HIGHLIGHTS:
The Bartram Trail is a national recreation trail that travels across the
mountains of South Carolina, Georgia, and the Nantahala National Forest in North
Carolina.
The trail is named after William
Bartram, a naturalist who roamed the southern woods in 1775.
He studied plants and animals and recorded his findings in a journal
published as The Travels of William Bartram. The trail is blazed in
yellow on the Chattahoochee National Forest,
and it stretches for thirty-six miles in the state of Georgia.
(For more information, you can visit the
Bartram Trail Society
website. Its members volunteer for trail development, construction,
maintenance and repair.)
This section of the Bartram Trail heads southbound from
Rabun Gap to Rabun Bald (4,696 feet) and is a backtrack hike. An old road
provides access to Rabun Gap and four wheel drive is highly recommended for it.
A fire tower at Rabun Bald has 360 degree views of
mountains and ridges in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
The fantastic views make Rabun Bald an
attractive overnight destination for backpackers, but a word of caution is in
order - especially for the hot, humid summer months. Rabun Bald is prone to
strong thunder and lightening storms and the exposed summit is extremely
dangerous in these conditions. There are some small campsites along the Bartram
Trail just south of the summit. They are tucked in the trees and are much safer
than the open area around the tower. Both day hikers and overnight backpackers
should watch for dark clouds in the skies to the south or southwest and get off
Rabun Bald well before a storm hits. It is also recommended that all pets are on
a leash around the summit since it is a popular day-hiking destination for many
people that live in the area.
