Summary of trail conditions, trail maintenance, and other information about the Bartram Trail.
This post is our first trail report with a goal of publishing any and all information pertaining to the trail that we receive from hikers, members, and from our own volunteer work days.
If you are out on the trail and see something that needs to be addressed, like a tree down across the trail, muddy section, or potential hazards, please let us know by submitting a trail observation report. We review and prioritize all reports we receive and assign trail work days to address them.
New Trail Observations for week of October 10th through 16nd:
- Date: 10/12/2022
- Source: Member(s)
- Section: Rabun Bald (GA)
- Observations: As part of assistance to prepare for the Sky to Summit trail race, scheduled for 11/5, members and volunteers were out on the stretch of trail connecting to Rabun Bald and a connector trail down to Hale Ridge Road. Other than the tricky and steep rock descent directly off of Rabun Bald, this trail is looking great. We didn’t encounter any significant issues from Beegum Gap up to Rabun Bald. On the way down, minimal cutting back of overgrowth, some minor brushing, and some clearing of water diversions was completed.
- Date: 10/15/2022
- Source: Member(s)
- Section: Warwoman Dell to Hale Ridge Road (GA)
- Observations: Trail was cleared of brush from the Warwoman Dell parking area up just past Becky Branch Falls.
- Date: 10/16/2022
- Source: Member(s)
- Section: Jones Gap to Osage Overlook (NC)
- Observations: This section looks good overall with the exception of a few blowdowns across the trail. Most are easily stepped over and are less than 16″ in diameter, but there is one tangle of a tree that is not easily passable, located about 1 mile from Jones Gap. It is located near the end of a switchback, so hikers can go down/up the short distance to connect back with the trail. This blowdown will need chainsaw work to remove. The primary water source along this section is at the Tessentee campsite along the short forest road section between Jones Gap and Scaly Mountain. This section has had a lot of great work done on it since this summer with a long section of new tread, stone and wood steps, and much easier steps to take.