Jul 02

NC Trail Maintenance Day. 

Deep Gap south on old and new AT. See aircraft crash site and Raven Cliffs.   A moderate round trip hike of 6.5 miles. (4:30 hrs).  Carpool $5

Wayah Bald (el. 5,342 ft.) to Burningtown Gap (el. 4,236 ft.) on the AT.  9 miles round trip.  View mountains from GA to the Great Smokies from observation tower on Wayah.  Carpool $5

Bear Hair Trail in Vogel State Park.  About 4 miles (3 hrs) with some moderate to steep climbs.  Bring hiking sticks and State Park pass or $2.  Carpool $2

Choestoe Baptist Church parking lot on Hwy 180                                                  George Jurand 828-837-8516

New Hike - Cohuttas/Conasauga River hike.  We will hike down the Chestnut Lead Trail (1.8 miles) to the Conasauga River and follow the trail downstream 2.2 miles for a riverside lunch and return.  Please bring old boots/water shoes since we will be crossing the river 38 times.  Total 8 miles.  Car pool $5.00

Park and Ride in Blairsville (optional 8:45 mtg. at Food Lion in East Ellijay)          Doug Haas 770-410-1738   

Georgia Trail Maintenance Day. 

Brush Creek Trail near the Ocoee White Water Center.  6.5 mile easy/moderate hike from parking lot at Route 64 overpass to Boyd Gap overlook with good views of the lake.  Short shuttle required.  Carpool $5

SE corner of Hwy 64 / Hwy 129 in Murphy                                                          Richard Sullivan 706-374-5281

Kimsey Creek Trail from Back Country Information Center in Standing Indian area to Deep Gap and return.  See historic homestead of ole Joe Kimsey (according to Harold Dyer ??).  7.5 miles along scenic creek.  A cool hike for a hot day.  Carpool $5

Benton MacKaye Trail from Hwy. 60 at Wilscot Gap to Skeenah Gap. This 5.3 mile section (3:10hrs) goes up and down.  Many of these short grades are steep.  Shuttle required.  Carpool $5

Park & Ride in Blairsville                                                                                     Janet Faist 706-781-2634

Unicoi Gap to Chattahoochee Gap and return on the AT.  8.8 miles with some rough, rocky footing.  Side trip to visit the spring where the Chattahoochee River starts.  Side trip to Blue Mountain Shelter.

Aug 04    (C3) vv 09:00

The Miller Trek (Trail #46) at Brasstown Valley Resort.  6.5 mile loop (3 hrs) is moderately difficult with an elevation change of 1,400 feet and some rough, rocky footing.  Optional lunch at Young Harris College afterwards.

Trailhead parking lot on service road at the resort                                              Richard Webster 828-644-5807

Aug 04    (C4) vv 08:00

New Hike - Rim Trail Series Hike #3.  Up Shinbone Trail #80 2.3 miles to the Rim to where Clay, Macon, and Cherokee Counties meet, 2 miles on the Rim passing Signal Bald, a short side trip on the Chunky Gal Trail for the vista at Tusquittee Bald and then back to the Rim Trail and down Far Bald Spring Trail #389 1.7 miles.  Cool your sore tootsies in Fires Creek as you picnic at Leatherwood Falls.  8 miles total.  Shuttle required.  Carpool $5

Aug 06  08:00

NC Trail Maintenance Day. 

High Shoals Falls.  A 2.5 mile round trip (2:45 hrs) hike to view two beautiful waterfalls.  This hike is rated moderate due to some climbing and descending.  Carpool $5

Macedonia Baptist Church parking lot east of Hiawassee                                    Roland and Barbara Hardee 828-389-2359

Three Forks to Hightower Gap on the AT and return.  Lunch at Hawk Mountain shelter.  An 8 mile hike with 800 ft. elevation change.  Carpool $5           

GA AT series 7B. Jack’s Gap to Unicoi Gap 6.6 miles (shuttle/key exchange).  Moderate.  4.4 miles on AT plus 2.2 miles on Jack’s Knob trail.  Trail passes Unicoi Gap (2949), Blue Mt. (4025), Blue Mt. Shelter trail (3800), Chattahoochee Gap (3500).  Some rocky sections of trail.

Unicoi Gap on Hwy 75 south of Hiawassee                                                        Jerry Carnes 706-896-4690                               

Big Frog Trail to the tip of Big Frog Mt and back on the Licklog Ridge Trail.  Key exchange or short shuttle.  11 miles.  Paced hike at 2+ mph.  Carpool $5.  If you want to meet at SE corner of Hwy. 64 and 19/129 in NC to time there is 7:30am

Aug 20

Georgia Trail Maintenance Day. 

Chunky Gal Trail from Bob Allison Campground along Tuni Creek  to the big buckeye tree and return.  4 miles (3:00 hrs) with 5 stream crossings (slippery footing) each way - hiking sticks required.  Carpool $5

Ingles parking lot in Hayesville                                                                         Larry Zarefoss 828-389-0639

New Hike – approx 10+ miles – moderate pace.  Hike with the Surveyor!  Standing Indian Area:  Hike up Timber Ridge Trail to the AT, north 0.5 mile along the AT to Carter Gap (shelter).  Then off the AT take an old CCC trail (seldom used) southeast into GA 1.5 miles to the Blue Ridge at Nichols Gap, another mile to NC state line.  History tells us that the original state line surveyors set and inscribed a stone at this location in 1819!  We will search for it!!  The hike returns along the same route.  Carpool $5

Ingles parking lot in Hayesville                                                                            Jack Dugger 706-781-3377

Neels Gap to Wolf Laurel Top and back on the AT. A 6.8 mile round trip.  Great views from Wolf Laurel.  Hike Leader contact Winton at Mountain Crossings to arrange to park a few cars at Neels Gap.  Short ¼ mile shuttle to Neels Gap from Byron Reece parking area. 

Byron Reece Parking Area on Hwy. 129                                                              Wes Clonts 706-769-3234

New Hike - Bly Gap from Shooting Creek area in NC.  Hike starts at the end of Eagle Fork Road #1169 and begins on FS #6230, climbs on the old forest road, then juts into the woods onto old trail #84 (a short bush wack) and steeply climbs to Bly Gap for a total of 3.2 miles.  At Bly Gap, turn left and head north on the AT for about 2 miles past Courthouse Bald to Sassafras Gap.  Return on the same route.  This route picks up that hard to reach section of the AT in NC.  Old trail #84 is sometimes used to rescue hikers on the AT.  10.5 miles total.  Carpool $2. 

NC Trail Maintenance Day. 

Emery Creek Falls.  New hike!!  5 miles in and out.  A delightful walk in the Cohuttas which ends in a pair of waterfalls:  The first is 40-50 ft high, the second is about 15 ft high.  The walk is along Emery Creek and involves about 9 stream crossings each way (18 RT).  Strongly suggest bringing poles, and water shoes or old hiking boots, you will get wet up to your ankles – should be nice and cool down by the creek.  Optional meal out in Ellijay.  Carpool $5

Park & Ride in Blairsville                          **** PHOTO'S ****                              Pam Sullivan 706-374-5281

GA AT - Dicks Creek Gap north to Plum Orchard Gap Shelter in and out on the AT. 9 miles (≈ 5hrs).  Moderate with some steep climbs.  Trail passes Dick’s Creek Gap 2675 ft, Cowart Gap 2920 ft, Buzzard Knob 3760 ft, and Plum Orchard Gap 3090 ft.  Carpool $3

Rock Creek Trail near the Ocoee Whitewater Center.  6.5 mile hike on beautiful forest trail with occasional views of Ocoee River.  Short shuttle.  Carpool $5

SE corner of Hwy 64 and 19/129 in NC                                                                Jacob Dorn 828-835-7815

Jacks Knob Trail to Brasstown Bald parking lot, then down the Wagon Train Trail to YHC.  9 miles (4:45 hrs).  Optional side trip to Brasstown Bald Tower.  Option for lunch at YHC.  Carpool $3

Sept 17  08:00

Georgia Trail Maintenance Day. 

Raven Cliffs Trail.  A scenic 5 mile round trip hike along a cascading mountain stream to towering cliffs with two waterfalls (≈ 3:30 hrs).  Some difficult footing due to erosion.  Carpool amount $2.00

Choestoe Baptist Church parking lot on Hwy. 180                                             Richard Webster 828-644-5807

New Hike - Welcome Autumn Hike – Rock Creek and Benton MacKaye Trails in TN will afford us a pleasant 7.4 mile hike in the Little Frog Wilderness.  A short 6-minute shuttle is required.  Carpool $5

Duncan Ridge Trail from Mulky Gap to Fish Gap for 6 miles round trip (3:30 hrs).   This section has some moderate to strenuous ascents and descents.   Carpool $5

Duncan Ridge Trail from Wolfpen Gap over Coosa Bald and west to Buckeye Gap. 10.4 mile in and out hike with 1000+ ft. elevation gain each way.  Some nice views. Paced hike at 2+ mph. Carpool $3