Nearest access to Bly Gap
Need to get back to Bly Gap NC so we can continue our section hike next month. Will be driving from Texas, what would be the best way to do it please ?
North is Deep Gap, NC - 8 miles away. South is Blue Ridge Gap (4 wheel drive required I believe) at 3 miles away. Paved access to the south is at Dicks Creek Gap at 9 miles away.
You can get within a mile or so of Blue Ridge Gap on pavement via Upper Hightower Rd. Eventually, this becomes Charlies Creek Rd with, as soumodeler notes, requires more than a typical car. Someone noted that a shuttler picked them up at this point, I believe, but I'm not sure which one that was.
Just bite the bullet and go in from Dicks Creek gap. You can probably park at Top of Georgia hostel and have them shuttle you back to the car when your done. If your driving in from Texas your probably going to want to stay someplace near the trail before heading out the next day anyway.
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I would advise you to call Sally and Joyce, shuttle drivers who live in Hiawassee. They can shuttle you to within a mile of the trail. From there it's a rutted, washed out FSR that many shuttle drivers don't take, thus you hike it. When you get to the trail, you have a pleasant three (about) mile hike to Bly Gap. If you go to Deep Gap, you would have to hike south to get to Bly. The three miles isn't difficult, and Bly Gap itself is a pretty campsite.
Joyce and Sally are reliable, affordable, and should be listed in the shuttle drivers on this website. They are well familiar with the area. I used them to drop me off at Blue Ridge Gap and pick me up at Deep Gap.
PS - If you use Joyce and Sally, they will allow you to park your car at their place, and it will be safe.
There is another way to Bly Gap. You would need a shuttle to old 64 E and east on Eagle Fork road. Follow Eagle Fork road several miles to a fork where Bly gap road goes to the left. When this narrow road end there will be a path to Bly Gap. It is about 1.5 miles and is called "The Bly Gap Trail" It does show up on some trail maps
Just to give an update on this… was here in April 2018. We wanted to start at Bly Gap because our goal is to hike the NC/TN portion of the trail. Shuttle to this spot worked better for us, and we felt we could not make the first section from Dick’s to Muskrat in one day. So we did this and we were able to get all the way to Muskrat, although it is a lot of uphill!
Parking area is NOT on Bly (Blye) gap road, because it is now permanently closed according to local residents we talked to. Parking is on Eagle Fork Road E.
As mentioned earlier, take Hwy 64 from Franklin toward Murphy. Before you come to Shooting Creek, turn left on Old Hwy 64 E, then turn left on Eagle Fork Road. After about 2 miles, you come to a three-way fork. Take the middle fork to stay on Eagle Fork (what seems like main road to the right is actually Sally Gap Road). Eagle Fork Road becomes gravel, and there are a few more homes and cabins. Folks here are friendly and if you are feeling lost ask and confirm where you are.
Right after what seems like the last of the homes and cabins, there is an unnamed road leading up to the left, but it is closed by a gate. This is actually Bly Gap road, but since it is closed, keep on Eagle Fork.
After another 500 feet or so the road forks again. To the right is Eagle Fork Terrace where there are a few last homes at the end of the road. To the left is not marked, but stay left anyway. You will encounter a road closed gate after just 200 feet or so. Park here. You are at 2400' elevation.
DO NOT walk the road past the closed gate. Instead, just 50 feet before the gate, there is a sharp left with some boulders blocking vehicles from passing. This is the trail you want… it is frequented by horse riders. You will cross a small creek almost immediately. The trail is unmarked, but it is very easy to follow because of the horse traffic.
For a while the trail rises gently in this valley, is a bit muddy, and crosses small creeks several times. After just about a mile, the horse trail encounters a logging road. This is actually Bly Gap Road. Most horse traffic turns left to return down to the valley, but to reach the AT, turn right. From this point on, you are on a deteriorating logging road which is easy to follow and clearly marked with a blue blaze, all the way to Bly Gap, and the AT.
At the point where you pick up Bly Gap Road, you are at about 2600 feet. From here it is only about two miles to Bly Gap and the AT, but that’s at 3900 feet, so get ready for a climb. This old logging road is very lightly trodden, and hardly even a trail, but it is well blazed in blue and easy to follow, so no worries, just keep climbing!
I know this is an old post, but just adding to the common knowledge. After the pavement ends this road is still driveable without a 4WD for a short distance. We were able to get within a mile of the AT crossing at BRG, and park on the side of the road in a wide spot, and this was in a low-slung sprung suspension '98 Merc Sable. It was an uphill hike from there but not too difficult.Originally Posted by Uncle Joe
IMO this is the easiest and quickest way to access Bly Gap, as the hike from BRG to Bly is a relatively easy gradual roller-coaster type hike of about 4 miles. It's always fun seeing the Gnarly Tree!
At around that point you will definitely want a vehicle with 4WD and higher suspension.
I generally drop people off at the gated FS road. It's about 2 miles up the road to the gap.
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