The Route
The hike is one we often do in spring -- walking the upper part of the Jack’s River from its source in the Cohutta Wilderness Area near Ellijay, GA. In my opinion, this is one of the most beautiful hikes in North Georgia.
We will leave the Language Institute in the morning and drive on increasingly small roads into the Wilderness Area. The last road we use is dirt and, if it hasn't been graded for the season, it may not be easy for a low sportscar like a Trans Am or a Porche to pass. Normal passenger cars are fine on the road, as are pick-up trucks and SUVs, of course.
We will start the hike at the Dally Gap trailhead and hike for about 5 miles, uphill at the start but mostly downhill. This section is an attractive part of the walk, especially at this time of year when the orange and pink native azaleas are blooming; the increasingly rare trillium with its distinctive three leaves also sprouts along the path in spring. Best of all, it's an easy walk, and when we get to Jack's River, we'll stop there for lunch.
After lunch, some hikers may decide to return to the trailhead by the same route we took down. For the others, the second half of the hike follows the Jack’s River Trail for 6 miles back to Dally's Gap, completing a circle. On this trail, immediately after lunch, we do the first of 20 fords of the river. The water in these fords rarely comes above mid-thigh, though it's easy to slip into the water because of slick rocks. This section is always a fun part of the hike, not only because of the crossings but also because of flowering plants in the valley during the spring. Native ginger and orchids are not unusual along this part of the hike. Then, for the last hour or so of the walk, the trail leaves the water and climbs through rocks above the river, offering some great views below. I think this is the most scenic part of the walk, though people often forget to look at the view as they are watching their footing. Eventually, the trail flattens out and heads for the car park.
Given all the river crossings and the distance we hike, we generally finish about dinner time. Therefore, many of us stop at a typical mountain barbecue restaurant for supper before driving back to Atlanta.
The trip will be a long, full day.
Requirements
There are only two requirements for this trip.
First, hikers need to be in fairly good physical condition. The total hike is 11 miles (18.3 km) of walking, so it is quite different from a visit to Stone Mountain or a picnic in Piedmont Park. Furthermore, the hike is in an undeveloped wilderness area, so there are no sidewalks, vending machines or bathrooms. The hike is an athletic outing in a natural area.
The second requirement is that all
hikers attend the announced orientation meeting. This is a
very IMPORTANT requirement as I will try to arrange car pools for students
at this meeting so participants won’t have to rent cars for transportation
(though if several people from a class want to go on the hike, they sometimes
rent a car together anyway). The meeting is also important because
all hikers must sign a liability waiver there that releases Georgia Tech
from responsibility in case of an accident on the hike. No one may
go on the hike unless they have signed this waiver.
What to Bring
1. Trail snacks--Many
hikers like to have hard candy or chocolate on long hikes for a little
energy boost from the sugar.
2. Lunch--No food is
available in the wilderness area. Americans bring fruit and
sandwiches, but it seems there are different
traditions in different countries. It only needs to be nutritious.
3. Water--While the
river is very pure, there is a parasite in it which can cause diarrhea
for months. Really. Don’t drink this
water.
4. Sturdy walking shoes--The
trails are uneven and often rocky.
5. Canvas shoes--Hikers
planning to follow the river trail will wade across the river about 20
times. Canvas shoes are most
appropriate for this activity as the rocks are very slick and your
toes will need some protection in the river.
Bare feet or sandals are not practical for crossing the river.
6. Second change of clothes--You
will almost certainly get wet at some point, either from sweating or from
slipping into the river on
the river trail. It’s always nice to have dry clothes for the trip
back to Atlanta.