Russell Bridge Hwy 28 to Warwoman Dell
This was my first section on the Bartram Trail. I did this hike with Eric. We didn't start the hike until about 11 am. As a result, it became an overnight hike. I had hiked with Eric before, but it was a much shorter hike. This was my first experience hiking with a partner. Eric turned out to be a good hiking partner because we share a similar pace. As a result, I really enjoyed this hike.
Next Section: Warwoman Dell to Rabun Bald.
Next Section: Warwoman Dell to Rabun Bald.
Day 1 | August 18, 2014
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Start Location: Russell Bridge Hwy 28 (0.0 miles)
End Location: Speed Gap (11.4 miles) Parking Locations: Russell Bridge Hwy 28 (0.0 miles); Earls Ford (6.3 miles); Sandy Ford Road (9.5 miles). Views: Chattooga River views (1 mile); Chattooga River views (7 miles); Dicks Creek Falls (9.1 miles). Water Sources: Plentiful until Dicks Creek Falls (9.1 miles). Campsites: Campsite (3.2 miles), Campsite 4.3 miles); Earls Ford Campsite (6.3 miles); several Chattooga River Campsites (6.5-8.2 miles); and Speed Gap (11.4 miles). BT Distance: 11.4 miles Hiking Distance: 12 miles |
I was doing this section without a trail guide. However, I did find a great trail guide online from Rainmaker online on trailquest.net.
I met Eric at Warwoman Dell. I was an hour late. A good start to the hike. We had planned to meet there around 10:00. I didn't get there until 11:00 am. We left my car at Warwoman Dell and drove back to Hwy 28, Russell Bridge, the beginning of the Bartram Trail. We parked his car and got ready to hike. It was a very warm day. We finally crossed Hwy 28 from the parking lot and started hiking around 12:00 pm.
In the parking lot, there is a stone marker shown above. Across the street from the parking lot is the southern terminus of the BT. For the first mile or so, the trail stays fairly level and follows the Chattooga River. At 0.3 miles, you cross a large bridge that offers views up and down stream of the Chattooga River. This initial section of the Bartram Trail was overgrown. We had joked about the Bartram Trail apparently being "tick central" and that if you don't get a tick in this section, you are just not trying.
From here the trail departs the Chattooga River for some time and goes up into the forest for a bit. For much of this section, there is very little elevation gain or loss. At 2 miles into the trail, you pass this old homestead and old rusty baler. From here, the trail crosses several streams with good water sources over wooden bridges over the next 4 miles until the trail again joins the Chattooga River around Earl's Ford (6.5 miles).
For the next 2 miles, the trail was littered with car campers given the easy road access with Earl's Ford Road. We made it to Earl's Ford around 3:00 pm. My great distaste for car campers should already be well documented. This 2 mile section in and around Earl's Ford offers several exceptional campsites if you can stomach being near car campers. (I need to come up with a name for these "people.").
From Earl's Ford, it was a 2.6 mile hike to Dicks Creek (9.1 miles), our first and only main attraction for this section of the hike. We made it to Dicks Creek around 4:30 pm. After spending time playing around the waterfall and refilling on water, we contemplated spending the night here. However, many of the campsites in this area appear to be reclaimed so we decided to respect that and continue hiking. It was about 5:15 pm when we started hiking. The next campsite was about 4-5 miles away and it was dry. We filled up a little more water to get us through the night and were off.
We only had 2 1/2 hours of daylight left and about 4-5 miles of hiking to do. At 6:45 pm, we come to Speed Gap (11.4 miles). We had about 2 miles to next campsite, but we decided to call it a night here as we were loosing light. We decided we did not want to setup camp in the dark.
We set up our tents at this "campsite." Quickly, we had our stoves out and cooking our meals. We spent some time talking outside of our tents until the bugs became unbearable and we decided to go into our tents.
I checked for ticks that night. I had either been very lucky and not had any or, more likely, I just hadn't found them.
One thing I learned from hiking this section in summer is that the Bartram Trail is NOT a summer trail. Just too overgrown and warm. Like always, I was the last to go to sleep and only after about 2 am when it started getting cooler. For most of the night, I slept on top of my sleeping bag.
I met Eric at Warwoman Dell. I was an hour late. A good start to the hike. We had planned to meet there around 10:00. I didn't get there until 11:00 am. We left my car at Warwoman Dell and drove back to Hwy 28, Russell Bridge, the beginning of the Bartram Trail. We parked his car and got ready to hike. It was a very warm day. We finally crossed Hwy 28 from the parking lot and started hiking around 12:00 pm.
In the parking lot, there is a stone marker shown above. Across the street from the parking lot is the southern terminus of the BT. For the first mile or so, the trail stays fairly level and follows the Chattooga River. At 0.3 miles, you cross a large bridge that offers views up and down stream of the Chattooga River. This initial section of the Bartram Trail was overgrown. We had joked about the Bartram Trail apparently being "tick central" and that if you don't get a tick in this section, you are just not trying.
From here the trail departs the Chattooga River for some time and goes up into the forest for a bit. For much of this section, there is very little elevation gain or loss. At 2 miles into the trail, you pass this old homestead and old rusty baler. From here, the trail crosses several streams with good water sources over wooden bridges over the next 4 miles until the trail again joins the Chattooga River around Earl's Ford (6.5 miles).
For the next 2 miles, the trail was littered with car campers given the easy road access with Earl's Ford Road. We made it to Earl's Ford around 3:00 pm. My great distaste for car campers should already be well documented. This 2 mile section in and around Earl's Ford offers several exceptional campsites if you can stomach being near car campers. (I need to come up with a name for these "people.").
From Earl's Ford, it was a 2.6 mile hike to Dicks Creek (9.1 miles), our first and only main attraction for this section of the hike. We made it to Dicks Creek around 4:30 pm. After spending time playing around the waterfall and refilling on water, we contemplated spending the night here. However, many of the campsites in this area appear to be reclaimed so we decided to respect that and continue hiking. It was about 5:15 pm when we started hiking. The next campsite was about 4-5 miles away and it was dry. We filled up a little more water to get us through the night and were off.
We only had 2 1/2 hours of daylight left and about 4-5 miles of hiking to do. At 6:45 pm, we come to Speed Gap (11.4 miles). We had about 2 miles to next campsite, but we decided to call it a night here as we were loosing light. We decided we did not want to setup camp in the dark.
We set up our tents at this "campsite." Quickly, we had our stoves out and cooking our meals. We spent some time talking outside of our tents until the bugs became unbearable and we decided to go into our tents.
I checked for ticks that night. I had either been very lucky and not had any or, more likely, I just hadn't found them.
One thing I learned from hiking this section in summer is that the Bartram Trail is NOT a summer trail. Just too overgrown and warm. Like always, I was the last to go to sleep and only after about 2 am when it started getting cooler. For most of the night, I slept on top of my sleeping bag.
Day 2 | August 19, 2014
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Start Location: Speed Gap (11.4 miles)
End Location: Warwoman Dell (18.8 miles) Parking Locations: Warwoman Dell (18.8 miles). Views: Big Rock (16.3 miles). Water Sources: Stream (15.3 miles); Stream (18.1 miles). Campsites: Campsite (13.2 miles), Campsite 13.8 miles). BT Distance: 7.4 miles Hiking Distance: 7.8 miles |
Since we had less than 8 miles to do, we decided to allow ourselves to sleep in until 8 am. Eric had made breakfast and was ready to break camp in about 30 minutes. I am always way to slow to break camp. We started hiking around 9:00 am leaving Speed Gap. Leaving Speed Gap, the trail starts is first real ascent to the summit of Rainey Mountain.
In 15 minutes, we came across a huge blow down and right next to it I saw a turtle. From here, there is a minor view at approximately mile marker 12.4 miles. At 9:50, we reached Bob Gap (12.9 miles). From here begins the long steady 1,200 foot climb to Rainey Mountain, which the Bartram trail skirts, but never summits.
At 11:30 am, we came across our first water crossing for the day at a stream located approximately 15.3 miles from the start. We decided to take a quick break, grab a snack, and I needed to refill on water. It was a hot day. My feet were full of blisters already. My socks were soaked through with sweat. I considered taking 20 minutes to replace my socks, but since Eric went on ahead without me, I decided that I would just push through the final 3.5 miles. It was only 3.5 miles after all, I told myself. This is a decision I later came to regret as I made my way down the steep descent to Warwoman Dell.
Just passed 12:00 pm, we pass a short side trail to Big Rock (16.8 miles), which supposedly offers some pretty good views. I wasn't sure where Eric was so I decided push on. My feet at this point were really starting to hurt. I will have to go back one day to catch Big Rock view. Here I found my first people on the trail. There were two trail runners. I marveled how they could jog on the trail without breaking an ankle. Since this hike, I dabbled in trail running with a full pack when I was late to meet someone. Usually, I go 1-2 minutes before I feel like I am going to break my ankle or fall. Then I walk for a while before I even think about trying to jog again. Anyways they passed me up fairly quickly, but I was about 2 miles from the goal. An hour or less I thought. The misery of the bleeding, blistered feet would be over shortly.
From Big Rock, we begin a serious descent into Warwoman Dell. Every step hurt; like I was pulling skin off my feet. I guess that was exactly what I was doing. I tried to give one last push, but about 1 mile from Warwoman Dell my feet just couldn't handle it. I slow down to a crawl to try to ease the pain in my feet. After what felt like an eternity, I finally see Warwoman Dell (18.8 miles). At around 1 pm, I see Eric under a large roofed patio with picnic tables. He was beginning to set up for his meal. I decided to join him since I didn't have breakfast that morning.
But first, before food, I wanted to access my feet. I take off my shoes gingerly and then remove my hiking sock leaving only my liner sock. My hiking sock is soaked. My feet constantly sweating all day through the heat. I gingerly remove my liner sock to unveil my feet. Eric comes over and is surprised by how bad they are. I sit there on the bench letting them dry out while I get out my stove and food. After eating, I gingerly put on a new pair of socks. I know in the condition my feet were in I couldn't just put them in my camp shoes without some kind of protection. The dry socks on my now dryer feet soothed some of the pain. I began to pack up my things and we made the short trip to my car.
An FYI, there is no camping at Warwoman Dell, so if you need a camping spot hike about 1 mile north of Warwoman Dell and camp at the beautiful Martin's Creek Falls campsite.
I then drove both of us to his car at Russell Bridge. The first section of the Bartram Trail complete. This section could easily be done as a day hike if you have two vehicles to self-shuttle like we set it up.
Overall a pretty satisfying hike. No mountain views, but an amazing section near the Chattooga River and an awesome falls are the highlights of this section.
The next section on the GA Bartram Trail was Warwoman Dell to Rabun Bald.
In 15 minutes, we came across a huge blow down and right next to it I saw a turtle. From here, there is a minor view at approximately mile marker 12.4 miles. At 9:50, we reached Bob Gap (12.9 miles). From here begins the long steady 1,200 foot climb to Rainey Mountain, which the Bartram trail skirts, but never summits.
At 11:30 am, we came across our first water crossing for the day at a stream located approximately 15.3 miles from the start. We decided to take a quick break, grab a snack, and I needed to refill on water. It was a hot day. My feet were full of blisters already. My socks were soaked through with sweat. I considered taking 20 minutes to replace my socks, but since Eric went on ahead without me, I decided that I would just push through the final 3.5 miles. It was only 3.5 miles after all, I told myself. This is a decision I later came to regret as I made my way down the steep descent to Warwoman Dell.
Just passed 12:00 pm, we pass a short side trail to Big Rock (16.8 miles), which supposedly offers some pretty good views. I wasn't sure where Eric was so I decided push on. My feet at this point were really starting to hurt. I will have to go back one day to catch Big Rock view. Here I found my first people on the trail. There were two trail runners. I marveled how they could jog on the trail without breaking an ankle. Since this hike, I dabbled in trail running with a full pack when I was late to meet someone. Usually, I go 1-2 minutes before I feel like I am going to break my ankle or fall. Then I walk for a while before I even think about trying to jog again. Anyways they passed me up fairly quickly, but I was about 2 miles from the goal. An hour or less I thought. The misery of the bleeding, blistered feet would be over shortly.
From Big Rock, we begin a serious descent into Warwoman Dell. Every step hurt; like I was pulling skin off my feet. I guess that was exactly what I was doing. I tried to give one last push, but about 1 mile from Warwoman Dell my feet just couldn't handle it. I slow down to a crawl to try to ease the pain in my feet. After what felt like an eternity, I finally see Warwoman Dell (18.8 miles). At around 1 pm, I see Eric under a large roofed patio with picnic tables. He was beginning to set up for his meal. I decided to join him since I didn't have breakfast that morning.
But first, before food, I wanted to access my feet. I take off my shoes gingerly and then remove my hiking sock leaving only my liner sock. My hiking sock is soaked. My feet constantly sweating all day through the heat. I gingerly remove my liner sock to unveil my feet. Eric comes over and is surprised by how bad they are. I sit there on the bench letting them dry out while I get out my stove and food. After eating, I gingerly put on a new pair of socks. I know in the condition my feet were in I couldn't just put them in my camp shoes without some kind of protection. The dry socks on my now dryer feet soothed some of the pain. I began to pack up my things and we made the short trip to my car.
An FYI, there is no camping at Warwoman Dell, so if you need a camping spot hike about 1 mile north of Warwoman Dell and camp at the beautiful Martin's Creek Falls campsite.
I then drove both of us to his car at Russell Bridge. The first section of the Bartram Trail complete. This section could easily be done as a day hike if you have two vehicles to self-shuttle like we set it up.
Overall a pretty satisfying hike. No mountain views, but an amazing section near the Chattooga River and an awesome falls are the highlights of this section.
The next section on the GA Bartram Trail was Warwoman Dell to Rabun Bald.