Regardless of your hike location on the Bartram Trail, certain safety precautions should always be taken. The Bartram Trail is marked with rectangular yellow blazes, with double blazes indicating a potentially confusing turn or an intersection with another trail. Blue blazes represent side trails. Pay attention to the blazes and you’ll be fine. Know where you’re going and make sure you’ve told a friend or family member too!
Many hikers now depend on trail apps for their journeys, but apps are not always reliable, nor are batteries. Paper maps with contour lines and local features do not need batteries, nor do they produce questionable locations or results. Maps are also more visually interesting and create a stronger sense of confidence on the trail. Always let someone know your location and hike details, particularly if you are hiking alone. This goes for groups as well, regardless of their size. When hiking with larger groups it is also important to assign a sweep–someone who will bring up the rear of the group and who can ensure that everyone is accounted for and moving forward.
Know the weather forecast! Southern Appalachian weather can change dramatically, and one should always prepare for whatever extremes might emerge. Even on summer days when the forecast is warm and there is only the slightest chance of rain, a rain jacket, a change of socks, and an extra layer are important accessories. Winter hikes are trickier, and it is always a good idea to layer clothing, prepare for the forecast, and expect it to be worse than predicted. Ask yourself if you have what you might need to survive a night on the trail should an emergency arise. Always bring a map, a good first-aid kit, firestarter, a flashlight, and a little extra food for any hike that is expected to take you a full day to complete.
Although the likelihood of encountering a bear is low, such occurrences are on the increase in areas popular with campers, where food is often left out or left behind in campfire rings or around campsites. The Bartram Trail has no designated campsites, and all the camping is dispersed. Practice Leave No Trace when you camp to ensure that other campers using your site are at less risk. Bear spray can also provide some security in the rare event of a dangerous bear-human encounter. If overnighting, always hang food a good distance from your tent and utilize bear cannisters to keep your food and beverages safe and to control odor. Bear problem advisories are listed for Georgia and North Carolina national forests on their websites for North Carolina and for Georgia. For excellent backcountry bear information visit www.bearsmart.com and plan accordingly.
Purify your drinking water. You might be looking at what appears to be a pure mountain stream, but the microscopic parasite Giardia could be present. Giardia is transferred to water through the fecal matter of wild animals and can cause serious gastrointestinal problems. Much of the Giardia present in mountain streams originates from wild hogs–an increasing problem on the Bartram Trail, particularly within the Appletree section. Simple purification through a variety of modern backcountry options such as UV treatment, water filter straws, and iodine tablets works fine, or one can always resort to the old-fashioned method of boiling water at a full boil for two minutes.
Be aware that you could be hiking during hunting season. Hunting seasons depend on the game animal and the state, but in general hunting seasons begin in early autumn and extend through February. There is also a spring season for turkey hunting. If you wear bright colors or an orange cap to ensure that hunters can see you, you’ll be fine. Most hunters avoid trails, knowing that hikers can disrupt hunting, but you can never be too safe. Check the state game regulations online if you’re especially concerned.
Stream crossings are abundant on the Bartram Trail. Most streams are easily forded in mild and dry weather, and none of the crossings are difficult to wade. Heavy rains can swell streams quickly, and caution should be used at some of the larger streams, such as Dicks Creek.
Accessing the trail via Forest Service roads can also be a problem, particularly in winter; many roads close in December and do not reopen until mid-March. Check the forest service websites for road closures, or for the most up to date information call the district ranger office.
Happy trails!
Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy
Links:
NC Forest Service Alerts
GA Forest Service Alerts
Leave No Trace