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Advice on a camping/hiking trip to North GA/South NC?

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    • Advice on a camping/hiking trip to North GA/South NC?

      Hey everybody! Just got an account here so my apologies if I did something wrong posting this!

      Me and a couple of friends are trying to get a plan started for a hiking/camping trip to North Georgia for Christmas this year. Our plan is to camp at least once in every state though, and so far we've only got AL and TN(trying to hit the southern states first). So for this trip, we were thinking we'd camp in Georgia, then hike over the state line to North Carolina, killing two birds with one stone. We've never camped the AT though, so we're a little lost on how it works. So my question is, what is a good route to take in our situation? Can we just drive up close to the line, hit the trail and camp anywhere along the hike? Do you have to rent campsites along the AT like you do in National park lands? We're trying to limit the hiking portion too, since it'll be cold and icy most likely. Thanks!

    • here's one option; camping is free, no reservations, and you don't have to stay at or near a shelter.

      park at dicks creek gap us 76.

      day 1 hike to plumorchard gap shelter, ga. 4.5 miles.
      day 2 hike to muskrat creek shelter, nc. 7 miles
      day 3 early start, hike back to car. 11.5 miles

      if day 2/3 is too long you can tent camp at bly gap instead of muskrat and shorten your hike by 3 miles each way.

      plenty other options if that doesn't sound good to you.
      2,000 miler

    • one more option that doesn't involve backtracking.

      park your car at dicks creek gap or top of georgia hostel (1/2 mile away) and pay them for a shuttle to deep gap, nc. (forest service road is seasonally closed 1/1).

      day 1 hike to muskrat creek shelter 4 miles
      day 2 hike to plumorchard gap shelter 7 miles
      day 3 hike to car 4.5 miles

      if you have 2 cars and decide to self shuttle i would check with the forest service to make sure of the forest service road closure date before i left a car at deep gap.
      2,000 miler

    • tbowles1 wrote:

      Hey everybody! Just got an account here so my apologies if I did something wrong posting this!

      Me and a couple of friends are trying to get a plan started for a hiking/camping trip to North Georgia for Christmas this year. Our plan is to camp at least once in every state though, and so far we've only got AL and TN(trying to hit the southern states first). So for this trip, we were thinking we'd camp in Georgia, then hike over the state line to North Carolina, killing two birds with one stone. We've never camped the AT though, so we're a little lost on how it works. So my question is, what is a good route to take in our situation? Can we just drive up close to the line, hit the trail and camp anywhere along the hike? Do you have to rent campsites along the AT like you do in National park lands? We're trying to limit the hiking portion too, since it'll be cold and icy most likely. Thanks!
      Welcome to our happy forum!
      Camping on the AT is free, as others have said. There are shelters every 12 miles or so and many campsites and stealth spots in between. I'm finishing out a thru hike now (2 weeks left!!), and I would highly recommend downloading the Guthooks app on your phone. It's well worth the $8.99 per section cost. It works while phone is on airplane mode and uses very little battery. I use it constantly! AWOL's guide is another reliable option and is usually $15-20 for the entire trail. The book/app gives info on campsites, water, shelters, views, etc. :) Happy hiking! December?? You're a badass. Getting too cold for this Georgia girl. ;)
      www.appalachiantrailclarity.com - Life on the A.T.

      Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and sometimes in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.

    • Why not knock off three at the same time? Start at Burrells Ford on the FHT in SC. From there head towards Oconee SP and split off on the Bartram Trail. Cross over into GA and Hike the 33 miles of the BT thru GA and into NC.

      Or, if you don't want to deal with the logistics of two vehicles; Start at Burrells one evening. Wake up and cross the river (GA). Head north along the river to Ellicott's rock and cross back over north of the rock (NC). Easy peasy and you get to do some good fishing south of Ellicott's rock with either/or a SC or GA license.
      If your Doctor is a tree, you're on acid.

    • Foresight wrote:

      Why not knock off three at the same time? Start at Burrells Ford on the FHT in SC. From there head towards Oconee SP and split off on the Bartram Trail. Cross over into GA and Hike the 33 miles of the BT thru GA and into NC.

      Or, if you don't want to deal with the logistics of two vehicles; Start at Burrells one evening. Wake up and cross the river (GA). Head north along the river to Ellicott's rock and cross back over north of the rock (NC). Easy peasy and you get to do some good fishing south of Ellicott's rock with either/or a SC or GA license.
      My thoughts also. I would visit Whitewater Falls and camp down river from there.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.