Backcountry / Hike In Lakes?

[cb3725]

I'd like to plan a backpacking trip for my son this summer, right around his 12th birthday. I have a few fond memories from my own childhood of hiking to and camping at mountain lakes in Colorado with my dad and uncles. I'd like to recreate a similar kind of trip with him, but here in the southeast - N. Georgia, N. Alabama, E. Tennessee, or W. North Carolina.

I am looking for a small mountain lake on pubic land, at least relatively remote, with access restricted to backpacking/hiking in. Does anyone have any suggestions of a place like that?

Thank you!

 

[mattuga]

Mountain lakes aren't really a thing in the SE. We just don't have natural lakes in our mountains. The lakes with a dam are generally developed campgrounds or more likely heavily developed. Rivers and creeks will be the best option and there are plenty of those available. Western NC will give you the most options for backpacking and getting remote rivers and stream, I love Pisgah. Cohutta in middle N GA and Chatooga River on eastern border will be some GA options to get started. I have fond memories of backpacking out west in my 20s but love my Appalachians just the same. Be weary of heavy elevation change on some trails with a 12 yo.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Like Mattuga says, not any remote lakes that I can think of. So you can find some hikes to a lake but once you get to the lake, you may see boaters. If you can hike there, they can boat there.

I've never been but this looks interesting in South Carolina. The Foothills trail - Laurel Valley to Lake Jocassee. Might take two days to get there, I'm not sure of the length. I think the hike in this video starts on the Eastatoe River. Laurel Fork Falls dumps into the lake near the trail but it's best seen from a boat. You can also hike to it from the other way in from Devil's Fork State Park.
The Eastatoe trail access if off of Highway 178 above Pickens, SC.

 

[westcobbdog]

Like Mattuga says, not any remote lakes that I can think of. So you can find some hikes to a lake but once you get to the lake, you may see boaters. If you can hike there, they can boat there.

I've never been but this looks interesting in South Carolina. The Foothills trail - Laurel Valley to Lake Jocassee. Might take two days to get there, I'm not sure of the length. I think the hike in this video starts on the Eastatoe River. Laurel Fork Falls dumps into the lake near the trail but it's best seen from a boat. You can also hike to it from the other way in from Devil's Fork State Park.
The Eastatoe trail access if off of Highway 178 above Pickens, SC.

was watching the outdoor channel yesterday I think,and it mentioned Lake Jocassee as holding a nice population of bows and browns including the SC State record for both fish.

 

[Artfuldodger]

was watching the outdoor channel yesterday I think,and it mentioned Lake Jocassee as holding a nice population of bows and browns including the SC State record for both fish.

I would imagine considering the elevation. I think most of that water flows out of North Carolina.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Not a lake but I'd like to hike into the Cohutta Wilderness. Maybe the Jacks River Trail. It looks real scenic from pictures. Lot of pretty pics on this guy's page;
http://tannermark.com/stevetannerphotography/100413-jacks-river-trail/

 

[greg_n_clayton]

I'd like to plan a backpacking trip for my son this summer, right around his 12th birthday. I have a few fond memories from my own childhood of hiking to and camping at mountain lakes in Colorado with my dad and uncles. I'd like to recreate a similar kind of trip with him, but here in the southeast - N. Georgia, N. Alabama, E. Tennessee, or W. North Carolina.

I am looking for a small mountain lake on pubic land, at least relatively remote, with access restricted to backpacking/hiking in. Does anyone have any suggestions of a place like that?

Thank you!

How about a river ? Look toward the Chattooga River if you would consider that type of water ! I done a week long trip years ago on it. Went in at point A and exited at point B. There is a trail on the Ga side.

 

[cb3725]

Thank you for the replies. Everything said seems to lead me to a river hike like Jacks or Conasauaga being a good option, but I'll take a look at the Chatooga River area too. That's a section of GA I've never spent much time, and probably should!

 

[Artfuldodger]

How about a river ? Look toward the Chattooga River if you would consider that type of water ! I done a week long trip years ago on it. Went in at point A and exited at point B. There is a trail on the Ga side.

I didn't know there was a trail on the Georgia side.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Thank you for the replies. Everything said seems to lead me to a river hike like Jacks or Conasauaga being a good option, but I'll take a look at the Chatooga River area too. That's a section of GA I've never spent much time, and probably should!

I just saw you lived in Northwest Georgia and thus the Cohutta, the Chattooga River Trail is definitely pretty as well. I remember a lot of roots on the Chattooga trail but that's gonna be on any trail that follows a mountain river.

Hope y'all get to go and have a good time!

 

[Jethro Bodean]

Jacks River Falls, as mentioned above, is a MUST see. One of Georgia's best gems. Easy hike to in to it on Beech Bottom trail, and stunningly gorgeous. I have also backpacked in from above, down the river trail, and camped about 1/2 mile above the falls. Both the Jacks and Conasauga River trails are quite beautiful. I very much love the Cohutta Wilderness.

Some of the upper-upper Chattooga (above Hwy 28) is quite gorgeous, as well as the 5 Falls part of the lower Chattooga, on Section IV just above the lake. I have paddled all of Sections II through IV on the Chattooga, in a kayak long ago. You can hike in to the 5 Falls section (Corkscrew, Raven's Chute, Crack In The Rock, Jawbone, Sock-em-dog, etc.). Easy to get to the water, but not so easy to hike down through the rapids. Much easier and safer in the Summer when the water is low. Those rapids have killed a lot of people. I was paddling it above my abilities, and very likely could have been killed on Section IV.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Jacks River Falls, as mentioned above, is a MUST see. One of Georgia's best gems. Easy hike to in to it on Beech Bottom trail, and stunningly gorgeous. I have also backpacked in from above, down the river trail, and camped about 1/2 mile above the falls. Both the Jacks and Conasauga River trails are quite beautiful. I very much love the Cohutta Wilderness.

Some of the upper-upper Chattooga (above Hwy 28) is quite gorgeous, as well as the 5 Falls part of the lower Chattooga, on Section IV just above the lake. I have paddled all of Sections II through IV on the Chattooga, in a kayak long ago. You can hike in to the 5 Falls section (Corkscrew, Raven's Chute, Crack In The Rock, Jawbone, Sock-em-dog, etc.). Easy to get to the water, but not so easy to hike down through the rapids. Much easier and safer in the Summer when the water is low. Those rapids have killed a lot of people. I was paddling it above my abilities, and very likely could have been killed on Section IV.

I hope to make it to the Cohutta one day. I've only read about it. Thanks for the trail info. I'll look at the Beech Bottom Trail option. I understand the actual Jacks River trail crisscrosses river a lot and your feet will be wet all day. I did the part of the Chattooga Trail in South Carolina from Cherry Hill to Ellicott Rock. I'm thinking about maybe car camping at Burrells Ford. Well not really car camping as you have to take your gear to the campground.

 

[Jethro Bodean]

I hope to make it to the Cohutta one day. I've only read about it. Thanks for the trail info. I'll look at the Beech Bottom Trail option. I understand the actual Jacks River trail crisscrosses river a lot and your feet will be wet all day. I did the part of the Chattooga Trail in South Carolina from Cherry Hill to Ellicott Rock. I'm thinking about maybe car camping at Burrells Ford. Well not really car camping as you have to take your gear to the campground.

Yep - lots of river crossings on both the Jacks and Conasauga river trails. Unless it is a drought, you cannot do them with dry feet.

But if I recall, there is only one small creek crossing on Beech Bottom Trail. Easy trail, which is really an old road. I used to work with a guy who got busted for actually driving down it, making it almost all the way to the river. The gate at the top was open already, and a ranger noticed tire tracks, so he went down it and caught them. $1,000 fine each for the 3 of them.

To get to the trailhead, you have to actually cross the TN state line to get there. And it's a loooooong drive on dirt roads.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Yep - lots of river crossings on both the Jacks and Conasauga river trails. Unless it is a drought, you cannot do them with dry feet.

But if I recall, there is only one small creek crossing on Beech Bottom Trail. Easy trail, which is really an old road. I used to work with a guy who got busted for actually driving down it, making it almost all the way to the river. The gate at the top was open already, and a ranger noticed tire tracks, so he went down it and caught them. $1,000 fine each for the 3 of them.

To get to the trailhead, you have to actually cross the TN state line to get there. And it's a loooooong drive on dirt roads.

Yeah, I watched a couple Youtube videos on the Beech Bottom Trail. It did seem to be fairly easy. They said not much of a climb in elevation. I did see one small branch crossing. They went across on a small log bridge but you could almost jump it. I think they said when it got to the river at Jacks River Falls, you had to go north or south to camp. That would be a blessing to get away from the day hiker crowd.

 

[greg_n_clayton]

I hope to make it to the Cohutta one day. I've only read about it. Thanks for the trail info. I'll look at the Beech Bottom Trail option. I understand the actual Jacks River trail crisscrosses river a lot and your feet will be wet all day. I did the part of the Chattooga Trail in South Carolina from Cherry Hill to Ellicott Rock. I'm thinking about maybe car camping at Burrells Ford. Well not really car camping as you have to take your gear to the campground.

There are numerous places to access the Chattooga River !! Hike in and back out type accesses. Now days, I make the trip in to the river to fish. It is full of squeller catfish and redeye bass

 

[Artfuldodger]

There are numerous places to access the Chattooga River !! Hike in and back out type accesses. Now days, I make the trip in to the river to fish. It is full of squeller catfish and redeye bass

I do recall a friend of mine hiking in on the Georgia side but above Hwy 28. Seems like it was to camp on a big sandbar.

I keep forgetting about the trail between Hwy 76 and 28. I think as you mentioned there are more Georgia access points on that section.

 

[greg_n_clayton]

I do recall a friend of mine hiking in on the Georgia side but above Hwy 28. Seems like it was to camp on a big sandbar.

I keep forgetting about the trail between Hwy 76 and 28. I think as you mentioned there are more Georgia access points on that section.

yes sir, there are many places to access the river. Alot of them are shown one the USFS's road map. They are all dead ends, except the road into Sandy Ford. You can drive all the way to the river. It is real popular in the summer. Can get pretty rowdy down there sometimes. I prefer the spots where you see nobody, except passing rafter/kayakers, passing by on the river.

 

[westcobbdog]

Jacks is kinda small vs the Chattoga, I'd go Chattoga.