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Fannin County Georgia Hiking Trails
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Benton Mackaye Trail - Appalachian Trail
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Length: 78.6 miles
Rating: All Difficultie
Use: Light
Restrictions: No motorized
vehicles allowed on trail.
Benton Mackaye Trail offers sparkling streams through laurel and
rhododendron thickets to scenic ridge tops, mature forest, and country
roads.
Benton Mackaye Trail in Georgia stretches from Springer Mountain to
Double Spring Gap on Tennessee border. The first 20 miles of this trail
merge with the Appalachian and Duncan Ridge Trails. From Springer
Mountain, the Benton MacKaye Trail goes north to Rhodes Mountain and turns
west, crossing the Toccoa River at Shallowford Bridge. The trail uses
country roads near Stanley Gap, and then follows ridges tops to Cherry
Log.
The trail then crosses private
property before following state and county roads to Bush Head Gap. The
entire trail is marked with white diamonds and blazes on trees. The last 7
miles are located within the Cohutta Wilderness. The terrain varies from
streams through laurel and rhododendron thickets to scenic ridge tops,
mature forest, and country roads. The trail is marked with white diamonds
and blazes on trees. On the Cohutta District, the trail merges with the
South Fork, Jacks River, and Hemtop Trails, where horse travel is permitted
within the wilderness.
Directions:
There are many access points along this trail. Shallowford Bridge
Access: From Blue Ridge, take old U.S. 76 for 1 mile east to Aska Road.
Turn right, and go south for 9 miles to a steel bridge. GA Highway 60
Access: From Blue Ridge, take Old U.S. 76 east for 5 miles to Morganton.
There, turn right on GA 60 and travel south 15 miles near Tooni Gap. The
following access points are available within the Cohutta Ranger District.
Watson Gap Access: Take GA 5 northwest out of Blue Ridge for about 4
miles. Turn left at the Watson Gap directional sign onto Old GA 2 and
travel 10.5 miles to Watson Gap, a four-way intersection, where the trail
enters the road. Dyer Gap Access: Follow directions to Watson Gap. Turn
left onto Forest Service Road 64 and go 3.5 miles to the Dyer Cemetery.
The trail crosses the road just beyond this point. Dally Gap Access:
Follow directions to Watson Gap. Then turn right onto Forest Service Road
22 and go about 3.5 miles to Dally Gap and the Jacks River trailhead. Hike
down the Jacks River Trail about 0.8 mile to where the Benton MacKaye
Trail intersects.
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