The weekend of October 17 - 18, me and two friends, Jay and Blake, tackled the Coosa Backcountry Trail in Vogel State Park, which is right outside of Blairsville, GA. I thought it interesting to include the exact date of the hike because it snowed and sleeted on us during the thrid weekend in October. Per a State Park Official, it was the earliest that it had snowed in Northern Georgia in 25 years! Thankfully we were prepared for the cold weather.
The trail is a 12.9 mile loop that leaves Vogel State Park and enters the Chattahoochee National Forest and returns back to Vogel. This was a pretty good trek but I'm sure it could be done in a day if you got an early enough start. The trail is well blazed and hardly had any traffic on it. There are several improved camping areas along the trail for an overnight stay. Don't look for vistas though, that is, until the leaves have completely fallen off. There are, however, a couple of pretty good views crossing Duncan Ridge looking towards Blood Mountain. A word of advice about the trail: most information regarding the trail dictates a clockwise route; however, I found it a whole lot easier if the trail was done in a counter-clockwise direction. Another option along the trail is a spur trail that summits the Appalachian Trail's famed Blood Mountain, but that will be another trip.
Finally, if you make this trip, be sure to check out Mountain Crossing at Walasi-Yi (Pronounced Wa-La-See-Yee). This is a full service outfitter that housed in an original Civilian Concervation Corps building that construction began in 1934 and completed in 1937, ironically the same year the Appalachian Trail was completed. Also, the Appalachian Trail actually runs right through the building!
Until the next hike!
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