Appalachian Trail Georgia – Explore the Favorite of the Southeastern USA

Typical Georgia AT Itinerary

Getting to the Trail 

If you’re driving your car, you can either park at Amicalola State Park or the Springer Mountain trailhead.

After finishing the hike, you can take a shuttle back to your car or hitch-hike.

If you’re flying into the Atlanta airport, there are several options for trail shuttle services that will drop you off at the trailhead.

Amicalola State Park Approach Trail (optional)

Many hikers choose to do the 8.8 mile approach trail. It’s not officially part of the Appalachian Trail and is optional.

Reasons to do it would be because it’s easy to get to than Springer Mountain and there’s a beautiful waterfall along the way.

A reason not to do it would be because it just might be the toughest section of trail in Georgia.

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Guides & Accommodation

Best Time to Go & Difficulty

Best Time: Hike the Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail in the spring or autumn. The summer will be unbearably hot and humid. Spring and autumn will have much cooler temperatures.

Difficulty: This is a strenuous hike with drastic elevation changes. Rain and thunderstorms are common in the spring. Even though it’s Georgia, winter weather conditions are possible in the mountains. Black bear sightings occur regularly. Food must be stored properly at night.

Cost & Permits

Benefits & Challenges of Hiking AT in Georgia

Benefits 

The mountains are big. This means you’ll have amazing views and really feel like you’ve accomplished something when you make it to the top.

There are lots of shelters and campsites for hikers. Since this section of trail gets so many hikers beginning their thru-hikes, it’s set up well to accommodate everyone. You won’t have to worry about not making it to a shelter or campsite in Georgia because they’re everywhere.

In addition to the trail being set up for hikers, so are the towns. You’ll be able to find most anything you need in towns, in terms of gear and food.

The locals are accustomed to hikers and will go out of their way to give you a ride or help you out. Southern hospitality is in full effect in the Georgia section.

You get to see some famous trail spots in the Appalachian mountain range. What hopeful Appalachian Trail hiker hasn’t heard of Neel’s Gap in Georgia?

It’s a gear shop and hostel that is right in the middle of trail. You literally have to walk through the property on your hike. Not to mention hiking up Blood Mountain, a historical site that is rich in Native American legend.

Challenges 

Along with the mountains being big, they are also challenging to hike.

The trail is constantly full of steep ups and downs. The Georgia section is not easy. Expect to make low mileage.

While most resources say that 12-15 miles a day is average on the Appalachian Trail, that’s not the case here. If you’re new to hiking, plan on doing 7 or 8 miles a day in Georgia, maybe 10 if you’re feeling exceptionally motivated.

If you choose to come here in the spring, it’s going to be crowded. March and April is when all the thru-hikers are descending upon Georgia.

There was one campsite where I struggled to find a flat tent spot because everywhere else was taken. It’s definitely not a tranquil wilderness experience.

Training For The Trek

The best way to learn how far the AT trek in Georgia USA is going to test your physical ability, is to go on some day-long hikes in your own country. 

This will also allow you to break in your hiking shoes and increase your fitness level.

For your exercise routine, we recommend building a combination of hiking, cycling, swimming or rowing to get your heart rate up three times a week.

For aerobic exercise, it is important that you build endurance rather than run at a high intensity so for example if you are planning on jogging, running 5km -10km about 3 times a week at a consistent pace should be the intensity that you are aiming for. 

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