Camping in the Southeast.

[michaels]

me and a few buddies from school are planning a camping trip for the 24th-26th of this month. we live in auburn, AL so we're looking for somewhere within a 6 hour drive to go camping. this means Georgia, southern/southeastern Tennessee, or Alabama. Mississippi sucks, so we're not even considering there.

any recommendations? we want at least a 20 mile hike, preferably somewhere with a loop (only taking one car, so we'd prefer not to see the same scenery twice). we could pay someone to drop us off at the other end of the trail, but that's just a hassle.

We were thinking somewhere in the smokies, appalachia, or in ocoee. any other recommendations would be great.

cheers,
mike.

 

[Leslie]

Smokies would be good, especially if you're wanting to hit 20 miles, and not do it linear (ie, the AT came to mind, but it'd not come back around to itself, eh?).

Might consider Big South Fork, north-central Tennessee on the Kentucky line....

 

[michaels]

Smokies would be good, especially if you're wanting to hit 20 miles, and not do it linear (ie, the AT came to mind, but it'd not come back around to itself, eh?).

Might consider Big South Fork, north-central Tennessee on the Kentucky line....

the smokies do sound like a viable option. one of the friends i'm going with did the about 20 miles of the AT this sumer and got Billy Bob to drive him and his brother to the other end of the trail where they wanted to start from.

big south fork would be too far away. it's a four hour drive just to tennesse, and it'd be what, another three from the AL-TN border? that's a little too far i think.

we'll be leaving after classes friday, which puts us at departure time of 3 o'clock or so.

cheers,
mike

 

[michaels]

any one else have any recommendations? the afternoon crowd must know of somewhere worthwhile...

 

[barefoot]

go to the smokies. there is a 16ish mile loop that connects with the at for a while in the cosby area. i hiked it about 10yrs ago so i cant remember any more details. you can overnight in one of the at shelters (which i would recommend for the bear fence). you have to register at sugerlands visitor center....dont remember the fees if any. i remember it being a good hike though with a long ass climb up to the at, level while on the at then all downhill back to the parking.

pleanty of other trails/loops there as well. just show up at the visitors center and talk to the rangers. they will help you plan.

enjoy

 

[michaels]

go to the smokies. there is a 16ish mile loop that connects with the at for a while in the cosby area. i hiked it about 10yrs ago so i cant remember any more details. you can overnight in one of the at shelters (which i would recommend for the bear fence). you have to register at sugerlands visitor center....dont remember the fees if any. i remember it being a good hike though with a long ass climb up to the at, level while on the at then all downhill back to the parking.

pleanty of other trails/loops there as well. just show up at the visitors center and talk to the rangers. they will help you plan.

enjoy

thanks. we're 90% on going somewhere in the smokies. if anyone else knows of somewhere specifically in the smokies to go, or what town/area to start/end in, please post up.

i'm getting very excited about this trip! too bad the tent cot is too heavy....that thing is so comfy!

 

[Roving Beetle]

I have no idea - but if you're in the woods down there and hear banjo's..... run like the wind!

 

[michaels]

ha. i was at the catfish farm (nothing like looking out your tent at 6 in the morning to golden fog over 2000 acres of catfish ponds), and WE were the ones with the banjos!

 

[Roving Beetle]

SQUEEEEEAL BOY! ------ SCWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

*shudders at the thought of that movie*

 

[flyfisher11]

Hey I live here and play banjo so whatch it buddy!

Go to the town of Brevard NC and head up Pisgah National Forest. A good trail is Shining Rock. Check it out and it won't be AS crowded as the Smokies especially during leaf season.

Another good place is Hot Springs NC. This is in my county. You can check out the hot springs then go up to Max Patch, catch the App trail and hike over to Sam's Gap. If you do that then you will need a ride back or hike back. I live near Sam's Gap and Big Bald is in my "neighborhood". If you have a trail map you'll see where I'm talking about.

Cheers,

Mike

attached is a pic from Big Bald near my house looking down on the wild blueberry fields. This is the NC/TN line on the App trail.

 

[michaels]

thanks mike, but Nc is just too far away and would cost too much. if i were going there, then i'd just go all out and head to URE that weekend. i'm looking for more of NE alabama, NW Georgia, or TN right above those places. i'll try to head out toward NC next spring or summer, but that's jsut not gonna happen till then. thanks though

cheers,
mike.

 

[barefoot]

thanks mike, but Nc is just too far away and would cost too much. /QUOTE]

good call man! if you would have camped up on that knob......mike would have molestered you in your sleep.....no doubt!



enjoy!

 

[flyfisher11]

thanks mike, but Nc is just too far away and would cost too much. /QUOTE]

good call man! if you would have camped up on that knob......mike would have molestered you in your sleep.....no doubt!



enjoy!

 

[barefoot]

lol! that dude is ssssssssssssmoking hot!

 

[michaels]

we'll be heading out the 24th early in the morning and heading to atlanta to talk at a s highschool, then after that, we'll drive a few more hours northeast and get the base of the AT. i'll post more info on the exact route and location once i map it out.

 

[Puddle Pirate]

Deliverance is on right now. I was watching it with my son. We're heading out to the AT in Virginia on Friday.