I've seen conflicting information, is there a campsite open for use at Bly's Gap? Some old posts say yes, guthook currently shows nothing there.
I've seen conflicting information, is there a campsite open for use at Bly's Gap? Some old posts say yes, guthook currently shows nothing there.
There were several tent sized sites within a stones throw of the twisted oak. That was several years ago but I can't imagine people stopped using them.
nous défions
It's gonna be ok.
Ditch Medicine: wash your hands and keep your booger-pickers off your face!
Bring water
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Yes there is a campsite just south of the Bly Gap sign. go down the hill and it is on your left. If you are going north, it is on your right just past the state line sign. There is also a spring there, not sure if it is seasonal or not. It was flowing in May, not sure about other times of the year.
I'll verify Seatbelt's post, as of last October. The large piped spring was flowing really well during a period of relatively scarce water, so I would feel fairly confident that water flows here consistently all year. Plenty of tent sites right at Bly Gap. I think people may miss the piped spring because it is maybe an eighth to a quarter of a mile south of Bly Gap proper and it's off to the side.
I can also confirm that spring at Bly Gap. Saw it flowing water during some pretty dry spells.
I camped there on my '04 section hike. As I recall, there were about 3-4 other parties camped as well.
I camped at Bly Gap this past Tuesday night, September 1, during an overnight out-and-back hike from Deep Gap. The campsites just past the NC/GA sign, on your right as you’re northbound, are signposted closed to camping for purposes of restoration from heavy use. But there are several good tent sites further up the hill, near the Bly Gap sign and the gnarled oak, on both sides of the trail. On the left as you’re northbound, there’s a “Camping” sign directing you down a blue-blazed trail. There are at least three tent sites and a fire ring down there, just a few feet from the trail. There’s a Nantahala Hiking Club campsite register, in a box on a tree, on the way down to those sites. There’s also at least one flat tent site on your right as you’re northbound, almost directly behind the Bly Gap sign.
There may be a water source where Guthook indicates there is one, north of the trail and reached by continuing down the blue-blazed trail from the tent sites. I could see that the blue blazes continued further. But I didn’t have to check there, because there’s plenty of water coming from a pipe, just below the closed tent sites and just north of the NC/GA sign, on your right as you’re northbound just before you turn right to go up the steps to Bly Gap itself. There is also a sign pointing you to this water source. It had a steady flow as of this past Tuesday. This is the same water source that Seatbelt & mclaught posted about.
Last edited by Mr Pancks; 09-07-2020 at 12:18.
Thanks for the detailed post! I ended up stopping at Plumorchard Shelter due to insufficient (re)-conditioning (aka I wussed out) after an injury, but I will be back to try another day and I'll keep it filed away.
Just have to share this memory. I camped at Bly Gap in the middle of the bubble back in 2017. There was one campsite remaining over to the left of the oak and some idjit tied his food bag directly above it. So I went to the other side of the ridge, and it worked out great because it got super cold and windy that night but I was protected from the wind. I remember the old oak have a good 20 food bags tied to it, almost all within arms reach. And I had to listen to some girl hold court into the night about how fit she was and how much weight she could handle on the various lifts. What a night!
It is what it is.