Section 1: Campgrounds and Details, pictures to follow in section 2
We set out in early April for a three week camping and hiking trip to the North Georgia mountains and a side trip to northeast Alabama. This was our first spring trip in over 20 years (After Children, AC) and we escaped a cool and rainy northeast Iowa for what proved to be three weeks of good weather in the southern Appalachian Mountains. North Georgia was a long planned trip because of the string of state parks across North Georgia with lots of hiking including the beginning of the Appalachian Trail (AT) at Springer Mountain. In our travels, only two places have a series of state parks with connecting hiking trail systems: North Georgia and Northeast Minnesota (Superior Hiking Trail system). The day hiking and camping opportunities are almost endless at these two locations.
Living near the Mississippi, we will admit to "heretical" WTW values:
1. The pictures we take hiking the West are better than the experience.
2. The experience of hiking the East is better than the pictures.
3. After hiking three or more weeks in the West, we are ready to go home.
4. After hiking three or more weeks in the East, we are ready to come back.
5. The pictures we take in the West inspire us to come back.
6. The pictures we take in the East make us wonder why we went.
Hiking to the southern end of the AT at Springer Mountain was a pilgrimage for us since we have hiked AT sections as far away as Maine but the view at Springer is weak. We day hiked (out and back) the AT from Amicalola Falls (near Springer Mtn) to Brasstown Bald (highest point in Georgia) a distance of around 50 miles, one way, plus side trips. The AT was busy with through hikers (heading to Maine), section hikers (backpacking a section), day hikers (us), and locals following their tradition of camping in the mountains.
Our trip campground itinerary was:
1. Ferne Clyffe SP in southern Illinois for one transit night.
2. DeSoto SP in northeast Alabama for three nights.
3. Fort Mtn SP in Georgia for three nights.
4. Amicalola Falls SP in Georgia for two nights.
5. Vogel SP in Georgia for 12 nights.
6. Weldon Springs SP in central Illinois for one transit night.
All these campgrounds had the same character: hookups, rolling terrain, lots of shade, showers, and were quiet after 9-10pm. Campgrounds routinely fill on weekends and so we made reservations for weekends but no campground filled from Sunday noon to Friday noon. Alabama and Georgia reservations are not site specific and you pick a site on arrival to prevent one or two day checkerboard gaps between reservations since no one wants to move their trailer or tent to fill the checkerboard.
DeSoto SP in Alabama has one of the longest eastern rivers, Little River, whose course is only on a mountain top, Lookout Mtn. DeSoto SP is next to the scenic Little River Canyon National Preserve which is operated by the National Park Service. Fort Mtn SP has a good trail system and prehistoric Indian ruins. Amicalola Falls SP has a long trail to access Springer Mtn and the AT as well as the tallest falls in Georgia. Vogel SP is a quiet park near the AT. We planned to return to day hike the AT from Brasstown Bald to Smokey Mtn NP next year before we left Georgia and before we looked at our pictures.
We set out in early April for a three week camping and hiking trip to the North Georgia mountains and a side trip to northeast Alabama. This was our first spring trip in over 20 years (After Children, AC) and we escaped a cool and rainy northeast Iowa for what proved to be three weeks of good weather in the southern Appalachian Mountains. North Georgia was a long planned trip because of the string of state parks across North Georgia with lots of hiking including the beginning of the Appalachian Trail (AT) at Springer Mountain. In our travels, only two places have a series of state parks with connecting hiking trail systems: North Georgia and Northeast Minnesota (Superior Hiking Trail system). The day hiking and camping opportunities are almost endless at these two locations.
Living near the Mississippi, we will admit to "heretical" WTW values:
1. The pictures we take hiking the West are better than the experience.
2. The experience of hiking the East is better than the pictures.
3. After hiking three or more weeks in the West, we are ready to go home.
4. After hiking three or more weeks in the East, we are ready to come back.
5. The pictures we take in the West inspire us to come back.
6. The pictures we take in the East make us wonder why we went.
Hiking to the southern end of the AT at Springer Mountain was a pilgrimage for us since we have hiked AT sections as far away as Maine but the view at Springer is weak. We day hiked (out and back) the AT from Amicalola Falls (near Springer Mtn) to Brasstown Bald (highest point in Georgia) a distance of around 50 miles, one way, plus side trips. The AT was busy with through hikers (heading to Maine), section hikers (backpacking a section), day hikers (us), and locals following their tradition of camping in the mountains.
Our trip campground itinerary was:
1. Ferne Clyffe SP in southern Illinois for one transit night.
2. DeSoto SP in northeast Alabama for three nights.
3. Fort Mtn SP in Georgia for three nights.
4. Amicalola Falls SP in Georgia for two nights.
5. Vogel SP in Georgia for 12 nights.
6. Weldon Springs SP in central Illinois for one transit night.
All these campgrounds had the same character: hookups, rolling terrain, lots of shade, showers, and were quiet after 9-10pm. Campgrounds routinely fill on weekends and so we made reservations for weekends but no campground filled from Sunday noon to Friday noon. Alabama and Georgia reservations are not site specific and you pick a site on arrival to prevent one or two day checkerboard gaps between reservations since no one wants to move their trailer or tent to fill the checkerboard.
DeSoto SP in Alabama has one of the longest eastern rivers, Little River, whose course is only on a mountain top, Lookout Mtn. DeSoto SP is next to the scenic Little River Canyon National Preserve which is operated by the National Park Service. Fort Mtn SP has a good trail system and prehistoric Indian ruins. Amicalola Falls SP has a long trail to access Springer Mtn and the AT as well as the tallest falls in Georgia. Vogel SP is a quiet park near the AT. We planned to return to day hike the AT from Brasstown Bald to Smokey Mtn NP next year before we left Georgia and before we looked at our pictures.