Highpoint:
Brasstown Bald
State: Georgia
Height: 4784 ft.
Highpoint #: 13
Date: 7/2/2002
Trails: Jack’s Gap Trail
Distance: About 6 miles roundtrip.
Vertical Gain: 1800 feet.
Time Taken: 5 hrs.
Weather: 80s, clear.
Group: JO & BC
Comments: Since Friday night we had
driven from Massachusetts to Florida, then Louisiana and Arkansas, then
Missouri, Mississippi and Alabama, and finally into Georgia, we were beat. But
from here on, our pace would be a little slower. There wasn't much driving to
be done on Tuesday, we awoke at a reasonable hour and drove to the Georgia
highpoint. Most of the tourists who visit Brasstown Bald drive to a parking lot
a quarter mile from the top, but we decided to take a 6 mile roundtrip trail
from the main road. This trail followed a ridge over a smaller mountain and
then down to the saddle where the tourist parking lot was. The hike was very
pleasant, with a great backwoods feel. However, there were spider webs running
across the trail along the entire length.
As we were walking down the other side of the smaller mountain towards
the saddle, we encountered a few swarms of black flies. I had never encountered
this phenomenon before, but it's pretty scary when thousands of black flies try
to bite you at once. We ran through these sections. Eventually we emerged at
the tourist parking lot, and it was really large. We walked to the other side
where we found a gift shop with stereotypic backwoods country music blaring.
Nearby was the trailhead of the path to the top. This path was pretty steep,
but paved the whole way up. At the top was a large building with a lookout
tower. The tower was closed (I see a pattern emerging), but the
"interpretive center" was open. We toured the center, ate our lunch,
refilled our water bottles, and headed back down. The views were pretty good,
although it was a little hazy.
Left: The beginning of the Jack’s Gap Trail. Right: The view as you emerge from the woods at the far end of the tourist parking lot. You can see the summit tower on top.
JO right near the summit of Brasstown Bald.
