"Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
Call for his whisky
He can call for his tea
Call all he wanta but he can't call me..."
Robert Hunter & Ron McKernan
Whiteblaze.net User Agreement.
Thanks for all the reply's.
It has long been a tradition to start at the visitor center / Approach Trail; of course weighing your pack on the scales there and all that greatly embellishes the experience. After all, the very first AT shelter is just behind there. And if you're fortunate, you may even get to meet a thru-hiker hanging out there. Safe travels!
Let's head for the roundhouse; they can't corner us there!
When I did that section, I did the stairs and the 8 miles.
If the day comes when I do a thru hike, will I do the approach trail again? Probably.
As for "saving time"... If I'm in a hurry, why am I walking? Yes, Thru-hiking is truly a hike your own hike activity, but for me, I want the photo of going through the arch at Amicalola to begin my journey and not "skipping" any of the trail between there and the finish.
I started at HF - only hiking to PennMar. After that, I went down and did SNP. From there I hiked north to NY. After that, I went from the approach trail to Clingmans. This year, I went from NJ/NY border to VT.
What I am saying is that you start where it works for you at that time!
IMO the falls are so stunning, they deserve to be seen when they are the focus, not the means to an end. But then we hiked the approach trail SOBO on our second section hike, so my perspective is different.
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