Southern Hiker .com

Length: 3.5 mile loop

Difficulty: Easy to Very Easy - Follow the Red Blaze

The Sweetgum Lodge Loop Trail is a trail that begins at the parking lot near the Red Top Mountain Visitor’s Center, and continues in a loop from the Visitor’s Center to the Red Top Mountain Lodge, camping area, and back to the Visitor’s Center.

The trail takes hikers through the forest of Red Top Mountain with minimal elevation changes. The hike is an extremely easy, but pleasant hike for those short on time, but wanting to take a brisk walk through the woods.The hike also provides a brief walk near the shores of Allatoona Lake, although, its current level of water is somewhat low due to the Georgia drought.

Notes:

There may be some confusion in the area where the trail reaches the lodge. The trail DOES NOT continue to right (that is Lakeside Trail). The trail continues on the other side of the Lodge parking lot.

Cross this parking lot, trail continues on other side

After the parking lot, follow the sign back into the trail, but be sure to notice where the white tail diverges to the right, and the Sweet Gum Continues to the left and then crosses over lodge road. This turn is marked by a double red blaze.

Double Red Blaze where White Tail and Sweet Gum Diverge

Nearby Trails:

Homestead Trail - 5.5 mile loop

Visitor’s Center Loop Trail - 0.75 mile Loop

Iron Hill Bike Trail - 3.9 mile loop

Lake Trail - 0.75 Mile loop

Directions to Red Top Mountain State Park

From Atlanta:

1. Take I-75 North past Allatoona Lake to exit # 285

2. Turn Right and follow the signs into the Park. The visitors center and parking lot is on the main entrance road.

Today, I would like to write my first controversial issue blog on Southern Hiker.

I have recently become aware that the National Park Service is drafting and considering a new regulation that would allow some park trails, previously limited to hikers, to be opened up to mountain bikers.

As a mountain biker & hiker, I have become interested in what other outdoor adventurers think about this new potential National Park regulation.

Obviously, without the proposal’s final passing (yet), there may be some questions about the limits of new trail openings, but the question I want to open up to commenting is, whether or not this is a good thing for the National Parks, for the environment, and for the outdoor adventurers out there.

I will start the discussion with my thoughts, and I welcome all well stated comments below.

My personal opinion, and again this is just my humble opinion, is that allowing the National Park Service some discretion in opening trails to bikes will improve access to National Parks, improve funds for park services (after all a minimal fee could be charged for biking), and overall improve environmental awareness through positive park experiences to more types of visitors.

I do not believe that the impact mountain bikers have on hiking trails is really any more significant than the impact frequent hikers have on a trail (at least most trails). Nevertheless, I must state that I do not believe all trails should be open to mountain bikers, which is why I must emphasize that I believe the National Park Service needs to have superintendent’s discretion in selecting trails that would be safe for both hikers and bikers to use simultaneously.

Second, I think it would be absolutely necessary that bikers recognize that not all trails are designed for bking (even if “bikeable”), and that the difficulty in controlling a bike in some scenarios means that some trails should not be open.

As such, I suppose that my approach is a somewhat middle of the road approach.  Yes, I believe some trails, at the discretion of the NPS superintendents, should be opened to bikers when safe for hikers, safe for bikers, and safe for the environment (by which, I mean, that there is not significant plant life that could be damaged from an accidental loss of bike control), but I do not believe every trail is “bikeable”, nor should they be. Some trails could cause significant environmental harm from bikers accidentally losing control or riding irresponsibly, not to mention that these trails may not even be suited for biking.

Those are my thoughts on the topic. I hope to hear your’s very soon. Let’s keep it civil hikers and bikers, after all…..WE ALL WANT TO ENJOY THE ENVIRONMENT AND MAKE SURE IT IS PROTECTED.

Difficulty: Moderate

Length: 2.0 miles

The Grassy Mountain Tower Trail is a mountain climb to the top of Grassy Mountain and . The trail head can begin at one of two points. One can begin on Lake Conasauga Trail from the Lake Conasauga Campground, hike across the Lake Dam and from there to the Songbird trail connection which connects to the Tower Trail, or you can begin on the Songbird Trail loop and follow the signs to the Grassy Mountain Tower Trail. The trail is a consistently uphill climb, but is not extremely steep at any point.

-Trailhead from Lake Conasauga

The trail brings hikers along the Grassy Mountain ridges, through deep forest, and along more open scenic pathways. Finally, the path will reach the top ridge of Grassy Mountain before opening up onto a gravel fire road. From the fire road,  the Tower and views is a short uphill walk. While hikers cannot go into the tower’s observation platform (its still in use), hikers can climb up the exposed stairway of the tower for some of the best views of the Cohutta Wilderness. This climb is easily worth it just to see the views from the Tower steps. While at the top, also check out the rock faces just past Tower.

On the return trip, follow the same path down to the Songbird Trail, but if starting at Songbird Trail, you can finish the loop back to the Songbird parking area as the distance is almost the same as returning down the original path.

Notes:

At approximately one mile in from the Songbird trail head, the trail appears to lose its apparent course momentarily.  As the climb enters a small valley, there will be a number of boulders that cause the trail to appear to disappear. Be aware, however, that at the point where the trail becomes difficult to find due to the large boulders, the trail does not continue straight over the boulders, as one may think. Instead, it is actually a switchback that continues along the next ridge. It is relatively easy to find, but we did experience a brief moment of confusion as we looked for the trail.

Difficulty: Easy

Length: 0.5 miles (one way)

River Trail is a hiking trail on Cumberland Island that connects Dungeness Docks to Sea Camp Docks. This trail is a short half mile trail that runs somewhat parallel to the western coast of Cumberland Island. The trail is extremely grown up, and appears to have been much nicer in the past. I noticed on the hike that there appeared to have been some sort of Native American living history-type exhibit on the trail at one time, but this exhibit was clearly no longer in use. While the trail is somewhat grown up, it does provide an opportunity to see some interesting views of the river to the west of Cumberland Island, and to experience a more natural setting in the live oak forest as you hike between Dungeness Dock and Sea Camp Dock. Overall, I’d say this trail can be missed for those on a short time frame, although it does provide a good connecting trail between Dungeness and Sea Camp for those tired of walking the main road over and over.

Camping Nearby:

Sea Camp Campground

Nearby Hiking Trails:

Dungeness Trail

Difficulty Rating: Easy to Moderate (only if in warm conditions).

Length: Approximately 1.5 Miles (One Way)

Dungeness Trail or Dungeness Road is the trail that travels from the the Southern Dock and Ranger Station on Cumberland Island to the Dungeness Ruins, and eventually to the Southern end of the Beach.

There are two approaches to this road. The first approach is excellent for day trippers to the island.  Day trippers to the island will definitely want to see Cumberland’s famous Dungeness Ruins and feral horses. As such, they should get off the ferry at the first docking stop. At this dock, the Ice House Museum and River Trail, will be to the left, continue straight down the dredged road until it intersects with the main road. At the Main Road, take a right following the sign to the Dungeness Ruins. The road continues until it enters two large stone entryways with the Dungeness Ruins lying dead ahead. To the right is an open field that Cumberland’s feral horses can often be found grazing in.

Take a left walking in front of the Ruins, and follow the trail down to the Dungeness Village.

To the right of the Dungeness Village is a very short trail to the Greene-Miller cemetery where General Light Horse Harry Lee had been buried, as well as members of General Greene’s family.  Follow this trail for a beautiful view of the marshes.

When returning to the trail, take a right, and the trail will lead to the beach on Cumberland Island. Note, however, that there is multiple trails along Dungeness Trail that lead back to the Dungeness Road. The easiest is by following the wooden boardwalk.

The trail can then be followed back by the same route, or can be looped around by following the beach north to Sea Camp, and then back south along the main road or River Trail. This loop will total around 3.5 miles.

The second approach to the trail is for those staying at Sea Camp.  The best route to take for those campers, in my opinion, is by taking the Sea Camp trail to the Beach, and then heading south along the beach to Dungeness Trail. Follow the Dungeness Trail in reverse to the Ice House Museum and Dock. From there, follow River Trail back to the Sea Camp ranger station.

Features of the Trail:

Live Oak Forest - a road of dredged shells. This dredged area is a great place to find fossilized sharks teeth.

Dungeness Ruins, Village, and Cemetery -Views of the former mansion of Carnegie, and the previous homesite of General Nathanael Greene. Also see the village where the Carnegie workers were. In the village, there is a small area where visitors can use restrooms and watch a video of the Carnegies and life on their farm.

Feral Horses - The best place to see Cumberland’s famous horses are grazing in the fields around the Ruins.

Turkey - On the approach Trail from the Dock I saw three very large Toms crossing the road. Also, several turkey were in the field near the Ruins.

Armadillo - Numerous armadillo are on the island and many can be seen near the Ice House Museum.

Ice House Museum and Ranger Station - The Ice House Museum is a small museum just to the ride of the dock visitors arrive at. In the museum, there is a brief history of the island and its inhabitants.

Beach - Southern Beach on Cumberland Island.

Nearyby Trails:

River Trail

Unless you grew up in a densely populated urban city, most people can remember a time in their childhood where most of the non-school day was spent outside in the yard, in the woods, or riding bikes down the road to friends’ houses. Most of us likely remember those days with nostalgia as a time when we had few responsibilities, were more adventurous than our older “maturer selves,” and were able to truly enjoy nature’s gifts. One of the fantastic things about living or visiting the Southern United States, is that you are never too far from a place to recapture some of those childhood memories. A great hike, bike, or other outdoor adventure is rarely more than an hour away from us .

Difficulties in Finding Outdoor Adventures.
Often, there are a number of obstacles both real and perceived preventing a return to the enjoyment of the great outdoors. One major obstacle perceived is the difficulty in finding places to begin the return to the outdoors.  The great thing about living in the Southern United States is that there is always a place within an hour’s drive.  This website will provide a great starting point to locating hikes, bikes, and other great outdoor adventures.

Solving the Problem of Time:

As our world continues to grow faster paced, finding time to slow down and enjoy nature becomes even more essential. Our bodies are not made to be constantly in a state of occupational stress. Our most primal survival skills after all comes from centuries of learning to interact with nature versus mere decades of interacting with a keyboard.

While it is easy to say we have to “make time” to relax. The cliche is often stated far too simply. After all, there are only twenty-four hours in a day.  The only way to find time to relax in nature is to manage your time, not “make it” as is too often stated. The great thing about being in the South, whether in Georgia or Texas, Florida or Virginia is that a quick escape to the outdoors is rarely more than an hour away. Certainly we can find an hour or two on the weekend to escape to nature. To return to that childhood where responsibilities are at least temporarily washed away by green forests and roaring camp fires.

The Problem of Fitness

Often it is perceived that a return to the great outdoors requires excellent fitness, a granola diet, and a buff bod. BUT, whether you have been out of outdoor adventuring since the age of 7, or have been hitting the weight room for two a days, the point of this return to the outdoors is to escape that rigorous work schedule, that day to day urban monotony. The return to the outdoors is for all.

Outdoor adventures are not just for the triathletes and marathon runners in the world. We all can enjoy the great outdoors as long as we do not over do it, and have patients with our bodies. If you are concerned about your physical ability to start hiking, it is always better to be safe than sorry to discuss any new exercise program with a medical professional. If you get the okay, or feel that you are ready for some hikes, start with something slow, look for our hikes rated “EASY”. Hiking and Biking can be a great way to begin a fitness program designed for weight loss. Start off with trails that are not too steep and climbing and trails that are less than 2.0 miles in length (remember distances for trails that are not loops are usually listed as one way distances, so double it to know the actual length).  Just be sure to take it slow to avoid injury and burn out. Committing to hiking or biking on the weekends provides a twofold solution to many of our problems, it provides a time to relax and a time to enjoy nature while losing weight.

V. Final words of safety.

As with all things that are began, safety is always a must. Please do not jump into an outdoor adventure without knowing all of the necessary safety precautions.

Also, don’t overdo it. Your first hike since childhood should not be a 15 miler that ends in an emergency room visit. Take it easy at first, and build yourselves up to the longer hikes. In the end it will be worth it. Hopefully, your return to the great outdoors will be enjoyable as the years I have spent embracing the environmental blessings that we have around us.

Length: 1.7 mile partial loop

Difficulty Rating: Easy

This Trail is a great loop trail that circles along the Little Conasauga River area where beavers appear to have been undertaking some serious dam building.

Songbird Trail can be accessed from two points. One access is at its trail head along the service road. The other access to Songbird Trail is from the Lake Conasauga Campground via the Lake Conasauga Trail.

The trail head along the Service Road provides nearby parking and primitive restrooms. The Trail is a relatively easy loop that crosses runs alongside and crosses the river via a low wooden bridge.

Length: 1.5-2.0 miles

Trails connecting to the Songbird Trail:

Lake Conasauga Trail

Grassy Mountain Tower Trail

Nearby Camgrounds:

Lake Conasauga Campground

Welcome to the first post of SouthernHiker.com. This site will be dedicated to all things outdoors in the Southern United States.

I hope this site will provide a place for hikers, campers, cyclists, and the like to talk about their favorite trails in the South, best camping locations, and discuss equipment that has been useful, or not so useful on your outdoors adventures. More is to come, as I will continue to develop this site over the next month or so.