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Neels Gap to Hog Pen Gap
Quote from nathanu on September 6, 2022, 2:27 amNext adventure planned. Going to hike from Neels to Wolf Laurel Top for the night and then on to Hog Pen Gap for pick up. Anyone familiar with the section? Any pointers? I'll be hammocking.
Next adventure planned. Going to hike from Neels to Wolf Laurel Top for the night and then on to Hog Pen Gap for pick up. Anyone familiar with the section? Any pointers? I'll be hammocking.
Quote from MaxineM on September 9, 2022, 11:53 amGeorgia? (I Googled Wolf Laurel Top. 🙂 ) I'm not familiar with it, but enjoy!
Georgia? (I Googled Wolf Laurel Top. 🙂 ) I'm not familiar with it, but enjoy!
Quote from Hikes in Rain on September 19, 2022, 12:38 amHi, nathanu!
I've hiked this stretch, as part of a longer hike, Woody Gap to Unicoi Gap.. That was way back in the early 90's, during a heavy drought. Springs and streams were bone dry, and the hiking club was leaving 2-liter soda bottles of water for hikers. I was there to break the drought; the remnants of a tropical storm passed over while I was out there. Started pouring late morning of my second day, and kept it up non stop until I reached Unicoi. Got my trail name on that hike. I tried to add some pictures here, but can't seem to get it to work.
I got to Neels (your starting point) late morning, in driving rain. I stayed at Woods Hole Shelter after driving up. Spring was dry, but I had water with me, which I shared with three fellas that had none. One of them was the Marlboro Man, if you've heard of him. All his gear came from a Marlboro catalog, payed for my smoking points. Stocked up on water at the pump just before going through the passageway.
That part of the trail is pretty level. Astras were blooming; wish I could show you. Lots of fog, too, due to the rain. Not much scenery that I can remember until you get to Wolf Laurel, which is spectacular. Be sure to top off your water at Rock Spring 0.7 miles before the top of the hill. Good camping and a great view, but no water source. You probably know that, but just in case! Oh, the spring was dry when I got there. There was a pile of water bottles, but I didn't take any.
You'll drop down to Baggs Creek Gap, with a campsite and the creek for water. Dry when I was there, even if I was wet to the skin despite my poncho. Curiously, the soil was so dry that even with all the rain, there wasn't any mud. That's how severe the drought was. After that, up again to Cowrock Mountain and back down to Tesnatee Gap on GA 384. After I left Tesnatee, it was back up. At one point, I noticed the trail heading back the opposite direction I was going, at about my chest level. Looked up higher, and there it was again, switchbacking above my head. Depressing sight when you're tired, soaking wet and several miles from where I planned to camp.
Speaking of that, if you have time, take the side trail to Whitley Gap Shelter. That's where I stayed. It's a long way off the AT, 1.2 miles. My reading indicated it had a reliable spring that never runs dry, and thankfully it was running during the drought. It was also dry, which I probably wouldn't have been with the blue tarp I brought with me. At one point, I noticed a puddle on the floor and thought the roof was leaking. It wasn't; my socks were so wet they were dripping! There's a really nice overlook less than half way to the shelter, that looks west over everything you've hiked up to there. Worth the trip. The shelter is down in a hollow, and rarely gets visited due to how far off the trail it is. I was the only one there. Heavy fog drifted in that evening, so thick I could see tendrils of fog in my headlight and the shelter log I was reading. The log had a number of references to a local bear, not afraid of people and would come right into the shelter! Made me feel nice and safe. :-0
At this point, you'll be only a thousand feet or so from Hogpen Gap. Just for fun, notice where the trail reenters the woods across the road to your left. When I was there, the fog was so thick I couldn't see where the trailhead was. Walked the wrong direction (of course) until it was obvious, then turned around and eventually found it.
Low Gap shelter is 4.6 miles from Hogpen. It was shortly after that that my boot sole came off. I managed to tape, then tie it back on and keep going to Unicoi. Eventually, I learned to take duck tape, but I'm not sure even that would have stuck, as wet at it was.
Sorry about not being able to post the pictures. I hope you have a great trip!
Hi, nathanu!
I've hiked this stretch, as part of a longer hike, Woody Gap to Unicoi Gap.. That was way back in the early 90's, during a heavy drought. Springs and streams were bone dry, and the hiking club was leaving 2-liter soda bottles of water for hikers. I was there to break the drought; the remnants of a tropical storm passed over while I was out there. Started pouring late morning of my second day, and kept it up non stop until I reached Unicoi. Got my trail name on that hike. I tried to add some pictures here, but can't seem to get it to work.
I got to Neels (your starting point) late morning, in driving rain. I stayed at Woods Hole Shelter after driving up. Spring was dry, but I had water with me, which I shared with three fellas that had none. One of them was the Marlboro Man, if you've heard of him. All his gear came from a Marlboro catalog, payed for my smoking points. Stocked up on water at the pump just before going through the passageway.
That part of the trail is pretty level. Astras were blooming; wish I could show you. Lots of fog, too, due to the rain. Not much scenery that I can remember until you get to Wolf Laurel, which is spectacular. Be sure to top off your water at Rock Spring 0.7 miles before the top of the hill. Good camping and a great view, but no water source. You probably know that, but just in case! Oh, the spring was dry when I got there. There was a pile of water bottles, but I didn't take any.
You'll drop down to Baggs Creek Gap, with a campsite and the creek for water. Dry when I was there, even if I was wet to the skin despite my poncho. Curiously, the soil was so dry that even with all the rain, there wasn't any mud. That's how severe the drought was. After that, up again to Cowrock Mountain and back down to Tesnatee Gap on GA 384. After I left Tesnatee, it was back up. At one point, I noticed the trail heading back the opposite direction I was going, at about my chest level. Looked up higher, and there it was again, switchbacking above my head. Depressing sight when you're tired, soaking wet and several miles from where I planned to camp.
Speaking of that, if you have time, take the side trail to Whitley Gap Shelter. That's where I stayed. It's a long way off the AT, 1.2 miles. My reading indicated it had a reliable spring that never runs dry, and thankfully it was running during the drought. It was also dry, which I probably wouldn't have been with the blue tarp I brought with me. At one point, I noticed a puddle on the floor and thought the roof was leaking. It wasn't; my socks were so wet they were dripping! There's a really nice overlook less than half way to the shelter, that looks west over everything you've hiked up to there. Worth the trip. The shelter is down in a hollow, and rarely gets visited due to how far off the trail it is. I was the only one there. Heavy fog drifted in that evening, so thick I could see tendrils of fog in my headlight and the shelter log I was reading. The log had a number of references to a local bear, not afraid of people and would come right into the shelter! Made me feel nice and safe. :-0
At this point, you'll be only a thousand feet or so from Hogpen Gap. Just for fun, notice where the trail reenters the woods across the road to your left. When I was there, the fog was so thick I couldn't see where the trailhead was. Walked the wrong direction (of course) until it was obvious, then turned around and eventually found it.
Low Gap shelter is 4.6 miles from Hogpen. It was shortly after that that my boot sole came off. I managed to tape, then tie it back on and keep going to Unicoi. Eventually, I learned to take duck tape, but I'm not sure even that would have stuck, as wet at it was.
Sorry about not being able to post the pictures. I hope you have a great trip!
Quote from nathanu on September 19, 2022, 3:05 amWow, that definitely looks like an interesting trip. Also, I just checked atweather.org and it looks like I've got a decent shot at rain. No promises about venturing down to the shelter but, if I have time and legs for it, I'll let you know.
The pictures are a known issue, I have them disabled for the moment to try to limit the hosting cost. Looks like I may need to get it on the road map.
Wow, that definitely looks like an interesting trip. Also, I just checked atweather.org and it looks like I've got a decent shot at rain. No promises about venturing down to the shelter but, if I have time and legs for it, I'll let you know.
The pictures are a known issue, I have them disabled for the moment to try to limit the hosting cost. Looks like I may need to get it on the road map.
Quote from nathanu on September 27, 2022, 1:06 pmWell, didn't make it to Hog Pen Gap but made it to Tesnatee, just short of a mile from Hog Pen. Had some knee issues and, with the wet trail, wet rocks and wet leaves on the wet rocks on the wet trail decided to err on the side of caution. Absolutely beautiful hike and I met a SoBo hiker that was finishing at Springer in a couple of days. Awesome conversation at camp and very cool to get his perspective on the trail.
My thoughts on the section from Neels Gap to Testantee Gap:
- Some of the best views that I've seen. They rival Ramrock and even Blood Mountain.
- Lots of good campsites on the trail, most not marked.
- Wolf Laurel Top was beautiful and some very cool views, I believe that you can see Mt. Yonah from there but I didn't stop. Good tent spot for one, maybe two tents and some good trees for hammocking.
- Baggs Creek Gap is a very short walk from Wolf Laurel Top. I decided to move on there to camp and Farout said that there were good views. I didn't really see any but it was a cool campsite nonetheless.
- Most of the views are from Baggs Creek to Tesnatee Gap.
Well, didn't make it to Hog Pen Gap but made it to Tesnatee, just short of a mile from Hog Pen. Had some knee issues and, with the wet trail, wet rocks and wet leaves on the wet rocks on the wet trail decided to err on the side of caution. Absolutely beautiful hike and I met a SoBo hiker that was finishing at Springer in a couple of days. Awesome conversation at camp and very cool to get his perspective on the trail.
My thoughts on the section from Neels Gap to Testantee Gap:
- Some of the best views that I've seen. They rival Ramrock and even Blood Mountain.
- Lots of good campsites on the trail, most not marked.
- Wolf Laurel Top was beautiful and some very cool views, I believe that you can see Mt. Yonah from there but I didn't stop. Good tent spot for one, maybe two tents and some good trees for hammocking.
- Baggs Creek Gap is a very short walk from Wolf Laurel Top. I decided to move on there to camp and Farout said that there were good views. I didn't really see any but it was a cool campsite nonetheless.
- Most of the views are from Baggs Creek to Tesnatee Gap.
by nathanu