridge walk and the trail is in good shape and well blazed.

[Slo-go'en]

Unless they changed something, Chunky Gal trail dead ends at a cliff. Many, many moons ago several of us tried to use that trail as a short cut back to the road as we were running out of food. We could see the road, but there was no way to get to it. It turns out there was, but it was one crazy bushwack to get down off that cliff and to the road. I would not try to do it again. Unless they extended the trail down to the road somehow.

[Razor]

Another alternative is to hike to Bly Gap, return to Blue Ridge Gap(3.5 miles)and get a shuttle driver to pick you up fom Hiawassee. Call Gene Roll @423-653-7417 He knowes the area and can help.

[baxter]

Unless they changed something, Chunky Gal trail dead ends at a cliff. Many, many moons ago several of us tried to use that trail as a short cut back to the road as we were running out of food. We could see the road, but there was no way to get to it. It turns out there was, but it was one crazy bushwack to get down off that cliff and to the road. I would not try to do it again. Unless they extended the trail down to the road somehow.

Must have been many, many moons ago Slo-go. Anyway I live here and hike the trail and have hiked the trail many times over many years. It not only crosses hwy 64 it continues another 16.5 miles and intersects the Fires Creek Rim Trail on the beautiful and remote Tusquitee Bald. It's one of the true gems of the Nantahalas for sure!

[CrumbSnatcher]

i have hiked both ways, the chunky gal trail is ok, there is a quick little drop off right before the hwy. trail is included :-)
i would prefer to stay on the AT after muskrat creek shelter and then hike down the kimsey creek trail to old route 64(wallace gap) i believe ron picks up hikers at both the old and new hwy 64
crossings. After the shelter(M.R. creek) the trail is very easy and mostly all down hill to standing indian campground, i love following creek trails
anyone know WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE OLD RAINBOW SPRINGS CAMPGROUND AND STORE? what it became? thanks

[Pedaling Fool]

Unless they changed something, Chunky Gal trail dead ends at a cliff. Many, many moons ago several of us tried to use that trail as a short cut back to the road as we were running out of food. We could see the road, but there was no way to get to it. It turns out there was, but it was one crazy bushwack to get down off that cliff and to the road. I would not try to do it again. Unless they extended the trail down to the road somehow.

Sounds like you wondered off the trail. I know these things because I do it quite often I actually did something very similar to what you're describing, it was near devil's tooth, somehow I lost the trail on top of a ridge and walked to the end of a drop off and there was no walking off that cliff...I normally don't backtrack, usually I breakout my map and compass and find the trail, but didn't have much choice that time ...

[Slo-go'en]

Must have been many, many moons ago Slo-go.

1987 I belive. It's possable we lost it or it wasn't maintained enough to see that it kept going. It was kinda hard to see on the map we had if the trial actually came out to the road or stopped just short of it. Once we got there, it seemed to dead end. Nice to know that it is now a viable bale out trail if you don't want to go over Standing Indian and Albert for some reason.

[Ccooksey11]

We hiked up to woody gap in march and planned on starting there June 10th. Our goal is to make it to NC and was going to ask this forum the same question regarding the Chunky Gal Trail. I've heard before to leave your car at the Standing Indian campground where it is safer and doesn't cost a lot either. The question I need answered is where we can get a shuttle to woody gap?

[baxter]

anyone know WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE OLD RAINBOW SPRINGS CAMPGROUND AND STORE? what it became? thanks

The old Rainbow Springs Campground and store has become NOTHING. A few years ago when every greedy person in the country was trying to become super-rich, super-fast, someone decided that they would become a billionare by making a gated community of privleged homesites out of the place. They put up the gate and that's the end of the story. Nothing sold, the old campstore sits empty.

[CrumbSnatcher]

The old Rainbow Springs Campground and store has become NOTHING. A few years ago when every greedy person in the country was trying to become super-rich, super-fast, someone decided that they would become a billionare by making a gated community of privleged homesites out of the place. They put up the gate and that's the end of the story. Nothing sold, the old campstore sits empty.

thanks Baxter! thats a shame , i enjoyed tenting by the ole creek, the owners were a little harsh but dealing with hikers every year well
i treated them nice and they were nice to me" thats all i have to say about that"

[billsandysprings]

Baxter if you are still around, I just posted this and then saw this thread. So maybe you can clarify with my details here. Thank you!
Has anyone hiked from 64 at Muskrat Creek via the Chunky Gal Trail to the AT intersecting between Deep Gap and Bly Gap?
Check out this map http://www.sherpaguides.com/north_ca...hunky_gal.html
I'm specifically talking about marker 20 which is Muskrat Creek. Then up to Grassy Gap, right on the main trail to Bear Gap and then on this blue blazed trail to the AT at a point 1 mile north of Muskrat Creek Shelter.
So marker 20 to 18 to 17 to 19 to 21 on the aforementioned map.
Looks like 3+ miles, and I can park at 64 and not have to go further up 64 to Forest Rd 71 to Deep Gap.

[Mountain Dog]

The Chunky Gal is not where you think it is. It crosses hwy 64 at Glade gap, heading east to west. It runs from the AT east of deep gap, through Glade Gap on hwy 64 and continues basically west to the
fires Creek Rim Trail. Contact the Mountain High Hikers club which maintains the Chunky Gal Trail if you want more info. They cleaned up the trail from Glade to the At a few weeks ago.

[bushwhacker88]

I can shuttle you to Woody Gap if you havent found one yet. 706 994 2307.