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Lake Winfield Scott Loop. Suches, GA (Includes AT)

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    • Lake Winfield Scott Loop. Suches, GA (Includes AT)

      NOTE: SEE POST #6 FOR 2017 UPDATE.

      i hiked what i call the lake winfield scott (LWS) loop today (this is not the 0.5 mile hike that circles the lake). this hike starts at lake winfield scott in suches, ga. in round numbers, you hike the jarrard gap trail 1 mile to where it terminates at the AT at jarrard gap. you then hike N on the AT for 3 miles, including a side trip to woods hole shelter, until you reach slaughter creek. you then hike the slaughter creek trail 3 miles back to lake winfield scott. i then end the hike with a swim in the lake. this is my favorite day hike in georgia; i generally hike the loop every summer.

      on the drive up i passed woody gap at 10:00 and noted that the parking areas were almost full. arrived at the LWS recreation area/campground, paid the $5 parking fee, and parked near the lake and bathhouse.

      hiking up the jarrard gap trail the trail crosses the creek several times. while the rocks were wet, as a practical matter you could not use the creek as a resupply source. the creek is considered "unreliable" as a water source.

      reaching the AT, i hiked N until i reached the 0.5 mile blue blaze trail to the woods hole shelter. shortly after i started the blue blaze i passed a hiker coming the other way. he told me the water source was dry, and showed me his water bag which he had intended to fill but only contained a cup or so of water. i thanked him and continued on. the water source was a very small pool, 2 inches at its deepest point, with a bare trickle visible. you could maybe scoop a cup, with a long wait for that cup to replenish. i was not surprised, this water source is one of first shelter sources in GA to fail. it normally still has water this time of year, though.

      i continued on to the shelter where i had lunch and read the shelter register. several entries mentioned mice; one hiker had her food bag chewed through. another hiker mentioned he had seen a bear on the blue blaze trail about a week ago. this shelter is in the seasonal bear canister zone which ended 6/1. the bear canister regulation expired this year; i expect there will another regulation in effect next spring. the only question in my mind is if this section will be included in the regulation again.

      returning to the AT, i saw the hiker i had met earlier. in response to my question, he told me his group had camped the night before at lance creek. i asked how the water was, and as i expected, he told me there was plenty. lance creek is 4 miles S of woods hole shelter and has camp sites there. anyone planning on camping at woods hole shelter the remainder of this summer should plan on getting their water here and humping it to the shelter.

      continuing on the AT i reached the slaughter creek trail. slaughter creek is here, and it is also considered an unreliable water source. this is the water source for the camp sites just ahead 0.2 miles on the AT. there was enough water here that one could scoop what they needed. i continued N on the AT and checked out the camp sites (the summit of blood is about a mile ahead), then turned around and returned to slaughter creek where i took the slaughter creek trail back to the car.

      i've seen this loop listed online from 5.6 to 8.0 miles long. the "map my hike" app indicates i walked 7 miles, and based on my pace i think thats probably pretty close to accurate.

      i mentioned earlier that this is my favorite day hike in GA. this is primarily becasue of the lake swim at the end of the hike. today, however, the lake was closed becasue of a low water level. you can see in the picture below that the bottom rung of the ladder is a good 4 feet above the water.

      on the way home i stopped off at wolfpen gap country store and got a snack. the store is a couple miles from woody gap, and a few years ago started a hostel which has become a popular stopping place for those aspiring thru hikers that need a hostel and a restaurant meal or pizza after 2 days on the trail.

      atlantatrails.com/hiking-trail…d-gap-to-slaughter-creek/

      2,000 miler

      The post was edited 2 times, last by max.patch ().

    • I spent yesterday at the Helton Creek Falls and then later at the Toccoa River Suspension Bridge. Both locations were noticeably low on water. The good side is with the low water level on the Toccoa I found some deep pools I wasn't aware of that surely hold some nice Trout.
      RIAP
    • I saw Wolf Pen Gap Country Store on my map when I had The GI Incident and was looking for a place to resupply. It was about 15 miles away. I knew I'd heard the name before but didn't realize it was a hiker hostel...probably could have called for a ride.

      It's weird how close the BMT and AT are at times yet they are so different.

      We need rain...I think water sources are going to get worse before summer is over.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      I saw Wolf Pen Gap Country Store on my map when I had The GI Incident and was looking for a place to resupply. It was about 15 miles away. I knew I'd heard the name before but didn't realize it was a hiker hostel...probably could have called for a ride.

      It's weird how close the BMT and AT are at times yet they are so different.

      We need rain...I think water sources are going to get worse before summer is over.
      unconfirmed reports on FB that the wolfpen gap country store has now closed.

      edit to add: a source i trust has confirmed the closure.
      2,000 miler

      The post was edited 1 time, last by max.patch ().

    • max.patch wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      I saw Wolf Pen Gap Country Store on my map when I had The GI Incident and was looking for a place to resupply. It was about 15 miles away. I knew I'd heard the name before but didn't realize it was a hiker hostel...probably could have called for a ride.

      It's weird how close the BMT and AT are at times yet they are so different.

      We need rain...I think water sources are going to get worse before summer is over.
      unconfirmed reports on FB that the wolfpen gap country store has now closed.
      edit to add: a source i trust has confirmed the closure.
      Bummer, I stayed with them in late June 2013. I bought the smallest watermelon they had, and they loaned me a big knife to butcher it. So good, the temps were in the 90's and it really hit the spot. Plus it rained all night and I was clean and dry, and had the whole hostel to myself!
    • 2017 APRIL UPDATE

      both water sources at woods hole shelter and slaughter creek are running. i would expect woods hole to have water thru mid summer; still a good idea to top off at lance creek if going NOBO.

      there is a bear box at woods hole shelter now.

      the hole in the lake has been repaired and the lake at lake winfield scott is now at full pool.

      but...the bathhouses at the lake are closed with no date available for reopening. broken pipes.

      the wolfpen gap country store has reopened under new (pakistani i believe) ownership. this is good news; not my cup of tea, but this has become a popular hostel for those thru hikers who need real food and an inside place to sleep after hiking for 20 miles. :)
      2,000 miler