BEST TIMES
Most trails in this book are suitable for hiking during any season of the year. Fall is a prime season due to favorable weather and attractive foliage. Spring is also popular due to mild temperatures and blooming wildflowers. Keep in mind that some trails in higher elevations will have better views in winter due to the reduced foliage, but you should take extra caution to be prepared for cold temperatures. Summer can be extremely hot and humid, so be sure to carry plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
AGENCY
This section lists the government agencies or administrators responsible for the land through which the trails run. They can provide you with information on maps, fees, special guided hikes, educational programs, campsites, facilities, and much more to aid your planning. If you want to contact them or visit them online, see Appendix 3 for their mailing address, location, phone number, and website (if available).
RECOMMENDED MAPS
Some areas, particularly Georgia State Parks, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Forest Service, provide good trail maps, some of which are available at park offices and some online. Most agencies will also mail a map to you if you write or call them. Good commercial maps are also available from National Geographic Maps, particularly their Trails Illustrated line. Another option is to use USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle maps with a 1:24,000 scale (2.64 inches on the maps equals 1 mile). Try to get the most up-to-date map possible, because trails are sometimes rerouted. The maps provided in this book were created using a GPS receiver and serve as a general guide.
Highlights, Driving Directions, and Facilities
Just after the summary information in each trip, a highlights section mentions interesting historical details about the area or notable natural features. Each trip includes driving directions from the central metro area of Atlanta and beginning on major roads, such as I-85, I-75, and I-285. Each trip also includes a mention of the facilities, such as restrooms, water sources, and campgrounds available in the trailhead area.
GPS Waypoints
The maps in this book include numbered waypoints that indicate trailheads, important trail junctions, notable natural features, and backcountry campsites. On maps that show multiple trips, the waypoint number is preceded by the trip number. For each waypoint, you will find corresponding coordinates. Each waypoint coordinate includes the latitude, which is expressed in degrees (numbered from 0º to 90º north or south) and decimal-minutes. For example, the latitude for the beginning of the Appalachian Approach Trail is N34º 33.4590'. Each coordinate also includes the longitude, which is expressed in degrees (numbered from 0º to 180º east or west) and decimal-minutes. For example, the longitude for the start of the Appalachian Approach Trail is W84º 14.9581'. Put the latitude and longitude together, and the first waypoint for the Approach Trail is expressed like this: N34º 33.4590' W84º 14.9581'.
The waypoint coordinates for each trip are listed at the end of the trip description for easy reference. Before you go on your trip you can enter these coordinates into a GPS receiver to create waypoints. You can use these waypoints to create a route. As you hike, the GPS receiver will display your location, and also steer you toward each waypoint along the route.
Remember that a GPS receiver should never be used as your sole navigation device. As with any electronic equipment, batteries can fail, making the receiver useless. Carry at least a map (preferably a topographic map) and a compass. Before traveling, take time to learn how to use your GPS receiver properly. You should also learn how to read a topographic map and use it in conjunction with a compass.
Cloudland Canyon State Park: Sitton’s Gulch Trail (Trip 8)
Jacks River Falls (Trip 2)
Chapter 1
Northwest Georgia
From the towering cliffs and waterfalls of Cloudland Canyon to the curious boulders atop Pigeon Mountain, northwest Georgia includes some of the state’s most fascinating and dramatic natural features. Hikers will also find a great diversity of trips, from multiday backcountry treks deep within the Cohutta Wilderness to day trips strolling down wildlife interpretive trails. This region is also notable for a number of historic sites where those curious about state history can walk among a Cherokee settlement and traverse the rugged battlegrounds of the Civil War. From the lush ravine that hides the Chickamauga Creek Trail to the stirring memorials that dot the Chickamauga Battlefield, the trails in this region explore the natural and human history of Georgia.
Cohutta Wilderness
Quiet. Solitude. The middle of nowhere. These things become more elusive as civilization creeps up on Georgia’s green spaces. But the ridgebacks and river bottoms of the Cohutta Wilderness can carry you far away from the city rumble. Spanning 36,977 acres, the Cohutta is one of the largest wilderness areas in the Southeast. From 1915 to 1930, the Conasauga River Lumber Company extracted timber from about 70% of the area, but the U.S. Forest Service purchased most of the land between 1934 and 1935. The forest started its slow recovery, and then in 1975 the Cohutta became Georgia’s first designated wilderness area. With this high level of protection, the forest is preserved in as natural a state as possible, prohibiting timber harvesting, human-made structures, and the use of motorized vehicles on the trails. The Cohutta Wilderness has more than 92 miles of hiking trails, and the adjoining 8,082-acre Big Frog Wilderness has another 33 miles, making this one of the most massive tracts of contiguous forest in the eastern United States. The five overnight hikes and day hikes included in this chapter are a good sampling of the area’s diverse terrain.
Beyond the five trips described in this chapter in this wilderness area, you might consider consulting a map of the area and checking out several others: The 1.8-mile, moderate Chestnut Lead Trail descends to Conasauga River and intersects with the Conasauga River Trail. The 13.1-mile, moderate Conasauga River Trail begins at the southeastern edge of the Cohutta Wilderness at Betty Gap and follows the attractive Conasauga River to a parking area off of Forest Service Road 17-B in the northwest section of the wilderness. Easy-to-moderate Hickory Creek Trail, 8.6 miles, runs south from the western side of the wilderness near Forest Service Road 51 to cross the Conasauga River and end at its intersection with the Conasauga River Trail. The 3.4-mile, strenuous but popular Panther Creek Trail runs between the Conasauga River Trail and the East Cowpen Trail, passing the lengthy cascades of Panther Creek Falls. The 3.9-mile moderate Rice Camp Trail begins at the western side of the wilderness at Forest Service Road 51 and crosses several streams before rising to cross a ridge and drop to end at its intersection with the Jacks River Trail. The 3.4-mile Tearbritches Trail begins at the southwestern edge of the wilderness at Forest Service Road 68 with a strenuous climb over Bald Mountain, but becomes easier as it descends to its junction with the Conasauga River Trail.