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Looking for the place to start in southern NC

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    • Looking for the place to start in southern NC

      Hi All,

      I am looking to to a 6 day section hike 50-80 miles (northwards), beginning at a southern point in North Carolina and ending in Fontana Dam NC. Two questions:
      1. Where would be a good "entrance" spot. It should be near a town so that I can sleep at a hotel the night before (after flights), get some small supplies, and have a SHORT drive to the trail after a big restaurant breakfast
      2. Where would be a good airport to fly into? I will be looking to fly in from any Florida airport. Direct flights and short drives to the sleep hotel are really needed
      3. Can someone help????? I have been searching for a reccomendation forever. Thanks!!!
    • According to my 2014 Companion, Fontana Dam is at mile 164.6 on the AT. So, 50-80 miles south of there would be at mile 84.6-114.6 Winding Stair Gap is at mile 109.8 and is close to Franklin, NC (10 mile shuttle) or if you stay at one of Ron Haven's establishments, you could take his shuttle to Rock Gap which is at mile 106.1

      So, my recommendation for a good entrance place would be Franklin, NC. There is an airport nearby but I don't know anything about it i.e. if any flights come in from Florida. Macon County Airport-1a5 Franklin, NC 28734 You'll have to look into that.

      Ron Haven's owns Haven's Budget Inn 828 524-4403 and The Sapphire Inn same phone number. Not sure if he's operating a hostel this year. He's a great guy who is very hiker friendly. He runs shuttles for hikers staying at his establishments to the AT, both Winding Stair Gap and Rock Gap several times a day. He also does shuttles for hire to/from other locations so he would likely be able to pick you up from the airport.

      Good luck! Oh, and Welcome to the Café!
    • Pknaggs wrote:

      Ok. Thanks. I will do research on Dicks Creek Gap. What about the easiest airport to fly into from Florida? Any ideas?
      Probably Atlanta. The Hiker Hostel has a package deal where they pick you up and take you back to there log cabin for the night, feed you breakfast and drop you off at Springer. They will also shuttle you up the trail.

      hikerhostel.com/about/tour-the-hostel/
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • the "easiest" may be to fly into atlanta and start at dicks creek gap, georgia as there are plenty of shuttlers who will get you to your starting point. there is a hostel 1/2 mile from dicks creek, or use ron havens hotels in hiawasee which is 10 paved road miles away. the hostel serves breakfast and has a small store for supplies. this option, however, is a 95 mile hike which is outside your parameters. if you ended your hike at the nantahala outdoor center instead of fontana dam you would have a 67 mile hike and be at a good place to secure a shuttle.

      jimmyjam's excellent suggestion of deep gap meets your mileage parameters exactly. this option requires a 12 mile (approx) shuttle from franklin on paved roads and then a 6 mile (approx) drive on a forest service road. the forest service road is closed 1/1 to 4/1. if you were going prior to 4/1 you can get shuttled to standing indian campground (still an approx 12 mile paved road shuttle) and hike the 3 1/2 mile blue blazed kimsey creek trail to where it intersects the AT at deep gap.

      trillum also gives an excellent suggestion of starting at winding stair and using ron havens franklin motel. i will point out that if you hike N from winding stair you will hike 55 miles and you will miss standing indian mountain and the firetower on albert mountain. if you start at deep gap you will pass both of these attractions.

      i have no thots on airports other than atlanta.
      2,000 miler
    • OzJacko wrote:

      If you're not in good shape, missing Albert Mountain might not be a bad point.
      ;)
      if thats a concern one can take the forest service road (which is also the blue blaze bad weather bypass) around albert and bypass it altogether. although the hike up albert SOBO for those that wimp out :) and take the fs road is really easy. no one should miss the summit of albert and the fire tower.
      2,000 miler
    • SandyofPA wrote:

      You guys will be so disappointed that they completely reworked the trail going up Albert Mountain. I did it last spring and it was like walking up stairs! I hiked it in 2013 and crawled on my hands and feet so I really noticed the difference.
      I can assure I would not be disappointed.
      :)
      Resident Australian, proving being a grumpy old man is not just an American trait.
    • SandyofPA wrote:

      You guys will be so disappointed that they completely reworked the trail going up Albert Mountain. I did it last spring and it was like walking up stairs! I hiked it in 2013 and crawled on my hands and feet so I really noticed the difference.
      I must have caught it before it was "reworked". First time I had ever thrown my poles up ahead of me while I "crawled/climbed" up.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Astro wrote:

      SandyofPA wrote:

      You guys will be so disappointed that they completely reworked the trail going up Albert Mountain. I did it last spring and it was like walking up stairs! I hiked it in 2013 and crawled on my hands and feet so I really noticed the difference.
      I must have caught it before it was "reworked". First time I had ever thrown my poles up ahead of me while I "crawled/climbed" up.
      All that is good to know. Gracias !
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.
    • max.patch wrote:

      the "easiest" may be to fly into atlanta and start at....
      let me expound a bit about something jimmyjam said.

      as you see, there is not a perfect answer to your question. you need to compromise on some of your preferences.

      the answers above have focused on your desire to end at fontana dam. if we compromise on that...

      the easiest and cheapest option -- assuming you start your hike by april 20 -- is to fly into atlanta and book the thru hiker special with the hiker hostel. for $85 they will pick you up in atlanta, take you to their hostel for the nite, feed you breakfast, and then shuttle you to either springer or amicalola falls state park (your choice). if you haven't hike georgia yet you may want to consider this. there are many road crossings in the state to choose where to end your hike. again...there is no doubt this is the easiest and cheapest alternative out there. (you can still do this after april 20 but regular rates apply)
      2,000 miler