According to the Amacolola Falls State Park museum, Benton MacKaye’s original vision for the AT was to have the southern end at Alabama’s highest point, Cheaha Mountain. Local clubs that had formed along the route to build the trail in the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s had difficulty in that area rallying support for the construction and maintenance of the trail, so the original southern terminus was established at Mt Oglethorpe Georgia. Northwest Georgia has a long and deep tradition of moonshine production. As hikers began using the trail, it attracted more strangers to the region. This was in the 1950s and legend has it that local moonshiners were concerned, so the trail’s southern terminus was moved to its current location atop Springer Mountain. The region’s moonshine culture, along with four state borders with different jurisdictions and liquor laws, created a noble and secretive industry. You had to know and be known. Moving product from still to juke developed exceptional driving skills and excellent mechanics in the area. NASCAR, enjoyed by millions of people today, grew out of racers and their fast muscle cars. The culture of Friday night racing grew on rural dirt tracks and the skills required to enter the ovals required some racing skills, polish and a good word from those in the know. The most accepted reason cited for the relocation of the southern terminus of the AT today is that at the time land security and trail access were limited due to private ownership of the land and the difficult topography of the region.
Trains, planes and cars.
The process of getting to the trailhead is an adventure in itself, both logistically and emotionally. There are many posts about different ways to do it. I took the option to “leave enough float” (float is flexibility in the schedule to allow for unforeseen delays) in the process to relax, enjoy it, and allow for surprises on the trip. I left the house in the darkness of the morning. BART, United Airlines and MARTA were all very nice.
After spending the night at a hotel in Sandy Springs, I went to REI to buy the fuel cans that can’t be transported on a plane. I immediately met two other hikers. It turned out they were on the same ferry as me and we hit it off quickly. I guess our pace may not be similar. One of the sad parts of the AT adventure is that you meet a lot of wonderful people in a very short time. Everyone was excited when I asked them to sign the class flag I carry. A piece of Tyvek that will now be at all future Class 26 reunions. Little details like these make the adventure even more interesting. The bus ride was excellent. We each talked about various outdoor activities and the 71-minute trip (the shuttle driver, Bandit, does enough to keep it down to the minute) flew by as if it were nothing.
Base camp
The Amacolola Falls State Park parking lot appears. Adrenaline overwhelmed the four of us (including the bus driver). The energy could have lit up the place as we walked to the register. We burst into the room smiling from ear to ear, the ATC Base Camp teachers took advantage of the energy and the room exploded with excitement that spread to a couple of hikers who were more subdued waiting for the orientation presentation. Tonya, (trail name Monarch), the presenter, was excellent. We received more detailed information because she was excited about us and I could feel the energy flowing in the room.
We had our Leave No Trace training and earned our hiker tags. I am 1919, that is, hiker number 1919 of the season. Basecamp staff said they receive about 40 a day. This is lower than the last few weeks and lower than last year at this time. They also insisted on reviewing data that shows bear incidents are increasing and that they anticipate the Forest Service will require bear canisters in certain areas as bears have become adept at overcoming the PCT’s standard blockade practice.
PCT crashes
A PCT hang requires a 20-foot-tall branch that extends at least 12 feet from the trunk of the tree. They are named that because they were successful in the past on the Pacific Crest Trail. Most hikers cannot set up a proper PCT. This is because most of the best branches in the first 400 miles were removed by Hurricane Helene in 2024. The other reason bear incidents are increasing is that many social media posts have discouraged new hikers from paying attention to bear data and newer hikers don’t know the details of what a proper PCT entails.
The Arch
The Arc is the spiritual entrance to the adventure, something like the wardrobe of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
The steps
The access trail after The Arch climbs directly towards the waterfalls. The first features are the steps. Remember, this is just the beginning of the approach trail, the Appalachian Trail begins 8 miles away.
The approach path is no joke
After the euphoria of The Arch and The Steps wears off, the climb to Springer begins. The trails in Georgia are steep. They were built only for hikers, not also for livestock or perhaps bicycles like in other places. Many people think that since it is just the “approach” trail, it is not where the real fun begins. Prepare to be challenged even before the target burns.
The Lime Green and Blueberry Cobbler
About five miles past the access trail, you come to a side trail junction. There are many of these “blue blaze” trails connected to the main “white blaze” Appalachian Trail. The Approach Trail is actually a blue flare. It’s the lime green color of this side trail that piqued my curiosity. It said Hike Inn Lodge 1 mile. The path began to descend, which on the way back meant going up. I almost turned around. I’m glad I didn’t. The lodge is a set of buildings architecturally appropriate to host various outdoor hiking and trekking activities. Think of a European lodge or one of the Tri-Lodges in California’s Sierra Nevada. The receptionist welcomed me, checked on my luggage, and invited me, as all wandering hikers do, to serve me some blueberry pie left over from dinner the night before. I had two pieces and then I played guitar for a while on the front porch. There is nothing better than this.
But at the first white fire
Those two pieces of cobbler were much appreciated as the climb after returning from the lime green fire detour was steep and hot in the sun. I arrived at the first white fire around 4:30 in the afternoon. It was shared with a group of other hikers who were also beginning their trips.
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