In appreciation for your volunteerism this past year, we will be holding our annual volunteer appreciation dinner at Franklin’s Outdoor 76 Rock House Lodge on Friday, December 2nd, 5-7 PM. If you’ve volunteered with us this past year, we hope you’ll join us for an evening of food, fun, and beverages!
October 31st: Bartram Trail Hiking Map Release Party!
Here’s one a lot of y’all have been waiting on for a hot minute, the release of our updated Bartram Trail Hiking Maps! Our friends at Outdoor 76 in Clayton are allowing us to set up camp in the store for a bit on Halloween, October 31st from 4pm to 7pm, to celebrate the release of our new Hiking Map of Georgia’s Bartram Trail and our updated Hiking Map of North Carolina’s Bartram Trail.
Brent Martin, our Executive Director, William Bartram Author, Historian, and Botanist will be there to chat with you and answer questions. Maybe even get yours signed!
While the maps may be ready for sale online ahead of this event, we would love to see you at Outdoor 76 to purchase your new Bartram Trail Hiking Map. We will also have Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy items available for a modest donation. All proceeds from the sale of these maps and other BRBTC items go towards funding trail maintenance projects along the 110 miles of the Bartram Trail.
If you think you will swing by, please RSVP below to help us plan. But, feel free to swing by if you happen to be in the area.
We hope to see you there or on the trail!
Trail Report for Week of October 10th, 2022
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.
December 30th Walking With Bartram – Section 3: Warwoman Dell to Wilson Gap
***RSVP for this hike is closed as of 12/20. We’ve had great interest in these hikes, which is wonderful! But, logistics and planning for this can only support so many folks. We are working on how we can expand these hiking opportunities.
One more time to get out of the house and add a great hike to your holiday routine before the end of 2022!
Join us for section 3 of our Walking With Bartram hike series on December 30th, 2022. This month we are continuing from Warwoman Dell on to Wilson Gap. This section is roughly 8.5 miles with some respectable elevation changes. Depending on the weather, we may decide to approach this in reverse direction, from Wilson Gap to Warwoman Dell. Either way, we all win with winter views of Rabun Bald and other vistas that the bare trees afford us.
We will meet up at 9am at Waroman Dell (or Wilson Gap, final details will be announced closer to this hike date) to organize shuttles to the other trailhead and get started. We should wrap up by 4-5pm.
All Walking With Bartram hikes are open to anyone with a sense of humor and wonder. Just plan on bringing a lunch, water, and appropriate weather for the season. Hiking poles are not required, but you may appreciate them on the climbs and descents, especially following any snowfalls.
Please RSVP below to help us plan for the hike. Hope to see you on the trail!