Directions - Appalachian Trail

imported
#1

can anyone give me directions or point me in the right direction to get directions (is that redundant?) to USFS 42, the forest service road just past springer mountain shelter? thanks!

hephzibah

#2

hepzibah,go to www.mapquest.com type starting point and ending point. they give you maps too. I have been there the last 2 years and it can be tricky

Train

#3

Here are the directions as given out by the park service at Amicalola Falls State Park. The directions have changed over the past couple of years. It is now easier to follow, I hope you agree.

Turn right out of the Park, on Hwy. 52, go approximately 13.7 miles. On your left will be a power company substation (transformers, etc.) on your immediate right will be Cartecay Church. The street on your right is Roy Road (there is a sign stating this). Across Roy Road is Stanley’s Store a Chevron gas station. Turn right on Roy Road and proceed approximately 9.7 miles to Doublehead Gap Road, the second stop sign. Turn right on Doublehead Gap Road and proceed approximately 2.2 miles where you will see Mt. Pleasant Church on your left. Turn right on the dirt road directly across from Mt. Pleasant Church. There will be a sign indicating this is an entrance to the Blue Ridge Wildlife Management Area. This dirt road is FS #42. Contiune o approximately 6.8 miles on FS 42 until you see a parking area on your left. There is no longer a fee to park. You will be .9 mile from Springer or 2,161 miles from Katahdin.

All roads are windy, FS 42 can be rugged and during the winter months you may need a four-wheel drive vehicle. I have never heard of any problems with parking your car at this parking lot. I have parked there many times without any trouble. The entire trip from Amicalola Falls State Park and the parking lot on FS 42 is approximately 32.4 miles. It will take you about 50 minutes to drive it.

There is another way to get there by FS 77 is a steep, rutted dirt road and I would only take a four-wheel drive on that route. Let me know if you need that route. It takes about the same amount of time.

Bilko

#4

I stopped at the Forest Service headquarters in Dahlonega and got great directions from the nice lady there who also helped me out with my pronuciation of local words so I wouldn’t sound like such a yankee.

Big B