SPRINGER MOUNTAIN SUMMIT
Distance: 1.8 mile Round Trip from National Forest Road 42 parking lot
Time: 1-1.5 hours
Difficulty: mildly strenuous
For my hike along a segment of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia, I choose to hike to the top of Springer Mountain, the trail’s southern terminus.
The closest trail parking area is located on National Forest Road 42 (NF 42) on the north side of the mountain. The top of the mountain can also be reached from the south by hiking approximately five miles from Amicalola Falls State Park. If your goal is to get to the start of the trail as quickly as possible, the NF 42 parking lot is the place to be.
It is difficult for me to pinpoint the exact GPS location of the NF 42 parking lot since there is no physical address. Once you locate Springer Mountain, look for the road just north of it; this is NF 42, which also goes by 13111 and 13123. Once on NF 42 you can’t miss the parking lot. Not only will there be a sign for the lot, the lot should be full of cars. I was there on a Monday afternoon in April and there were about a dozen cars. I’m guessing that on a weekend that you may have to park along the road, as the lot is sure to fill. There is a map to the parking lot at the bottom of this page.
NF 42 is a gravel road that can be, on dry days, driven with an ordinary car. It does have its share of potholes, but it’s no worse than a NY City street. However, if it has been raining I would be hesitant to take a non-4WD vehicle, as it could get very muddy and slick. High clearance is never needed, but 4WD traction would be a big plus on a muddy road. Plan on driving 25 MPH, no more than 30. It is full of S-curves and only 1.5 car widths wide, so you must always be on the lookout for oncoming cars whenever you go around a curve.
Once parked, the trail to the peak of Springer Mountain is across the street, closest to the parking lot end where the trail bulletin boards are. As far as mountain peak trails go, this trail is relatively tame. Yes, it will get your heart pumping, but anyone who can still walk should be able to manage the hike without problem. It was about 60 F when I hiked and I didn’t even take a drink of water, though I did carry a liter. I’m not the fastest hiker on the planet and it took me about 35 minutes to get to the top, which included time to stop and take photographs along the way. The trail is very rocky. Going up is not a big deal, but watch your step on the way down. Hiking poles would be welcome on a rocky, downhill hike such as this.
The trail is straightforward; no chance of getting lost. There are two side trails, one that leads to a camping area (18 unimproved sites with composting toilets) and one that veers off onto the Benton Mackaye Trail (a 300 mile southern trail that also begins atop Springer Mountain). They are well marked, so there is no chance of you unwittingly marching off onto one of these.
The only other concern you might have is that if it has rained shortly before your hike, expect patches of mud along the trail. Water cascades down the mountain in numerous streams that cross the trail. Most of the mud holes cannot be walked around, so be sure to have water resistant footwear—any hiking boot should do.
The top of the mountain sneaks up on you and is rather unassuming. I knew there was some sort of monument to the Appalachian Trail at the top and I pictured a huge sculpture, but this is not the case. There are two plaques mounted in the rock, one acknowledging that Springer Mountain is the trail’s southern terminus and the other a tribute to the trail from the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club. The top is a nice place to have a picnic. The views of the surrounding mountains would be excellent except for the fact that there are many trees in the way.
There are a number of unmarked trails leading in various directions from the peak. As mentioned, the Benton Mackaye Trail also starts on Springer Mountain. When you are finished your visit of the peak, turn around and head back from where you came.
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Last updated on March 21, 2019