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More questions about Amicalola SP

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    • Sounds like a great idea, bring a large empty backpack and snag all the gear that people discard. You can probably snag a couple bear canisters in that one stretch alone.
      Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.

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

    • its only a terrible idea for the person who absolutely positively has to sleep in a shelter. the black gap shelter on the approach a couple miles S of springer is the old springer mountain shelter which only holds 8. the springer mountain shelter would almost certainly be full by the time you reached it.

      keep in mind that probably over half of all prospective thrus start at springer and never touch the approach.

      unless you are planning to attend the atko as part of your trip, keep in mind that the atko is from march 4-6 and i would suspect that the numbers of thrus departing from amicalola falls will be artificially high that time frame.

      i've hiked the approach over the years, but never in thru hiker season; only in the summer and fall.

      edit to add: well, i just remembered that isn't exactly correct. about 10 years ago i hiked from fs42 to the hike inn and back on a saturday or sunday around march 20. while i counted 30 people at the springer shelter, i only saw a couple people on the approach. however, i could have been ahead of the people who stated at afsp. thats anecdotal anyway.
      2,000 miler

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

    • Thanks for the input, everyone.

      We won't be there during atko and I will definitely take an extra bag...people abandon gear that early?

      I usually ignore the posts about the GA AT so excuse my noob questions.

      We have at least 3 nights. If we arrive early afternoon, where is a good place to camp that isn't more than a few miles hike? We can drive up to Springer, camp, drive back to the park, hike the Approach trail, camp, hike some more...whatever. I think The Girl will enjoy meeting prospective thrus.

      Suggestions?
      Lost in the right direction.

    • TrafficJam wrote:

      My daughter and I are thinking about driving to Amicalola SP to look around and hike the Approach trail the first week of March. Is this a terrible idea since a lot of thru hikers will be starting?
      not a bad idea at all. do it mid-week. it won't be that bad. i'll be on springer 1 march. doubt it will be that bad. was there last year the 3rd weekend in march. plenty of room in the shelter and plenty of tent sites

    • TrafficJam wrote:

      My daughter and I are thinking about driving to Amicalola SP to look around and hike the Approach trail the first week of March. Is this a terrible idea since a lot of thru hikers will be starting?
      Not a terrible idea because I"ll be there! :D Be sure to come say hey! Maybe I can even hike a few miles with y'all if you'd like some company. I wouldn't want to interrupt mother/daughter time though. Is this the daughter who's wanting to hike the trail? If so, it may be good for her to meet some thrus. I wouldn't let that deter you. Help pick up litter if you can and you'll be helping me! :D

      Rasty wrote:

      It's a pleasant stroll going downhill
      Wait, what? There's a downhill? 8| lol
      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.

    • The Foothills Trail is a nice easy trail, but at Heartbreak Ridge there are 294 steps coming up from a river...heart is certain to be pumping and quads burning before the top.....only 157 going up from the other direction....I'm going that way next time...4th week in March.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.

    • twistwrist wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      My daughter and I are thinking about driving to Amicalola SP to look around and hike the Approach trail the first week of March. Is this a terrible idea since a lot of thru hikers will be starting?
      Not a terrible idea because I"ll be there! :D Be sure to come say hey! Maybe I can even hike a few miles with y'all if you'd like some company. I wouldn't want to interrupt mother/daughter time though. Is this the daughter who's wanting to hike the trail? If so, it may be good for her to meet some thrus. I wouldn't let that deter you. Help pick up litter if you can and you'll be helping me! :D

      Rasty wrote:

      It's a pleasant stroll going downhill
      Wait, what? There's a downhill? 8| lol
      We would love for you to hike with us. :)
      Lost in the right direction.

    • Rasty wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      Isn't there a shelter half way up the Approach trail? If so, how many tent sites does it have?
      Mile 7.3 - Black Gap
      There are numerous established campsites along the trail.
      Just to clarify...there are numerous campsites along the Approach trail? I don't see any in my guide until Black Gap shelter. If we only hike 3-4 miles on day 1, will we find a place to camp?
      Lost in the right direction.

    • Trebor wrote:

      If you park at Springer (aka Big Stamp Gap) and hike South to the top (.09) take the usual photos etc. then turn around and hike down, cross through the parking lot and continue North to the Stover Creek Shelter you will have done about 4.6 miles.
      There ought to be plenty of water that way. It might be tricky keeping your feet dry. I remember spending three nights there (not consecutively).
      I am human and I need to be loved - just like everybody else does

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

    • TrafficJam wrote:

      Rasty wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      Isn't there a shelter half way up the Approach trail? If so, how many tent sites does it have?
      Mile 7.3 - Black GapThere are numerous established campsites along the trail.
      Just to clarify...there are numerous campsites along the Approach trail? I don't see any in my guide until Black Gap shelter. If we only hike 3-4 miles on day 1, will we find a place to camp?
      There are quite a few. The reason you see a lack of them in your AT guide is the others on the approach aren't really recommended. By law, you can camp anywhere you want, but the ATC is trying to inform folks of the "approved" campsites that are better on the trail itself.
      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.

    • My daughter and I are very excited about her hike. She decided to carry my old Gregory pack because she likes the brain. She bought the gut hooks app and has a few more things to get. The mom in me is slightly worried but I know there will be people on trail to look out for her.

      Honestly, my biggest worry is her driving to Amicalola after dropping me off. I'm afraid she's going to get lost.

      I would rather she skip the Approach trail but I want the car parked in the safest place. How easy is it to hitch to Springer?
      Lost in the right direction.

    • JimBlue wrote:

      It will only take a second. Here ya go, a link to a pdf of the park layout, shows the campgrounds, the trails, etc.

      n-georgia.com/pdf/amicalola-falls-state-park-map.pdf
      Is it me or is the map scale a bit wonky? Bottom right of the map. 1 inch equals .07 mile? Yet the diagram kind of shows 1 inch equals 0.7?
      Google maps indicates the distance from the Hiker Parking road junction to the road loop junction near PS#5 as 0.4 miles.
      Of course, it's Friday so the brain may be on weekend time already...

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

    • TrafficJam wrote:

      My daughter and I are very excited about her hike. She decided to carry my old Gregory pack because she likes the brain. She bought the gut hooks app and has a few more things to get. The mom in me is slightly worried but I know there will be people on trail to look out for her.

      Honestly, my biggest worry is her driving to Amicalola after dropping me off. I'm afraid she's going to get lost.

      I would rather she skip the Approach trail but I want the car parked in the safest place. How easy is it to hitch to Springer?
      The car is safe at Amicalola. we've had no break-ins that I'm aware of. GPS is pretty good and there are signs leading to the park once she gets close. Hitching to Springer isn't easy, but I could drive her after my shift for the cost of gas. Shuttles charge $90 from AFSP to Springer.

      TrafficJam wrote:

      Is there a bathhouse at Amicalola SP?

      Will there be a bathroom open if it's after hours?

      Is the campground close by?
      There is a bathhouse near the Visitors Center and yes, the bathrooms are open all night. The campground is 3/4 of a mile up the mountain once you're in the park, but they charge $40 per night to rent a spot I think. The Max Epperson Shelter behind the visitors center is free. :) Let me know how I can help!
      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.

    • i have an old map of amicalola falls state park that still shows the lake; i could really screw with somebody...give em the map, tell em to hike to the lake, turn left....

      the lake was drained in 1977; it was created by building an earthen dam that they were afraid might fail.
      2,000 miler

    • EdDzierzak wrote:

      JimBlue wrote:

      It will only take a second. Here ya go, a link to a pdf of the park layout, shows the campgrounds, the trails, etc.

      n-georgia.com/pdf/amicalola-falls-state-park-map.pdf
      Is it me or is the map scale a bit wonky? Bottom right of the map. 1 inch equals .07 mile? Yet the diagram kind of shows 1 inch equals 0.7?Google maps indicates the distance from the Hiker Parking road junction to the road loop junction near PS#5 as 0.4 miles.
      Of course, it's Friday so the brain may be on weekend time already...
      looks like the scale is mislabelled.

      But it looks like an official map.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.

    • max.patch wrote:

      i have an old map of amicalola falls state park that still shows the lake; i could really screw with somebody...give em the map, tell em to hike to the lake, turn left....

      the lake was drained in 1977; it was created by building an earthen dam that they were afraid might fail.
      the free map I downloaded for Amicalola shows the lake.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.

    • JimBlue wrote:

      max.patch wrote:

      i have an old map of amicalola falls state park that still shows the lake; i could really screw with somebody...give em the map, tell em to hike to the lake, turn left....

      the lake was drained in 1977; it was created by building an earthen dam that they were afraid might fail.
      the free map I downloaded for Amicalola shows the lake.
      well...ya get what ya pay for, lol.

      it must use the old government maps.
      2,000 miler