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  1. #1

    Default 2 nights AT or other, need ideas

    Hi all,

    I want to org a weekend backpack trip with gf who I think can prob do 8 miles per day, maybe 10... 2 days of hiking. (I have done AT weekends solo). She hasnt done backpacked like this before but she has day hiked and is in good shape.

    Looking for section suggestions?

    Also open to non AT trails if nice. Always been curious about Art Loeb, Sea To Mtn but these are just curious bookmarks at the moment

    I live in Atlanta.

    Thank you!

    Seb

  2. #2
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
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    Approach trail to the Summit of Springer, spend the night and walk back in the morning?

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by tombolino View Post
    Hi all,

    I want to org a weekend backpack trip with gf who I think can prob do 8 miles per day, maybe 10... 2 days of hiking. (I have done AT weekends solo). She hasnt done backpacked like this before but she has day hiked and is in good shape.

    Looking for section suggestions?

    Also open to non AT trails if nice. Always been curious about Art Loeb, Sea To Mtn but these are just curious bookmarks at the moment

    I live in Atlanta.

    Thank you!

    Seb
    I highly recommend the ALT (Art) from Black Balsom Road "North" up and over Black balsam all the way to the base of cold mountain. You get to see 95% of what the ALT has to offer with very little to no "green tunnel" monotony.


    Gambit's ALT Trip Review << Click Here (Whiteblaze thread)
    Trail Miles: 4,927.6
    AT Map 1: Complete 2013-2021
    Sheltowee Trace: Complete 2020-2023
    Pinhoti Trail: Complete 2023-2024
    Foothills Trail: 0.0
    AT Map 2: 279.4
    BMT: 52.7
    CDT: 85.4

  4. #4

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    Hi

    About Art Loeb/Black Balsam. We are thinking of leaving ATL Saturday at 6p because thats as early as we can leave bc of my gfs work schedule. Any recommendation on where to sleep Sat night, like a hikers hostel? We would start hiking Sunday am.

    Would love other suggestions about 2 nights worth on AT??

    Thanks

    Sebastian

  5. #5
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    Pine mountain ga has a nice little 23 mile trail

  6. #6
    Registered User scope's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by egilbe View Post
    Approach trail to the Summit of Springer, spend the night and walk back in the morning?
    And maybe that 2nd night can be at the Amicalola Lodge, or Hike Inn if you can get a spot?

    Quote Originally Posted by Gambit McCrae View Post
    I highly recommend the ALT (Art) from Black Balsom Road "North" up and over Black balsam all the way to the base of cold mountain. You get to see 95% of what the ALT has to offer with very little to no "green tunnel" monotony.
    That lack of green tunnel monotony does come at a cost. The balsam area is high, high country which has ever changing weather conditions. If you're prepared for that, its awesome. Just can't count on picking a nice day to hike in. If you roll with the conditions, you're good.

    I'll add that there's a litany of trails going here and there, so can be real easy to take the wrong one if not following a good map closely. In general, the AT is very easy to follow. Just thinking that may be a better first time hike, though truly, the scenery at Balsam is spectacular.

    Quote Originally Posted by tombolino View Post
    Hi

    About Art Loeb/Black Balsam. We are thinking of leaving ATL Saturday at 6p because thats as early as we can leave bc of my gfs work schedule. Any recommendation on where to sleep Sat night, like a hikers hostel? We would start hiking Sunday am.

    Would love other suggestions about 2 nights worth on AT??
    I don't know of any hostels that are real close. Might try a hotel in the Dillsboro/Sylva area, or maybe Brevard. I do know that parking at the Balsam area fills up quick, so you'd want to be there early. Might see what you can reserve at the Mt. Pisgah, or Davidson River campgrounds for a cheaper car camp overnite.

    Being that you're having to arrive somewhere late, an AT option might be to drive up to Wayah Bald and stay around the tower. Would make for a beautiful morning! Could still go on the Balsam from there, or hike some of the AT around there.
    "I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
    - Kate Chopin

  7. #7

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    We will leave this Sunday am and come back either Monday evening but want to have option to stay another night til Tue am.

    Which one do you all like? Def want to feel leaving car in oksafe place, avoid any spots that are overcrowded and have shuttle option if needed.

    Woody Gap to Jarrad Gap
    Blood Mtn to Wolf Laurel Top
    Unicoi Gap to Tray Mtn
    Approach to Springer

    This article highihttps://www.atlantatrails.com/georgia-appalachian-trail/

  8. #8
    Registered User hohjoe's Avatar
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    I did Woody Gap to Neels Gap last Friday; a ten mile hike. Jarrad Gap is about half way between Woody and Neels and has a nice campsite.
    Neither famous nor infamous

  9. #9
    Registered User scope's Avatar
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    Unless you're getting there super early, you're probably not going to get a parking space at the Reece lot at the foot of Blood Mt. Its also bear canister territory - officially on the Blood Mt side of Neel Gap, but unofficially on the other side towards Wolf Laurel Top - lots of bear activity reports over there. In fact, while I'm mentioning that, I'll ask if you're prepared to properly hang or carry a canister? One or the other pretty much anyplace you go, except that staying at a shelter affords easy to hang cables.

    For that latter reason, I like either Woody Gap to Woods Hole shelter, about 45min or so past Jarrard Gap, or Unicoi Gap to Tray Mt shelter which is less than a half mile down the other side of Tray Mt. The latter has nice views of valley lights at night from the area around the shelter. I think both are of similar mileage. Woods Hole is not too far from Blood Mt, so a decent 2-nighter might be to the shelter the first night, hike up to Blood Mt the next day and then start hiking back to Woody Gap, stopping at the Lance Creek sites, or if you can go further, the Big Cedar blue blaze site (investigate that one on your way to see if you want to make it back there, which you probably will - note, the only blue blaze that goes uphill).

    To me, the Approach Trail isn't much, just hiking and mostly an uphill slog going to Springer. Hard first time uphill, but easy downhill going back. But you know the AT is all up and down right?
    "I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
    - Kate Chopin

  10. #10

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    Thank you Scope! Great insight. Yes Ive been on AT before, but not often enough to remember the various sections.

    Ok so Woody To Jarrad/Wood Hole. Is this a beautiful and scenic route?

    Where do I park at Woody Gap? Is there a camp or just a trail head lot?

  11. #11
    Registered User hohjoe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tombolino View Post

    Where do I park at Woody Gap? Is there a camp or just a trail head lot?
    Woody Gap has a trail head lot on each side of GA60.
    Neither famous nor infamous

  12. #12

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    How is Lake Winfield to camp at? Its only about 1 mile from Jarrad Gap...

  13. #13

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    ok yes it does

  14. #14
    Registered User scope's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by tombolino View Post
    Thank you Scope! Great insight. Yes Ive been on AT before, but not often enough to remember the various sections.

    Ok so Woody To Jarrad/Wood Hole. Is this a beautiful and scenic route?

    Where do I park at Woody Gap? Is there a camp or just a trail head lot?
    Quote Originally Posted by tombolino View Post
    How is Lake Winfield to camp at? Its only about 1 mile from Jarrad Gap...
    I think that's a great idea to include Lake Winfield Scott. They have a fairly standard state park campground there where you have to make reservations online. Checked and it looks like you could reserve for Sunday.

    https://www.recreation.gov/campsiteSearch.do

    Woody Gap has a large lot, though it can fill up on the weekends. I don't think it will be an issue on Sunday. Taking AT nobo, you reach Preaching Rock a mile in - a little over a half mile flat, and then what feels like a lot over a half mile up to the vista. Probably crowded up there, but spend some time taking it in, maybe see some eagles soaring at or below eye level. From there, the blue blaze I'm talking about is less than a half mile - as the trail goes down to the left, it goes up to the right. Easy to miss. You might want to come back and stay there Monday night and have an easy out the next day. From there, the trail winds around mostly down to the Lance Creek site - the best place to fill up if you need water. Then it winds mostly uphill until a short decent on a wide, rocky part of the trail that must be an old roadbed. Actually, a lot of the trail is old roadbed, but this part you could actually drive on. At Jarrard Gap, you go downhill to the left to get to LWS in about a mile. It can be a little confusing as you get dumped out on a gravel road without a lot of signage, but just look out best you can for a white blaze and kinda follow your nose. You'll come to a little bridge over a creek and the campground is right there.

    If you want to do more hiking because you have the time and feel good, then Blood Mt is 4m from there and is relatively easy hiking, including the "easy" side of going up to Blood. About a mile before Blood is the Slaughter Gap trail which will also take you to LWS in another 3m. To me, this would be an easy 13m total. You may want to go straight to LWS the first day and assess how its been, and if you want something more, take the Slaughter Gap trail up to Blood Mt the next day and then start hiking back to Woody Gap, staying at the Lance Creek site, or the Big Cedar blue blaze if you can make it that far. That would be about 9m to Lance Creek and relatively easy hiking after leaving Blood Mt. Here's some more info on the trails in the area... https://www.atlantatrails.com/hiking...ld-scott-loop/

    Have fun!
    "I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
    - Kate Chopin

  15. #15
    Registered User scope's Avatar
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    Oh, and regarding beautiful and scenic, yes, as much as any short section of trail in Ga. Most of it is just hiking in the woods, but the overlook at Preaching Rock is the best in Ga (IMO) and LWS is a very peaceful, quiet setting.

    And it occurs to me that the wide rocky road bed I'm thinking of might be after Jarrard Gap.
    "I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
    - Kate Chopin

  16. #16

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    some quick last ones!

    So whats nice to see and hike to from shelter in Jarrad: Blood Mtn or Lake Winfield?

    I assume if I we park and hike from Woody Gap to Woods Hole Shelter, the way back is simply straight back? How do I find a shuttle service just in case?

  17. #17
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    If it is your girlfriends first overniter on the AT I would yust hike from Woody to Neals gap. Best veiws of GA.

  18. #18
    Registered User scope's Avatar
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    Keep in mind that its in a zone where a bear canister is required because the bear(s) have learned how to jiggle the cables I guess.

    Really, in terms of "nice to see", there is not much between Big Cedar and Blood Mt. But then, all of Ga is kinda like that. The fact that you get two real good vistas along that 10m stretch is unusually good. Blood is probably the nicer payoff. LWS is nice, but its just a nice, serene small lake area. Perhaps best thing about LWS is going to an established campground, which may or may not be your thing. If you're hiking to the shelter, might want to hike over Blood the next day and down to Mountain Crossings where you can buy a cold drink and candy bar, or whatever you like. Then head back over the Freeman Trail that goes around Blood and right back to the shelter trail.

    Yes, you're looking at an in and out from Woody Gap. I find that I expect it to be the same hike, same scenery going back, and I always find something different about the hike going back out that makes it worthwhile. Something I missed seeing the first time, or just different perspective.

    For shuttles, Mountain Crossings is probably the best place to get hooked up with one if needed. If at LWS, my guess is you could probably get someone to give you a ride to Woody Gap. About a half hour ride so probably need to buy them something at a store in Suches along the way.
    "I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
    - Kate Chopin

  19. #19
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    Canisters are required from March 1 till June 1 fron Jarrod to Neals.

  20. #20

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    Dont have a canister, was not planning on staying at shelter, bringing tent.

    Do I need bear spray?

    A. I can just hang food off a branch far from my tent
    B. Set up tent near shelter and use the ropes?

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