Hickory Flats Cemetery

[Magic_Rat]

Has anybody camped at the Hickory Flats Cemetery, about 6 miles past Springer Mtn.? Or do you know whether there are any spots to camp here? I am trying to plan my first week or so on the trail, and thought this looked like a cool place to make camp for my second night (starting at Amicalola). Thanks!

[renais]

There is plenty of space to camp there, and there is a covered pavilion where folks are invited to camp out of the weather if desired. When I was there in 2012, there was a group there providing some of the best trail magic I saw on the trail: a variety of fresh fruits, candy bars, canned sodas, freeze-dried meals, cookies, and homemade muffins and cookies. The cemetery is quite close to the trail (maybe a couple hundred yards away at most). Don't miss checking out the old restrooms; they are quite the site.

[daddytwosticks]

Camping at a cemetery is just too spooky for me...have a restful night's sleep!

[max patch]

Plenty of spots to tent or sleep in the pavilion. No water; stock up at Long Creek Falls.

[Turk6177]

I just hiked the GA section in the fall. There are so many listed and unlisted camp sites all along that part of the trail. You can basically hike as long as you want, and within 5 to 10 minutes of deciding to stop, you can find a good camp spot. I would recommend (as others have said) though, to camp near water. It makes your evening and morning activities a lot easier. For one, you can walk into camp with little or no water left (lighter). Second, you can camel up in the morning prior to leaving camp. I didn't find too many times that I needed to carry more than a liter of water in GA since the water sources were plentiful and not far apart.

[daddytwosticks]

There is a dry section from Hawk Mtn shelter northwards to Justis Creek that contains many ups and down. Hiking this section in warmer weather requires me to tote more than 1 liter of water, but I usually am a thirsty bugger.

[Magic_Rat]

Thanks everyone, this information is great. daddytwosticks, I'll let ya know I if I see any ghosts.