Alabama Scouts Preparing for Philmont & The AT
Scoutmaster Jerry set me this message this morning: "My troop is planing a trip on the 18, 19, 20th of this month. We are preparing for the AT and Philmont trips. We will be at the park around 6:00 pm on Friday to camp. We need some ideas on trying to get 7 miles on Saturday and Sunday for the Philmont group and 4 miles on Saturday and Sunday for the AT group. We would like to be able to camp together on Saturday night. What trails or loops do you recommend?"
Hi, Jerry,
Thanks for your message and welcome to South Cumberland. Glad you and your guys are coming up for a visit. Friday night you will need to camp at the campsite close to the Ranger Station and make an early start Saturday morning.
The way the campsites are laid out there is not really one good spot to do what you want.
An out and back to Stage Road campsite from Savage Gulf Ranger Station is probably the best bet. The trail out to the Savage Day Loop is about a mile. From there to Stage Road campsite is about 4.8 miles. Total 5.8. If you had the Philmont group do the Day Loop that would add about 3 miles.
If that's too much, the best alternative would be to do Stone Door to the Overlook, 1 mile. The AT group takes the Big Creek Rim Trail to Alum Gap. Total 4.2. Come back Sunday on the Laurel Trail, that's 2.9 and very flat. You could do an out and back with or without packs to Greeter Falls to get in some extra walking and see some great scenery. We have had lots of rain recently, the falls should be showing their stuff. Bring your cameras.
The P group from the Door could take the Big Creek Gulf Trail, a good workout, that's 1 to the Door plus 4.0 with a little out and back to Ranger Falls, the round trip is 1.0, could be done without packs. So that's about 6 with a good climb coming up to Alum Gap.
The Sunday return for this group would be the Greeter Falls out and back and then back to the Door on the Big Creek Rim Trail, back to the Ranger Station.
The other campsites are either too close in or too far. Come back and give us a report here. And, send us some photos we will put them online.
Cheers,
Ron Castle
Hi, Jerry,
Thanks for your message and welcome to South Cumberland. Glad you and your guys are coming up for a visit. Friday night you will need to camp at the campsite close to the Ranger Station and make an early start Saturday morning.
The way the campsites are laid out there is not really one good spot to do what you want.
An out and back to Stage Road campsite from Savage Gulf Ranger Station is probably the best bet. The trail out to the Savage Day Loop is about a mile. From there to Stage Road campsite is about 4.8 miles. Total 5.8. If you had the Philmont group do the Day Loop that would add about 3 miles.
If that's too much, the best alternative would be to do Stone Door to the Overlook, 1 mile. The AT group takes the Big Creek Rim Trail to Alum Gap. Total 4.2. Come back Sunday on the Laurel Trail, that's 2.9 and very flat. You could do an out and back with or without packs to Greeter Falls to get in some extra walking and see some great scenery. We have had lots of rain recently, the falls should be showing their stuff. Bring your cameras.
The P group from the Door could take the Big Creek Gulf Trail, a good workout, that's 1 to the Door plus 4.0 with a little out and back to Ranger Falls, the round trip is 1.0, could be done without packs. So that's about 6 with a good climb coming up to Alum Gap.
The Sunday return for this group would be the Greeter Falls out and back and then back to the Door on the Big Creek Rim Trail, back to the Ranger Station.
The other campsites are either too close in or too far. Come back and give us a report here. And, send us some photos we will put them online.
Cheers,
Ron Castle
Labels: Trip Planning for Scouts
posted by Ron Castle @ 3:33 PM
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