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Hiking the Benton MacKaye Trail between Dyer and Watson Gaps (ssss1)

For the purposes of this book, I have included selected hikes on the Georgia portion of the Benton MacKaye Trail. If you wish to explore it further, I encourage you to visit the Benton MacKaye Trail Association website at bmta.org. The association does an excellent job maintaining the trail through the work of volunteers, and it is a prime resource for detailed information. Another great resource is Tim Homan’s Hiking the Benton MacKaye Trail.

1 COHUTTA WILDERNESS: East Cowpen, Hickory Ridge, and Rough Ridge Loop

Distance 15.6 miles, loop

Hiking Time 16 hours

Difficulty Strenuous

Elevation +3,480'/–3,475'

Trail Use Backpacking and horseback riding

Best Times Year-round

Agency Chattahoochee National Forest, Conasauga Ranger District

Recommended Map National Geographic Trails Illustrated Springer and Cohutta Mountains Chattahoochee National Forest

HIGHLIGHTS The East Cowpen, Hickory Ridge, and Rough Ridge trails form a loop that passes through the heart of the Cohutta Wilderness. Because this is a long trek with some steep climbs, it works best as an overnight trip for experienced backpackers. The best part is that it travels through two distinct types of terrain found in the Cohutta. The trip begins in hardwoods on high ridges that form the western wall of a deep gorge that drops 1,500 feet to Rough Creek. If you’re backpacking, your first day will likely end with a descent to the banks of Jacks River, which rushes through heath forest of hemlocks and rhododendrons. There is room on the riverbank for camping, and on clear nights you can gaze at a starry sky undisturbed by city lights. On the second day, you climb high again to Rough Ridge, where you can look across the gorge and get a real sense of its depth and breadth.