">
Day 78, June 20, Southern Terminus exit day!
Day 78, June 21, Spring Mountain Shelter to the Amicalola Visitor Center
Hiked today 9 today’s ascent 1210 total hiked 1306
I got going a little after 730 this morning. I only had 0.2 miles to the end of the trail. Here is a picture of the terminus plaque and a picture of me with the terminus plaque.
The Springer Mountain Summit has an opening in the trees with a view.
From the AT terminus, the AT Approach Trail leads to the Visitor Center. The approach trail is 8.8 miles.
The approach trail crosses a bridge over the top of Amicalola Falls, a truly spectacular water falls. This picture is actually angled sharply downward.
There is a 425 step stairway that descends to the bass of the falls! Pretty cool.
Here is what the falls look like from the bottom of the staircase.
The river cascades steeply down from the falls. After descending another staircase there is a platform where you can look up the cascades with the main falls in the background.
I arrived at the Amicalola Visitor Center around 11:30AM. Of course I had to get the iconic Amicalola Gate photo.
My shuttle driver was able to come early! Thanks Yellow Blazin Ron Brown for great service! He arrived at noon after getting stuck for 30 minutes in construction traffic. He stopped at a McDonald’s on the way to Atlanta and I was in heaven.
I asked Ron if he had any ideas about making sure that my equipment makes it through the airline baggage system unscathed. He had better than a suggestion, he had a solution. He had a variety of huge duffle bags that hikers left with him after arriving to begin their NOBO through hikes. I found a perfect bag that held all my stuff.
So I’m set for the flight.
I’ve obviously changed my mind about doing a yoyo, I’m not going to turn around and hike the opposite direction. I’m planning to find my way to Katahdi in Maine and complete the trail as a SOBO flip-flopper. But I’ll be taking a week off at home in New Jersey before tackling the 900 miles from Mount Katahdin to the Delaware Water Gap.
This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any product or service you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price as they would otherwise, and your purchase helps to support The Trek's ongoing goal to serve you quality backpacking advice and information. Thanks for your support!
To learn more, please visit the About This Site page.
Comments 3
Enjoy your rest! I’ve really enjoyed following you on your journey. I’m 67 and recently retired, and have dreamed of hiking the AT since I was a teenager. You are proving it’s never too late! Thank you for your journaling and the great photos.
Thanks for the comment! The hike was truly fun and challenging at the same time. You have to find positive thoughts and ways to relieve the boredom. My way was thinking about life and constantly realizing how beautiful the trail really ours. You should try a two week section hike to get a feel of what you’re in for.
Excellent final SOBO post , the falls are impressive through your photos. Thanks for keeping me on the trail with you, your writing was vivid! Enjoy a break and I hope you get up to Katahdin and head back south.