Safety Measures
There are many precautions you can take to stay safe when traveling in the backcountry. One of the most important is to let someone know where you are going, particularly if you’ll be hiking alone or plan to be gone for more than just a few hours. Provide a friend or relative your itinerary, including the day you plan to return. Provide that person a phone number for the appropriate agency responsible for the area where you will be hiking. Notify rangers or other authorities of your itinerary. (You can do this when getting required permits.)
Avoid leaving valuables in your vehicle. Trailhead break-ins are not frequent in most areas, but they happen. If you are in bear territory, do not leave food in your vehicle. You would be amazed at the things bears have done to rear windows and even car doors while trying to get to food.
I love to hike solo, but if you’re new to hiking, consider going with a partner or even a group. This not only adds security, but if you get lost, you will feel safer if you are not alone. Plus, in an emergency situation, it’s best if someone can remain with an injured person while someone else goes for help.
The key to not getting lost is to be aware of your surroundings. It’s easy to miss a trail junction or accidentally take the wrong path. If your map indicates you should be ascending, and you find yourself on a long descent, stop to examine your map and the terrain around you. If you get lost, find a comfortable spot with shelter (or construct a shelter) and stay put. A rescue team can find you more easily if you are not wandering.
Campfires can liven up a camping trip, but take extreme caution around them. During times of drought, or when there are posted warnings of high fire danger, avoid building one. Always use available or designated fire rings or pits, and only use dead, downed wood. Never leave a campfire unattended, and always thoroughly smother and extinguish any campfires before going to sleep or leaving camp.
Trail Etiquette
The good news is that more and more people in the Atlanta area are getting out and enjoying the many beautiful trails. The bad news is that some popular and easily accessible trails are suffering from overuse and neglect. Some camping spots have been highly eroded, trees have been chopped down for fires, and you might even see toilet paper littering the ground beneath bushes. When you hike, be considerate of those who will follow you. They deserve the same high-quality experience you are seeking. To minimize your impact on the environment, follow these guidelines created by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics:
Plan ahead and prepare. Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you’ll visit. Schedule your trip to avoid high times of use, and visit in small groups when possible.
Travel and camp on durable surfaces, such as established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses, or snow. Camp at least 200 feet from lakes and streams when possible. Avoid altering a campsite, and try to use existing trails and campsites.
Dispose of waste properly. If you pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite before you leave for spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter. Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished. Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
Leave what you find. Examine but do not touch cultural or historic artifacts. Leave rocks, plants, and other natural objects as you find them. Do not build structures or makeshift furniture or dig trenches.
Minimize campfire impacts. Consider using a lightweight stove for cooking and a candle lantern or battery-powered headlamp for light. (A candle lantern can double as a source of heat and light in an emergency.) Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings. Keep fires small, and use dead and downed wood. Put fires out completely.
Respect wildlife. Observe wildlife from a distance, and do not follow or approach any animals. Never feed wildlife—feeding damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers. Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience. Be courteous and yield to others on the trail. Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors. Let nature’s sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.
Using This Book
The book is arranged into seven regional chapters: northwest Georgia, north-central Georgia, northeast Georgia, west of Atlanta, central Atlanta, east of Atlanta, and south of Atlanta. Each chapter includes trips arranged roughly from west to east. Each trip is a very specific hike on a trail or series of connected trails. Some areas have numerous paths that can be walked in different sequences and directions, but I have tried to simplify things by making each trip an exact journey. Each trip consists of capsulized summaries, highlights, driving directions, facility information, and the actual hike directions.
Capsulized Summaries
Each trip begins with a capsulized summary that includes the following information: distance and trip type, hiking time, difficulty level, total elevation gain and/or loss, trail uses, best times to hike, agency, and recommended maps.
DISTANCE AND TRIP TYPE
The first figure listed in this section is an estimate of the total hiking distance for each loop or out-and-back hike, including outbound and return journey. The trail mileage for most trips was calculated using a measuring wheel and GPS receiver, but keep in mind that mileages in this book may differ from what you see on trail signs or certain maps. All these different sources can often conflict because they’ve been calculated by different people using different methods over time.
The other listing in this section is the trip type, which consists of a loop, semiloop, out-and-back trip, or point-to-point (or shuttle) hike.
HIKING TIME
This is an estimate of the walking time for the average person for each trip. Estimates are based on walking 2 miles per hour on easy to moderate terrain, and 1.5 miles per hour on strenuous terrain. Hiking times do not include rest stops; your actual time on the trail will vary depending on how often and how long you stop.
DIFFICULTY LEVEL
Although it’s somewhat subjective, the difficulty rating for each trip is based on distance, total elevation gain, and the type of terrain. The ratings are as follows:
Easy: A relatively short trip with little elevation gain and loss.
Moderate: A trip that requires several hours of walking and/or includes a few climbs and descents but does not cover a great change in elevation.
Strenuous: A long trip covering many miles and requiring several hours. This trip might include steep ascents and descents and great gains and losses in elevation.
ELEVATION GAIN/LOSS
The elevation gain and loss figures are a sum of all the uphill and downhill segments of the hike, including the outbound and return portions of the trip.
TRAIL USES
While all of the trails are suitable for hiking, some are also good for mountain biking, horseback riding, backpacking, or bringing along your canine companion. The trail use section lists the appropriate uses for each of the hikes. Of the trails that allow dogs, most require that they be on a leash no longer than 6 feet. Trips that measure 3 miles or less, and cover easy to moderate terrain, may be marked as being “good for kids.”
Mountain biking is allowed on a few of the trails in this book. It’s a good idea to be alert when hiking these trails, and yield to riders. Some multiuse trails in this book are also used by horseback riders.
Trails labeled for backpacking are good for overnight or multiday trips and have areas along the trail suitable for camping. In most areas other than those classified as wilderness, there are designated campsites. Check with the agency responsible