Backpacking Cohutta Wilderness- Trip Planning Question

[TrailSlug]

I know this is a super old thread, but I just did a backpacking trip here myself. Here are two links I found extremely useful:

http://www.cohuttawildernesshiking.com/

http://caltopo.com/m/20LG

Enjoy

Thanks for updating this thread with these great resources.

[Rain Man]

Thanks for updating this thread with these great resources.

DITTO. I'll be hiking the Conasauga River the last weekend of this month and hope to do the Jacks River later in the Spring.

Have never hiked there ... yet.

[Cohutta]

I've never been myself, but I've been planning a trip for a while now and have dug up some infor on the trails. There are a bunch that criss cross through the area, so it is indeed possible to make differeing loops of differeing lengths depending on where you start and what path you want to take. I did read a boyscout review on a loop involving JR Trail from the eastern trailhead, up to the falls, then retrace back on the same trail to the Penitentiary Branch Trail up to the Hemp Top and back to the trailhead. I think the total loop was somehting like 16.5 miles?

The most common way people take is to start at Dally gap and hike hemp top to penitentiary branch down to jacks. Then Jacks all the way out to Dally. I have been all over Jacks and Hemp top but not down penitentiary Branch. I've heard from others it's a steep downhill to Jacks. If you are exploring maps keep in mind Sugar Cove trail is closed. It will probably never reopen as the wilderness has reclaimed it.


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[Cohutta]

DITTO. I'll be hiking the Conasauga River the last weekend of this month and hope to do the Jacks River later in the Spring.

Have never hiked there ... yet.

I head up there 7-8 weekends per year. It has gotten more and more crowded every year for the last 15 years. If you are planning a weekend I would suggest getting in early Friday morning. Especially at Conasauga. My last three trips there have been loaded with very large Boy Scout groups.


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[TrailSlug]

DITTO. I'll be hiking the Conasauga River the last weekend of this month and hope to do the Jacks River later in the Spring.

Have never hiked there ... yet.

Rain man are you doing a loop or an out and back or through on this trail? That looks like a nice area to hike.

[johnspenn]

My wife and I have done a backpacking trip and a day hike in the Conasauga River area, and want to explore more of the wilderness. It's a great place to do either. The more accessible areas will have more people obviously, but once you hike towards the interior the people sightings trend downward significantly (and the bear sightings increase!).

I hadn't seen the "cohuttawildernesshiking" website, so I'll be exploring it as well- thanks for the heads up on that!

[Rain Man]

Rain man are you doing a loop or an out and back or through on this trail? That looks like a nice area to hike.

We are planning a straight-through hike of the Conasauga River, between Betty Gap Trailhead and Conasauga River Trailhead. 13 miles total. I plan on splitting the group, hiking from each end, meet in the middle to camp at Bray Field, and swapping car keys.

We'll arrive and start Saturday morning, finish Sunday afternoon/evening.

[Cohutta]

Sounds like a good plan. Just be aware that Bray field is a very popular spot and is usually loaded with campers. If that's the case your group should be able to find something a short walk in either direction from Bray field.


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[Str1der]

I've never been myself, but I've been planning a trip for a while now and have dug up some infor on the trails. There are a bunch that criss cross through the area, so it is indeed possible to make differeing loops of differeing lengths depending on where you start and what path you want to take. I did read a boyscout review on a loop involving JR Trail from the eastern trailhead, up to the falls, then retrace back on the same trail to the Penitentiary Branch Trail up to the Hemp Top and back to the trailhead. I think the total loop was somehting like 16.5 miles?

Such an old thread that I get to link my own trip report where we did make such a loop. We didn't follow much of Jacks River, but we did get to see a pretty big chunk of the Cohutta!

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...-Loop-May-2013

[gatigress]

ohhh sweet I was looking at this area as well. Thanks for the links!