USFS 42 to Springer Mountain (0.9 Miles)

We did this hike on October 14, 2010.

Started the day in Atlanta as Dirigo was at a work conference and Python flew into Atlanta yesterday.

We stopped at REI, just because that is what you do when you are a hiker.  We wanted to get the National park Stamp for the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area but we ended up getting lost. We ended up at the Chattahoochee Nature Preserve, which is a different place but checked it out and got directions.

At the Chattahoochee NRA we walked around and went down to the shelter and the river. We went into the visitor center which didn’t have much in it, but got to use the restrooms. Always a plus!

We got to Dawsonville and drove to Amicalola State Park and told the guy at the gate we were staying at the lodge but before we checked in we want to hike into Springer Mountain but didn’t know how to get there. He gave us a paper with some very good directions on it.

WOW, the fire roads and back roads in GA are not easy to get to. Once we found USFS 42, it was 6.5 miles up to the parking lot on a dirt road. The road was in good shape but narrow in places. When we got to the parking lot we got out of the truck and a guy was walking past and told us about a truck that was parked behind us that had been broken into.

We got our packs on and walked by the truck and noticed the passenger side window was smashed out and glass was all over the inside of the truck, and it had been rummaged through.

We did not have a good feeling about leaving our truck at the parking lot, but what can ya do?

For those of you that don’t know, the beginning of the Appalachian trail is at Springer Mountain, GA. The southern terminus of the AT. Until 1958, the beginning was at Mt. Oglethorpe.

There are 2 ways of get to the summit. The first being a climb up the Approach trail from Amicalola State Park, or drive to USFS42 and hike .9 miles into the summit and hike back out.

Springer Mtn 0.9 Miles

The Approach Trail involves 8.1 miles of very strenuous hiking up 600+ stairs. We opted for the .9, as the Approach Trail is not part of the trail. It might be part of the experience but does not count toward trail miles.

We hiked to the summit and 3 hikers were there and they took our picture and we took theirs.

Python & Dirigo

We forgot to sign the book in the rocks but signed the register at the Springer Mountain Shelter.
The summit has 2 plaques and is where the #1 white blaze is.

Southern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail

Springer Mountain

The shelter has a sleeping loft and is large with a camping area close by. It has some real cool bear cables with a pulley system. The privy is not enclosed but has a door and deck leading to the privy.

Springer Mountain Shelter

Bear cables

The Benton MacKaye trail meets the AT, and some people opt to use this trail to get to the AT.

We went back to the truck and met Woody at the Amicalola Falls Lodge for dinner.

Dirigo & Woody