Cheese Factory Campsite

[Toki]

My friend and I are looking to hike about 50-60 miles up from Springer. We were thinking about making the Cheese factory campsite our end point (b/c the name is hilarious) but we aren't sure if there is parking available there to leave our car. For that matter, I'm not sure how to go about securing a ride back from there to Springer so we can hike just one way. Any suggestions or alternate end points that would perhaps work better would be very much appreciated. Even hiking back the other direction would be fine.

[Veetack]

There is a parking area at the cheese factory site, though I'm not sure about the security there.

[SCRUB HIKER]

There's definitely a parking lot there, because when I hiked past it in 2011 there was an older couple, former thru-hikers, cooking hot dogs and handing out cold sodas to hikers. I'm pretty sure they didn't pack that Coleman grill and those coolers in very far.

You could call Mountain Crossings/Walasi-Yi Center and ask about security and shuttles.

[Firefighter503]

Cheese Factory Campsite is a great camping spot. Maybe see about dropping your vehicle at Springer Mountain, and then catching a shuttle to Cheese Factory, and hiking South back to Springer.

[generoll]

there's a larger parking area at Tray Gap just a short distance past Cheese Factory. Cheese Factory is just a campsite. There's nothing there to mark it as anything other then fire rings and level spots to tent.

[Toki]

Thanks all for the tips! I'm very excited to make this work, it will be our first section hike of the AT. Gotta start somewhere!

[Gray Blazer]

Look for the blue blaze and spring on the road. You will have a lot of company.