Wednesday, OCTOBER 1
Blood Mountain Day Hike
Byron Reece & Appalachian Trails
Join the Georgia Conservancy on Wednesday, October 1 for a day hike at Blood Mountain. Our group will rally up at the Mountain Crossing at Neel's Gap at 1o AM for last-minute provisions before parking a few yards away at the Byron Reece Trailhead. From there we will begin the 5-mile out-and-back morning hike along the Byron Reece Trail and Appalachian Trail to the summit of Blood Mountain.
When: Wednesday, October 1 // 10 AM - 3:30 PM
Cost: Free with a suggested $15 donation
Where to Meet: Mountain Crossing at Neels Gap // 12471 Gainesville Hwy, Blairsville, GA 30512
Details: 5-mile out-and-back hike along the Byron Reece Trail and Appalachian Trail to the summit of Blood Mountain. There is a significant amount of uphill elevation gain (1400+ feet) during this hike, so do keep that in mind.
What to bring: Please bring plenty of water, snacks for the trail, lunch for the summit, appropriate hiking shoes (closed-toe), warm clothes, rain jacket (just in case!), and a sense of adventure.
Parking: Byron Reece Trailhead parking
Blood Mountain is the highest peak on Georgia's portion of the Appalachian Trail. Some believe the name came from a bloody battle between the Cherokee and Muscogee-Creek long before white settlers arrived in the area. Other theories derive the name from red lichen or Catawba rhododendron growing on the rocky summit. At 4,458, it overlooks an area rich in streams, hiking trails, and scenic recreation spots, one of which - Sosebee Cove - is probably Georgia's only north-facing cove traversed by a paved road at such high elevation. It has an accessible boulder field, northern hardwoods, large buckeyes, and tulip poplars.
The Appalachian Trail/Byron Reece Trail from Neels Gap to the Blood Mountain Summit is about 2.5 miles (five miles roundtrip). The trail is generally steep and rocky in many places, but easy to follow. Near the summit, hikers will be rewarded with several picnic rocks and superb vistas from rock outcrops, including Yonah Mountain, Tray Mountain, Lake Winfield Scott, and Slaughter Mountain.
Join us on a Georgia Conservancy Stewardship Trip to learn more about important location-specific conservation issues, as well as statewide advocacy opportunities. Our goal is simple: Create a connection between some of Georgia’s most precious places and the people needed to protect them.
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*Registration date TBD
PHOTOS FROM PAST TRIPS
The Georgia Conservancy's Stewardship Trips program is excited to offer our Day Trips to supplement and enhance our already robust statewide trips schedule and aims to highlight and acknowledge the diverse array of green spaces, natural resources, individuals and organizations that are putting Georgia on the map for environmental stewardship and sustainable growth.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Georgia Conservancy Communications Director Brian Foster at bfoster@gaconservancy.org
