Tuesday, July 5, 2005
We hiked the Coosa Backcountry Trail out of Vogel and up to Blood Mtn. and down over the 4th of July weekend. Beautiful area, but the "strenuous" rating is accurate. Going counterclockwise from Vogel, the first half of the trail is HEAVILY surrounded by poison ivy, and it is present in campsites as well, so be careful, particularly if you are hypersensitive. Even for the holiday, the trail was not crowded. Still lots of wildflowers, particularly spiderwort and flame azalea, even some rhododendron. Plenty of water--cascading waterfalls. Lush ferns. Just gorgeous. Challenging, but worth it! Sign at trailhead said average hiking time is 9 hours; I'd agree with that Remember to Leave No Trace!
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
My wife and I hiked this trail April 8-9 it is a great trail just to get away from people for a couple of days.This trail would have been close to imposable to hike clock-wise due to the rain while we were their.It was muddy and slick the whole way.The first half of the loop is only a prelude for whats to come. After you decend into wolf pen gap and cross the highwayt there is a long steep climb to the top.Once you reach the peak its all down hill from their. Well worth hike and some good views but watch out for the weather it wll sneak up on ya.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
I hiked this trail last Sunday (May 22) -- Coosa Trail, to Duncan, to Blood Mountain. I learned later to hike the Coosa in counter clockwise fashion as it is easier. Going clockwise to Blood Mountain is straight up hill the whole way. 2000 feet of elevation gain in 3.6 miles. Two and a half hours up and one hour fifteen down because it's so downhill. Views at Blood Mountain are great, but be prepared for a tough upward hike. Very private. Saw no one. Was also rocky and muddy. Easier way to Blood Mountain is via Neels Gap -- maybe an hour.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
April 9, 2005 I hike the Coosa in 6 hours. Did not take a break. Due to no leaves on the trees and a clear day the scenery was great. Some of the other reports mention no water. There was adequate water supply that day. There has been abundant rain this spring. Some of those springs may be dry in summer. Due to large patches of poison oak on the side of the trail, you would have to be cautious if hiking in the summer. I recommend using trekking poles. Get your arms involved and take some of the work off your legs.
Friday, January 7, 2005
A friend and I hiked the Coosa Backcountry trail on Thursday Jan. 6 05. It was raining from about 8 AM when we started until 2PM which really took away from the views. The trail was rather messy with lots of downed trees and a campsite that had canned food and stove fuel bottles laying around. the first part of the trail was easy but then we started to climb. It would have been okay with hiking poles and day hike gear, but we had 2 days of food, 7 lb old school sleeping bags, and clothes for a cold night. We struggled through the whole trail and found water to be scarce in the second part of the trail. The under brush on both of the mountains detracted from the views and i managed only one good mountain range picture. I would recommend taking light day hiking gear and arriving early. we finished in 12 hours with a whole bunch of breaks.
Friday, December 3, 2004
Hiked the CBT after one week of solid rain. Trail reports are accurate. At 6 miles is a nice campground. A better one is 1/4 mile up the hill by a creek. 1st 6 miles are easy. I would only recommend counterclockwise. 2nd 6+ miles are tough. A challenge that was well worth it. Water sources are as listed. In the summer I can see you would need these extra means to keep treated water. The sie trips to Coosa Bald and Blood Mountain are worth it. Nice views. Beware of the weather sneeking up on you. It can get windy and rainy in a hurry. Accurate reports prior to your leaving are important. Care is needed to not miss some blazes. Trees are down in areas but are easily navigated.
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Backpacked CBT Nov 26 & 27. (not and in and out, is a loop) Previous week rain daily. Highs in the 50s, lows in the 30s. Blazes are worn and a little infrequent in places. Once you leave the park extra care for deer hunters are needed. First 6 miles (4hrs hiking) are easy to moderate. Camp sights at Calf Stomp are OK but a better one is 1/4 mile up the hill. 2nd half of the trail is tough. You will feel it in toes, calves, and knees the next day. Good views especially at Coosa Bald. Winds can be a factor on the ridge. If bad weather is coming the ridge may not be the best place to get caught. Trees are down in numerous places but are easily handled. Water is as described by others. Best to listen to the advice. Hike CBT counter clockwise and as an overnight. Will come back in spring with my wife and day hike the much shorter Bear Hair.
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Definatley take this trail counter-clockwise!! My son and I hiked the trail on Nov. 21-22 2004. We had done the 1st half a couple of times before, but I had knee problems, and had to take the forestry service road out. The first half is tough, but nothing compared to the second half! There where several large trees blocking the 1st half of the trail. We did camp at Calf Stomp and have camped there before. Unless there are a lot of other people there, I think it's great. It's far enough from the creek (not supposed to camp withing 200ft) but close enough to make an easy water run (if you're standing in the road looking at the camp, it's on your left). Water was never a problem this time of year. (We refilled water 4 times) Firewood wasn't a problem either. The second half is very strenuous. I highly recommend trekking poles if you have bad knees. Most of the second half seems uphill! After Yellowhead Gap (think that was the name) there is some serious downhill trail on an old logging road. Then more uphill. After Yellowhead you join the Duncan Ridge trail. There is a new looking signpost at the intersection of Cooosa, Duncan and the AT. You can make an excursion to Blood Mountain there. I believe it's a mile. My legs couldn't stand the thought of more uphill, and the fog was pretty bad, so we didn't go. It's definately all downhill from there, the trail so narrow and cliff hanging, I felt a little like a mountain goat. There was one wash out near bottom of the worse desent. Once you do join back up with Bear Hair the last 1.5 or so miles are smooth sailing. While this trail is VERY challenging, we enjoyed it and look forward to hiking it again.
Friday, July 9, 2004
Trail type is incorrect: it is a loop, not "in and out". Also, Slaughter Mtn is climbed as you are coming out of Wolfpen Gap, but it doesn't sound that way from this description. One last thing, please note that all trails that used to go into Slaughter Gap have been rerouted to avoid it, this includes some minor rerouting of the Coosa.
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
The stretch between Wolf Creek and Calf Stomp Gap had several trees down, making it a bit difficult to traverse with a large pack. Buddy of mine and I went back last weekend with saws and cut the big stuff off the trail-- should be much more traversable. Also, some local teenage rednecks had totally trashed the beautiful camp site at Calf Stomp Gap-- but that's fixed, too. Overall comments? I've hiked all over the US. This is one of the quietest, more interesting trails around. I love it. It gets few visitors, but those that do hike it seem to be great people.
Saturday, April 17, 2004
A friend and I hiked the trail on 4/15-4/16. The trail lived up to its billing as a tough trail. I strongly encourage anyone going on this trail to make sure they have two trekking poles before they start. They were a life saver. We headed into the trail at 1:30 on Thursday. The first two hours were not difficult but after that point the hike got much tougher. There was plenty of water on this portion of the trail. We reached the half way point in about four hours and stopped to camp. I would recommend not camping at Calf Stomp. There was no trash to be found as some of the other trail reports mentioned but the site about 20 minutes up the path is right beside a creek making it much more convenient to refill water supplies and to use for cooking. We left camp about 8:15 Friday morning. The hike was much more difficult from here on out, and there were no water sources until we were just about down Slaughter Mountain. It was as reported earlier either straight up or straight down. The path overall was very well marked and easy to follow. The downhill portion after you have reached the top of Slaughter Mountain was very tough. The trail was very steep and rocky. We got back to the park at about 1:20 on Friday. I was a little sore Friday but the real soreness showed up when I got out of bed on Saturday. My calves were killing me! Overall A wonderful and beautiful hike. I would rather try and day hike it but the backpack and gear made it a much greater challenge. I would not recommend this trail in the middle of the summer. With all the trees in full bloom it could be hard to follow the path.
Monday, December 1, 2003
This is a great trail to hike. I would not suggest it for the beginner as it contains many strenuous climbs and decents. The trail has very few level portions and you will spend alot of time straining uphill and then shifing all your wieght trying not to fall down the downhills. I hiked this trail in January 2003 and it has been one of my favorites, i like hiking it in the winter as there is probably snow, just make sure you bring plenty of cold weather cloting (15 F & -5 F with the windchill when I hiked it). The best campsite is just befor you make the largest ascent on the trail, it is located near a stream and there is plenty of wood for fires.
Wednesday, November 5, 2003
October 18, 2003 (hike date) - A friend and I hiked this trail in one day (counterclockwise), though with overnight gear. We didn't make it to Vogel much before dark, so we camped on the old road where Bear Hair/Coosa come back into the approach trail from Slaughter Mountain. Total trip took approximately 6:40. We were hurting, though. The descents are bad on the knees and quads; take trekking poles if you have them. There wasn't a whole lot of scenery, and unfortunately the leaves weren't all that pretty. The trail was somewhat overgrown, but we passed a Boy Scout troop out with their saws and clippers. Hopefully that will help. It's kind of funny how all the mileage markers are so inconsistent with each other. I wonder what the real distance is.
Monday, September 29, 2003
HOw this was a hard hike. We did it in a day. 6.5 hours with a half hour for lunch. I do recommend hiking this trail in one day. But be prepared. H20 should be your largest concern. We took 5 liters between two people which was just the right amount. The temp was also about 60, so if it would 80 we most likly would have run out of water.
Sunday, August 10, 2003
Hiked the trail on 08/09/03. Parts of it was grown over to the point you could not see your feet. The calf stomp crossing looked like a garbage dump. Some Idiot had left a large screen house in a pile along with various articles of clothing and other garbage. It looks as though some local started to assemble the screenhouse and could not quite get the hang of it and just gave up and left it. Will take the Jeep and go clean it up this afternoon. T Fox
Monday, June 30, 2003
I hiked the trail Saturday June 28th. Some comments and recommendations follow. The trail is recommended as a two day hike, but a two day hike involves tent, sleeping bag, food, stove. In my opinion, it is an easier one day hike without carrying all that equipment. I camped at Vogel the night before to get an early start. I left Vogel at 7:35 and got back at 16:00. Do not attempt the trail in a clockwise direction, that would be a killer in the climb up to Slaughter Mountain. Also beg, borrow, or steal trekking poles. They are invaluable on the final descent from Slaughter which is steep and rocky. The climbs going counterclockwise are much more gradual. My progress on the trail I lunched at the Big Grassy Knob starting at 11:45. I came down from Wildcat Knob and took a break at Route 180 at 13:05. So it took me almost another three hours to get back to Vogel mainly downhill. I recommend wearing a shirt with wicking capabilities or taking a spare as I was a little chilly at lunch with my cotton tee shirt soaked. The entire hike is under canopy with no views in the summer. The trail is overgrown in some places which and there were many downed logs. Sometimes the trail markings were really spaced out but in all but one place all possible turns were well marked. There was only one spot were there was a steep decline into a cross trail off of Wildcat Knob, the trail to the right was uphill and blocked with branches, downhill after a way was the yellow blaze I was looking for. The only people I saw all day was almost at the end when I came across a couple doing the Bear Hair Loop.
Monday, May 5, 2003
My wife and I hiked Coosa Backcountry this weekend (May 3rd and 4th 2003). This is a great two day hike. Difficult at times but never impossible. This is my interpetetion of the hike (going counter clockwise). First mile is a gentle uphill. A very pleasent hike by a river. The next two miles are down hill. You will follow an forest service road down the hill with great views of the valley. The following three miles are uphill with some steep climbing at times. Also, the brush is heavy at times. You now have completed the first 6 miles. I would suggest not Camping at the half way point (6.1 mile marker). It is next to the forest service road and was very trashy. Continue up the hill for another 15 to 20 minutes and there is a great camp site off to the right. The stream runs right by the camp site so getting water is easy. There is enough room for two tents. If this camp spot is full, there is another great spot at the top of the hill where the Coosa trail meets the Duncan ridge trail. From the half way point, you climb for about another mile only to descend a mile straight down a very rocky stretch. This is difficult at times. The Gap crosses a road and quickly heads straight up for another one mile. I believe this is slaughter mountain. Once at the top, there are some great views. The trial then starts down hill for two miles. This is the hardest part of the trail. It is steep and very rocky at times. Your calfs and knees will really feel this one. Once at the bottom, it is a short 1.6 miles back to Vogal state park. This is an easy downhill run. I would recommend this hike to anyone. It is a loop trail and filling out the hiking permit gives you a sense of security. If you are a first time backpacker, this would be an excellent trail to start on. There was plenty of water along the trail and it is well marked. Greg and Brenda
Wednesday, April 9, 2003
I found the Coosa Backcountry Trail to be extremely strenuous. A beautiful area to hike, but the trail is not well maintained nor well marked. I walked off the trail several times, because trail blazes were not well placed. Overall it was a good hike and I enjoyed the two days we spent on the trail.
Friday, March 21, 2003
A friend and I hiked the Coosa backcountry trail on March 14th and 15th. The trail lived up to its billing of being difficult. We started on Saturday at 9am in light rain and reached the six mile point about 12:30. The rain let up and we had a nice time at our camp site. That evening a park ranger payed us a visit. It's nice to know that they are checking on everyone. the next mourning we headed out on the trail about nine again. We both agreed that this part of the trail prooved to be the more strenous part, especially the hike up Slaughter Mountian. If your not in good shape or are carring a large pack be prepared to loose about 20 pounds. We were going to camp sunday but agreed to get the hell out of there.
Wednesday, January 15, 2003
Me and 3 friends of mine hiked the Coosa on Jan. 3,4,5. I was hiking with to inexperienced hikers so we took it slow as it was snowing and less than 30 degrees and our two novice hikers were not ready for the journey. I would recommend hiking the coosa in 2 days arriving at Vogel at about 12pm on the first day should put you at Calf Stomp Ridge(the half point) by about 5 oclock. There is a prime campsite on the top of Calf-stomp which offers a magnificent view. This is a great trail although steep climbs will cause you to take short rests, after completing it you will definitely feel accomplished. Good luck, hopefully i will see you out there.
Friday, November 22, 2002
hiked it on tuesday (11/19) thru wednesday (11/20) and found it to be a beautiful trail! Being on a tuesday and wednesday I was all alone on the trail both days. WONDERFUL! It was strenous, but worth it. The thick fall leaves covered the ground making it hard to see the trail at times but the frequent yellow blazes were placed PERFECTLY so it was never an issue. The surrounding scenery changed with almost every turn. From dense forest to grassy balds. Lots of pines and mountain laurel and small patches of ferns scattered about. Most of the trees were almost bare making for some extra views not afforded to those on this trail in spring and summer. Plenty of newly downed foliage remained from last weeks severe storms. It made for some interesting squeezing with pack on. Trail was impeded less than five times. No biggie.Camped on the last mountain top just before the halfway point but I still don't know which mountain it was because the map provided me by the visitors center left much to be desired. Nightfall brought the sounds of coyotes on surrounding hillsides and one was brave enough to wander into my camp and give me a sniff through my tent but was instantly scared away when I turned over. Morning was chilly but spectacular! Views of fog and smaller mountains peeking through was well below me. Day two was considerably harder than day one. It started uphill immediately. Lunched beside forest road before Wolfpen Gap having heard that Wolfpen Gap was a KILLER tough climb. It was! Once atop wolfpen gap you decend slightly and the trail levels off around slaughter mountain before the steep descent towards the Bear Hair Trail and on to the end of the loop.All in all a pretty tough overnight hike but the views and changing scenery and privacy made it well worth the effort. Legs were sore but only for a day.
Monday, October 7, 2002
I have hiked the Coosa twice in the last few months, and I want to clear up one misconception from the other posts. There is plenty of water; you just have to know where it is b/c it is not marked. At the half way point (Calf Stomp Gap) there is a fairly large camping area right next to a fire road. The trail continues on the other side with a marker that says you are at 6.1 miles. When you are standing on the fire road facing the camping area, there is a stream to your left down the hill from the camping area. I would say it is about 50 – 100 yards down a small slope. Now if you wish to continue, there is another great water source and a small camping area for maybe two tents about 10 –15 minutes past the 6.1 mile marker on your right. It is the same stream as the one at the Calf Stomp Gap camp area. If you have 70 oz bladders this should be enough water to get you through the rest of the trip, but if you will need to fill up again there are some more water sources. After you make the climb from Calf Stomp Gap you will descend and cross over another fire road, and the trail continues on your right. This is a shorter climb, and when you make the descent, you will come to a paved road. The big climb up Slaughter Mountain starts across the road. There is a sign on the other side of the road stating your elevation at I believe Wolfpen Gap. It was 3000+ feet. As you cross the road to the trail if you go just a few feet to the right, you will see a rail and a road closed sign over an overgrown fire road. Go around the sign and walk in about 20 yards until you find a clear path to walk down the hill (not a trail just a break in the overgrowth). Walk down the hill, and there is a stream at the bottom with the paved road running above it. Now I would not recommend this water unless you have a good filter and you really need it b/c it smells kind of bad, but it is there if you need it. If you can make it another hour, then there is another water source at the AT trail junction. After you climb up Slaughter Mountain and descend into Slaughter Gap you will come to the AT junction. Coosa goes off to the left, and the AT continues straight ahead. Walk straight ahead about 200 yards until you come to another clearing that starts the climb up Blood Mountain. There will be a sign pointing to a water source on your left. If you decide to continue on the Coosa you are probably around 1 – 2 hours from Vogel in a straight descent depending on how fast you hike. About 30 – 45 minutes into that descent you come across plenty of water as a stream descends down the mountain. Now as for the trail itself it is a good challenge even for those who are in good shape. It is not a trail for sweeping views as there is a lot of overgrowth. If you want views I would recommend going in the winter. Overall it is a great trail, and I highly recommend it just be prepared to sweat on the climbs. And watch out for the descents especially heading into Vogel as the trail can be steep at times with plenty of rocks to slip on.
Sunday, September 29, 2002
I hiked the Coosa Backcountry Trail on 9-28-2002. I started at the hiker parking lot below Neels gap at 8 am. From the parking lot I hiked up Blood Mtn, then down to Slaughter gap then I went north on the Duncan ridge/Coosa to where I turned right onto the Coosa trail after crossing at Hogpen Gap. I stayed on the Coosa until I reached the Bear hair trail behind Vogel, which I took the Bear hair trail/Coosa back to Slaughter gap, then I hiked south on the AT to where the Freeman trail goes off to the left of the AT all the way back to the hiker parking lot. I got back to the parking lot at 7:45 pm. I rate the trail medium to hard.
Thursday, August 1, 2002
I hiked the Coosa Backcountry trail counter-clockwise on Sunday the 28th of July. It took me 5 1/2 hours but I pushed it hard. The trail is very well marked. Tight path for the first 8-9 miles. Climb up the north side of slaughter was the most difficult. Lots of wild life. Great challange.
Monday, July 8, 2002
Saturday and Sunday July 6th and 7th 2002. Continued from the previous post, which was cut off . This message board won't let you put in line breaks or extra spacing. Very frustrating.... Nos, continuing... But, whatever, when you finish the trail, you will feel that you really have accomplished something really big and you can enjoy the lake Trahlyta next to the visitor center. The last thing, please remember to bring water, a lot of water. Juan Machado.
Monday, July 8, 2002
This is a really STRENUOUS trail. The map you get from the visitor center is really bad. They should tell you there is NO WATER in the 2-day trail. We (Harvey, Thompson and me, Juan) were scared when after almost 7 hours of miserable backpacking couldn’t find the “springs” that the “map” said are there. If you’re out of water, 10 minutes after the Calf Stamp Gap, there is an almost invisible spring with not too much water but at least you can purify the water and refill your camel bag. Before the end of the loop-trail, if you’re going counterclockwise (DON’T do it the other way!) there is a 40o- 45o inclined mountain called Slaughter mountain (“strange” name, isn’t it); going up is not SO bad but going down is the bad part. If you have a heavy backpack your knees and ankles will scream you for help… But, whatever, when you finish the trail, you will feel that you really have accomplished something really big and you can enjoy the lake Trahlyta next to the visitor center. The last thing, please remember to bring water, a lot of water. Juan Machado.
Monday, June 10, 2002
I hiked this trail on June 1, 2002 as a day hike, though it is not recommended. The map info. suggested allowing a min. of 8 hrs. We left at 8:30 am with ample water and completed the trail at 4:30 pm., stopping for a total of 1 hr for breaks and lunch. We found the trail to be consistent with it's ratings and were please with our hiking progress the first 9.6 miles with no physical complaints. The last 4 miles were trecherous where the steep rocky descents sent your toes screaming. The scenery was mostly closed-in forest greenery, ferns lined the well- marked path in some areas, with one or two vista openings. We passed only two hikers the entire day and no one was camping at the 3 or 4 camp sites along the way. Cob webs across the path suggested light usage.
Sunday, April 7, 2002
An excellent weekend trip for people in good shape. The campsite near Coosa Bald has some very nice views, but make sure you have plenty of water...no water is close by.
Tuesday, March 12, 2002
I was on the Coosa Trail in early February and found it to be a very streneous and challenging trail for sure. While the climbs are very steep and, in the early morning, slick with accumulated ice on rocks and roots, the descents on the way out are just as difficult. This trail is very well marked from start to finish. Just pay attention to sharp turns.
Tuesday, March 12, 2002
I was on the Coosa Trail in early February and found it to be a very streneous and challenging trail for sure. While the climbs are very steep and, in the early morning, slick with accumulated ice on rocks and roots, the descents on the way out are just as difficult. This trail is very well marked from start to finish. Just pay attention to sharp turns. While the night temperature dropped to below 20 degrees and the wind became quite strong, I would highly recommend this to any backpacker who enjoys the since of accomplishment of finishing this type of trail. There aren't a lot of great views from the mountain and water supplies are scarce but overall a great trip to make. My sincere thanks to those who maintain this beautiful and demanding trail.
Sunday, February 3, 2002
The sign at the trailhead says it all: "More than a day hike" After training for this one for weeks, we found the sign to be true. Ascending two mountains over 4000' in one day is challenging at best.
Friday, January 18, 2002
A friend and I hiked the Coosa Trail at he end of September, 2001. Altogether it's a great trail that is challenging enough to give you a good sense of accomplishment. While there are some pretty strenuous sections, it is easier to hike the loop counter-clockwise and do it in 2 days. Parts of the trail are somewheat over-grown in the summer, but it gives you a feel of being more in the wilderness. Broke camp at mile 6.1 where the trail crosses a FS road. There is ample camp site space at this gap and a water source a short walk up the FS road. We were awakened by a Coyote near our campsite at about 5:00, which is quite a way to wake up. The 2nd day brings the most strenuous sections as you ascend Slaughter mountain and climb along the ridge. The trail ends with several long descents, steep at times, that really take the energy out of the parts of your legs that weren't deadened from the hike uphill. All in all, a challenging yet great hike!
Wednesday, January 9, 2002
Hiked it twice in the last four weeks. Be careful of hunters down at the foot bridge and areas near HWY 180. I love this trail because of the fact that it is a loop and if you are running short on time,(which I was two weeks ago) you can come out at the WolfpenGap and walk home along Hwy 180 before dark. We (my dog and I) did it in four and a half hours. We did run out of water near the BearHairTrail( towards the end). I recommend Neels Gap Area to Coosa Bald and back for the experienced hiker. There is an access trail along Hwy.19 about 1/2 mile south of Neels Gap (Byron Reese Access Trail). You can park here for free and then through hike Blood Mountain to Coosa Bald. My dog always makes me look bad. If you do not like to hike alone, and have a well behaved dog, I would strongly encourage it.
Wednesday, January 9, 2002
Hiked it twice in the last four weeks. Be careful of hunters down at the foot bridge and areas near HWY 180. I love this trail because of the fact that it is a loop and if you are running short on time, you can come out at the Gap and walk home along Hwy 180 before dark.
Tuesday, November 27, 2001kennesawmountainroadContinued from the previous post, which was cut off after I spent half an hour typing it. This darn message board thing won't let you put in line breaks or extra spacing. Very frustrating. Okay, moving on. Here are the pictures from our trip. http://www.katebroun.com/gallery/outdoors/coosa_nov2001/coosa_nov2001.shtml
Tuesday, November 27, 2001
Miserable. That is the only way I can describe our overnight backpacking trip along the Coosa over Thanksgiving weekend of this year (2001). Take a look at pics from our trip: http://www.katebroun.com/gallery/outdoors/coosa_nov2001/coosa_nov2001.shtml First, let me give the disclaimer that this was largely due to the fact that it rained the *entire* time, soaking us and all of our gear. That, combined with the fact that the trail was very strenuous and didn't have any views, leads me to the conclusion that I won't be doing this trail again any time soon. In fairness though, let me note some of the pros of this trail. 1) It's a loop, which is always convenient--allows you to avoid dropping off a car at the other end. 2) Easy access to the trail. Vogel State Park is easy to find (just off Hwy 19/29) with a nice big parking lot. 3) The trail was very well-marked: the yellow blazes were always in sight. 4) The nice lady at the Visitor's Center offered us hot chocolate upon our return, and there's something to be said for the kindness of strangers. Now the cons: 1) Dummies that we are, we ignored the weatherman's warning of "light, scattered showers". But let me assure you that the rain was anything but light or scattered. This was my first backpacking trip in a hard rain and let me tell you, it's worse than you imagine it will be. It's just plain awful to crawl into your dark, wet tent at 5:00 p.m. with nothing to do--you can't build a fire or cook dinner or do anything at all. Booooooring. You're a captive in your tent. Okay, enough compalaining about the weather; it's not really relevant to the Coosa Trail. Moving on. 2) Lack of water sources: this has been covered ad nauseum in other trail reports but it's worth repeating. There are large sections of the trail without so much as a drop of water. I knew that before starting, and this wouldn't be such a big deal if the trail wasn't so demanding, but it is, and you drink a lot more than you would on other trails. Bring about twice as much water as you think you will need. We almost ran out and had to ration what we had. 3) Okay, bottom line: this trail is hard. Really hard. Don't get me wrong, when you finish it, you have a tremendous sense of accomplishment. But for weekend warriors like us, the tough parts (Coosa Bald and Slaughter Mountain) were almost more than we could handle. We made it, but there were moments when we thought the trail would do us in. 4) No views. When you're busting your ass up a mountain, it's nice to have a scenic vista as a reward. No such luck along this trail. 5) Trail needs work: while well-marked, there were a number of downed trees and branches. 6) Map: the Visitor's Center has xeroxed maps that are hard to read and have no mileage info. Do yourself a favor and get the USGS quads--Coosa Bald and Slaughter Mountain. 7) Did I mention that it rained the whole time? Okay, seriously though, like others, I think this is a good "conditioning" trail but I wouldn't recommend it for people who are out of shape or looking for magnificent scenery. For great scenery, I recommend section 3 of the AT (Neels Gap to Hogpen Gap). I think this is my favorite. We actually extended that trip by starting at Lake Winfield Scott, taking Slaughter Creek Trail to Slaughter Gap, taking the AT from Slaughter Gap over Blood Mountain and down to Neels Gap. From there, we followed the AT on to Hogpen. This ended up being about 13 miles long. We left one car at the end before we started and this was a perfect two-night backpacking trip. Some parts were hard but two nights gives you plenty of time to take it easy and shop in Walasi-Yi at Neels Gap. Always a plus.
Sunday, October 28, 2001
although recommended to hike counter-clock wise, i believe there are more up-hills in this direction. the steep downhills are almost as painful as most up-hills.
Monday, August 6, 2001
Hiking this trail was quite an experience, and had it's pros and cons, like any other, i suppose. First, don't expect to get any information from the people at the visitor center in Vogel. I asked the lady if she'd hiked the trail and she just chuckled and said "Oh god, no." They were kind enought to give us a poorly drawn and very faded topo map of the area. No mileage info though. I'd recommend before starting this trail to make sure you pack some gaiters, or definitely wear some long pants. The trail is at best a little rugged, and at times a machete would have been wonderful. Nothing, however, was terribly impassable. Like others have said, definitely bring water. There are few water sources, even little springs, and they are definitely far between. In fact, I don't think i saw water on or near the trail after about the 3rd mile (going CC). The trail was well marked by blazes.. which certainly helps at the times the trail itself becomes fairly invisible. Here's some mileage info. Calf Stomp Gap is the halfway point, more or less, at around 6.1 miles. I would suggest pushing further forward, if daylight allows, just to get past Coosa Bald, and give yourself a slightly less strenuous start in the morning. At around 8.5 miles is WolfPen gap. There is supposedly some water around here... a creek, and maybe some campsites. Didn't see them though. There is however a lovely place to camp just after summiting (sic) Coosa Bald. You'll start with a beautiful and lengthy descent in the morning if you stay there. Slaughter is also a great camping spot (Boy Scouts seem to gather there, so it may be busy). It is, however, a little over 10 miles in, and may be a little far away for the average hiker. The only disappointment was the lack of views on the trail. But that's the price you pay for not really going over the tops of mountains. There's a couple of places you can peek through the trees though. Plenty of nice looking plants though.. and some cool looking pink, orange, and yellow mushrooms. Overall, a very pretty trail. It should be very possible for most people to make the loop in 2 days. More fit and experienced hikers could pack it into a day, despite the somewhat dramatic signs warning against such an attempt.
Sunday, August 5, 2001
This trail is in my opinion, very strenuous unless you are extremely fit and have a lot of hiking experience. The ascent to the top of slaughter mountain has my vote for the most difficult part of the trail
Monday, July 16, 2001
Hiked trail this past weekend-7/14/01 Good work out, but not a lot summertime views. However, this is a fun overnight backpacking trip!!
Monday, March 19, 2001
There is no mistake that this is a two day hike. Out of all the trails i've tried the Coosa backcountry is the best for me by far. Many others i've tried have lots of other people, not that i don't like others, but every time i've traveled the Coosa i've been by myself 99% of the time. And for the back to nature, it's great. I'm also security mined and to be able to park in a state park with park rangers patroling and to have someone come look for me if I Don't return in time feels good. this trail starts easy then there is a short climb to Burnett Gab, there you cross Ga 180 and start a 2 3/4 mile easy hike till you get to a footbridge and dirt road....opps its hard from here..take many breaks cause you go from 2000ft to Calf Stomp Gap which is 3200ft (almost 1/2 point) there is water a few 100 yards away with a great camp spot here. it's hard till you get to the Duncan Ridge Trail then it's all easy till Wolfpen Gap, you cross Ga 180 again then for about a mile it's up, up, up,...if you make this then you have made it. When you reach the Appalachian Train go the extra mile up the trail to the top of blood mountain on the AP, Its worth the view. Be carefull going back to Vogel, about a mile after Slaghter Mountain there is a spot that is steep...My wife sliped and fell there. It's a easy 2 mile walk from there with several places for water all the way down..Have fun....
Monday, March 19, 2001
For new hikers who find they have gotten themself into more than they can handle when they get to Ga 180 (before starting Blood mountain) at wolfpen gap, then a left on the road and walk about 1 1/2 miles back to the trail then it's a short walk back to the park
Friday, February 9, 2001
February 1995 When we arrived at Vogel State Park early in the morning, I must say it was pretty chilly. Although, like every experienced hiker, clicked on the “tube” that morning and checked the weather. It was going to get warmer. My cousin and I (about the same age) were hiking the Coosa for the first time. My cousin also had a 3 of his friends from Darlington come down to hike with us, one of which was experienced, and the other two were girls from school. Not, “knocking” women and hiking, because most of them fly by me on trails like a butterfly, but these two were there to talk and get out, rather than take the Coosa serious. We decided (my cousin and I) to just hike from Vogel (3.4 mi.) to where the footbridge and the forestry service road meet. Then Hike back in the same day (Just a good short 7-mile day hike.) When we started hiking, the girls just couldn’t keep up. But, we didn’t hold it against them; it just took our day hike a little longer. There was not much as far a scenery was concerned, which I was disappointed, but it was a good day hike to introduce some new hikers, to what the outdoors could do for your soul. I never had the chance to finish the whole Coosa, which kept me up at night for the first week (I think its one of those true hikers, “want” for the unknown territory. I knew I would have a chance later in the year around Christmas Break (because of school to hike this wonderful trail. Note: * See December 1995 for my log of my next hike on the Coosa!
Thursday, November 2, 2000
Have hiked this trail twice in march with Boy scouts from south Florida. we love it and the proximity to Vogel (parking/showers) is great for those of us 13 hours away. It's beautiful on top of Coosa Bald. We had flurries and for some of our boys this was a first. We've also done the Pine Mountain Trail in FDR state park and they are both great- different. In Jan. we do section 3 of Florida trail and the elevation changes +/- 8 ft. over 26 miles if that, Coosa is a challenge for us flatlanders. PS- we overpack and do it with the Freeman trail over Blood mtn. to make a figure 8 and spend two nights on the trail. why rush/ it's beautiful.
| Beaver Bob troop 202 lake worth |
Thursday, July 6, 2000
My children (15 and 12) and I hiked the trail July 2-July 3, 2000. The trail is well marked, but several sections are fairly overgrown, and thick with poison ivy. We hiked the first day to the single campsite right before the trail hooks up with the Duncan Ridge Trail (near Coosa Bald), and then completed the loop the next day around 1:00pm. No problem finding water sources which were fairly plentiful because of recent rains. This was a beautiful, but challenging, hike for us (novice backpackers).
Monday, June 26, 2000
You can do this in one day, but it was really tough! It took me 7 hours, at one point I stopped to put my feet up and one of them wouldn't stop shaking, I guess I was that exhausted! There wasn't a lot of water or views, but it would be a great way to get in shape for other hikes. I would recommend it.
Monday, June 12, 2000
Hiked from Wolfpen Gap to top of Blood on 6/10/00. Very strenous vertical climb for the first mile, then it eases up a little. Approach to Blood is easy from Slaughter Gap. There is a sign showing a water source in Slaughter Gap. Due to the drought, there is no water. Only saw a couple of other hikers before reaching the AT.
Monday, June 5, 2000
It is possible to bypass the difficult climb up and down Slaughter Mtn. Check your topo. Go in the spring or fall.
Tuesday, May 30, 2000
I backpacked this trail Memorial Weekend 2000. Temperatures ranged from daytime 80 degrees in the Vogel St Park to nighttime 50 degrees on top of Blood Mountain. We had intermittent rain at night and moderate winds.
Most Valuable Equipment: Take a walking staff to balance on those steep climbs along the back section!
Water availability was good from Vogel to Wolf Creek. From Wolf Creek to Slaughter Gap water became increasingly difficult to locate commensurate with elevation. There is a small spring marked with blue blazes near Slaughter gap which is a good point to refill if you ascend Blood Mountain. East of Slaughter Gap it was over a mile to the next water point where it crosses Wolf Creek again.
We missed the best blossoming season by a week or so, but many beautiful orchids and rhododendron blossoms were still in evidence, especially on Blood Mountain.
The campsite at FR 107 (Wolf Creek) is a good overnight campsite, look on the South West side of the bridge for the fire ring and room for +/- 4 campers. The stream is wide here but the site is close to a gravel road and a privately owned cabin which may intrude somewhat on your privacy.
Slaughter Gap is also a good area to camp at the base of Blood Mountain, the highest point on the AT. From Slaughter Gap it is a short (1mile) and moderately strenuous climb to the summit for a spectacular view. Camping spots are limited on top of the mountain due to rocky terrain and there are no fires permitted within 300' of the AT which runs along Blood Mountain.
From Slaughter Gap the trail is all steep to moderate downhill or level with slight climbs back to Vogel. I agree with the recommendation that the trail is best hiked counter clockwise.
This was an excellent, secluded two night hike. We completed the Bear Hair Trail (4miles) in two hours and the first 4.5 miles of the CBC Trail in two hours. Day Two, we hiked from Wolf Creek to the summit of Blood Mountain (approx 9miles) beginning at 9:30 am and finishing at around 4:30 pm. This was EXTREMELY strenuous because of the distance and the three major climbs: 1) Coosa Bald (1,000 feet in 1.5 miles) 2) Slaughter Mountain (800 feeet in 1 mile) 3) Blood Mountain (580 feet in 1 mile). Day 3 we left Blood Mountain at 9:30 am and were back at Vogel by 11:30 am. This last stretch is approximately 4.5 miles mostly downhill. The point where the trail crosses Wolf Creek is one of the prettiest spots on the trail.
Monday, May 1, 2000
This trail is challenging, mostly toward the end. If you hike the loop in the recommended direction (counterclockwise) be forewarned that it only gets tougher as you near the end, concluding with a toe-busting descent that seems to go on forever. Nice scenery, and water was plentiful in April.
Monday, April 10, 2000
What a great loop trail. However, I was very disappointed that no one at Voogel Park had hiked the trail. When I finnally found someone that could give us some information (campings areas, water sources, etc.) they gave us bad information. Georgia DNR should require each ranger to hike the back country before working behind the counter.
Thursday, February 3, 2000
WILDCAT MOUNTAIN IN MARCH WITH A HORE'S FROST AND 30 MPH WINDS IS A TRULY SOUL WRENCHING EXPERIENCE FOR A WEST GA. AREA SCOUTER, HIS SON, HIS BEST FRIEND AND HIS BEST FRIEND'S SON.
Friday, November 26, 1999
I hiked the Coosa last spring with my 12-year-old son. It was his first backpacking trip. We started in the afternoon and spent 2 nights on the trail which allowed for a very relaxed pace. This is an extremely pleasant hike, with nice variety and a mix of ridgetop vistas and water features. We camped the first night at Wolf Creek. Occasional traffic on the The Forest Service road spoils the isolation a bit but it's still very nice. Our second night was on a beautiful ridgetop on Slaughter Mountain.I highly recommend this trail for the casual backpacker. It's got the convenience of a loop and is easy to get to because it starts at a state park, yet it's just rugged enough that you'll get a nice taste of blue ridge wilderness.
Wednesday, November 3, 1999
A difficult trail due to the ups and downs. Beware of Wolfpen Gap, it's steep. I did the trail in 5 hours, but I wouldn't recommend going that fast. The trail is difficult to follow in places and there are not many views. It's a good trainer for other more scenic adventures.
Monday, October 18, 1999
There are some steep climbs and tough walking sections of this trail.
Tuesday, September 28, 1999
I hiked this trail on 9/25 9/26 The Coosa was much more difficult then anticipated. Not much water so bring plenty of it. I packed way too heavy and as a result the Coosa took its toll on me. A great workout although not many veiws because of thick woods. A fun and challenging hike overall
Monday, September 20, 1999
Definitely a good work out. Even the downhills were tough on the legs. Its definitely possible to do in 1 day (it took me 6) but you'll feel it after. 2 unfortunatelys: 1) I saw more people (4) than wildlife (0) and 2) the trail is mostly within wooded areas and its hard to see the sights. The trail is well marked.
Sunday, September 19, 1999
Terrific hike!! My son-in-law and I loved every sweat-drenched, knee pounding inch of it. Water was VERY scarce on the trail; even moreso than usual, thanks to the drought. Get water early and often..don't even go without a filter.
Tuesday, August 31, 1999
Very overgrown thru much of loop in August, 1999. Flip side is not a soul on entire length on a Tuesday. Not much in the way of views unless you push off-trail a bit on top of Coosa Bald and Slaughter. Very green and peaceful, but middle 7-8 miles were completely dry. A good tester for an intermediate. My dog is exhausted.
Friday, June 18, 1999
Water was very hard to find over much of the trail. Encountered a black bear and several deer.
Trail Length:12.7 miles
Location: Union County
Features:
Last hiked:10/22/1995 | Type of trail:In and out
Our rating:Strenuous
Your rating:Hard (171)
Date added:01/01/1995
Trail Usage:
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