Gastrointestinal illnesses have been reported throughout the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. To prevent the illness, be sure to wash your hands with SOAP frequently. Antibacterial wipes and washes are not effective against norovirus. Other preventive measures can be found in the attached articles.
ATC Information
The Georgia Appalachian Trail Club is pleased to offer our new publication, The Georgia Mountaineer Quarterly. It is available to the public and is designed to showcase the great work our GATC members do preserving and protecting the Appalachian Trail. Follow the link to view the available editions.
Is there a blowdown on the trail in Georgia? If you're carrying a GPS enabled phone, you can let us know by following the steps below:
• Be sure LOCATION is ENABLED on phone.
• Phone camera access to GPS Location is ENABLED.
• Be sure your phone is NOT in AIRPLANE MODE while taking picture.
• Make sure GPS has a good fix by having your phone out of pack or pocket, turning on the camera, and waiting for a few minutes before taking pictures.
• Send images from phone as attachments to email, not inserted in email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
For more details about the reporting system, check out this article.
Help Preserve the AT in Georgia
As a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Charitable Organization, the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club can accept your financial donation in any amount. Donations of $100 or more may be designated to one or more of the following specific purposes:
- General Donation
- GATC Building Fund
- Trail Ambassador Program
- Outreach Programs
- Conservation
- Activities
- Trail Maintenance/Repairs
Donated amounts of less than $100 will be considered a general donation. Click here to make a donation.
Sport your support when you have a Georgia AT License Plate!
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) receives $10 annually for each Georgia specialty A.T. plate purchased or renewed. Since the plate became available in 2013, Georgia license plate holders have raised over $300,000 for ATC.
Apply for Your Georgia A.T. Plate
Apply for your plate by visiting your local Tax Commissioner’s tag office, or by choosing the “Appalachian Trail Conservancy of Georgia” specialty plate when you renew your registration online. In addition to the regular vehicle registration fees, a standard, numerical A.T. license plate costs $35. There is also a one-time manufacturing fee of $25 when you first purchase your tag.
Georgia A.T. License Plate Grant Program
Each year, the ATC uses funds from the sale of Georgia A.T. license plates to provide grants to organizations and individuals who are working to help fulfill the ATC’s mission within the state of Georgia. As of 2021, nearly $500,000 has been raised through this program in support of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. Click here for a year-by-year summary of previous grantees and projects that received funding.
Create a Facebook Fundraiser in Support of Your Trail
Are you at a point in your life where those gifts you get for birthdays or other celebrations aren’t so special anymore? You can easily turn those potential gifts into a 
meaningful donation to your favorite trail – the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. If you have a Facebook account, you can set up a fundraiser that benefits the GATC, a 501c3 nonprofit. Your friends and family could donate the money they would spend on a gift to the club and perhaps get a tax benefit as a result as well. The funds generated by your Facebook fundraiser would amount to a generous gift to the Appalachian Trail here in Georgia.
To set up a benefit fundraiser, open your Facebook account and look for Menu items. Locate the Fundraiser tab (note: you may need to select "See more" to find it.) Search for the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club then set your preferences for the fundraiser.
All the money raised through your fundraiser will benefit the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club. Your fundraiser will also help spread the word about the good work this club does to protect, maintain and advocate for the Appalachian Trail here in Georgia.
In anticipation of the increase in thru-hiker traffic as a result of the upcoming release of the movie "A Walk in the Woods", ATC has released a series of videos highlighting Leave No Trace (LNT) ethics. The short (1-2 minute) videos focus on each of the seven LNT principles, as well as the story behind the videos and a blooper/outtake reel. Spread the word -- "Don't Be That Guy". #ATLNT
The Appalachian Trail in Georgia extends over 78 miles through the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, passing through five federally designated wilderness areas, a national recreation area, and a protected corridor.
The Trail follows the southernmost segment of the Blue Ridge chain of the Appalachian Mountains, reaching elevations above 4,000 feet at several locations. With over 50 miles of connected, GATC-maintained side trails, hiking opportunities that challenge, provide variety and breath-taking views abound. The A.T. continues into North Carolina at Bly Gap where hikers may continue their journey into the Nantahala National Forest on trail that is maintained by the Nantahala Hiking Club.
The Trail's southern terminus, located on the summit of Springer Mountain, is marked with an Appalachian Trail plaque and white blaze. You will find more information about how to prepare for a hike or backpacking trip and how to access the Appalachian Trail throughout this website.
The Georgia Appalachian Trail Club was founded on November 1, 1930 in Dahlonega, Georgia. We are an all-volunteer trail maintaining club responsible for the maintenance of over 130 miles of trail and trail facilities such as blazes, signs, shelters and privies in the north Georgia mountains. Our members, whether they have hiked the entire A.T. or are more casual about their outdoor recreation, come from all walks of life and share a passion for the Appalachian Trail and its protection for today and the future. Members of the GATC have served in leadership positions with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and previously the Appalachian Trail Conference from its earliest days. Many of our members serve on regional and trail-wide committees that direct and guide the present and future of the Appalachian Trail, as well.
In addition to maintaining and planning for the future of the A.T., we enjoy many recreational opportunities throughout the year. These trips have included day hikes, backpacks, photography, bicycle, canoeing and kayaking trips. These activities are not only in the mountains of north Georgia but in the city of Atlanta, the lakes of South Carolina, the coasts of Georgia and Florida and in many other locations throughout the southeast. We invite you to JOIN US and become a member of the leading trail maintaining club in Georgia and a leader in outdoor recreation!
Here are some trail-related links that may be useful:
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National Park Service AT Office |  |
Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest |
Appalachian Trail Maintaining Clubs:
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Other Trails and Clubs in north Georgia:
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Hiker Associations:
- American Hiking Society
- Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association (ALDHA)
Many GATC members have been hoping for a good solution to a proposed private development on an inholding in the Tusquittee Mountains along the Fires Creek Rim Trail system in the Nantahala National Forest. This is a very remote area with steep slopes, trout streams, and the location of numerous GATC hikes over the years. The Rim Trail had to be rerouted to skirt the property. The owners had successfully petitioned for vehicular access via Forest Service lands and proposed to construct several houses on the property, but now they are willing to sell this land to the Mainspring Conservation Trust. If Mainspring can raise the funds to purchase this property, they will eventually transfer it to the Nantahala National Forest and the land will remain undeveloped in this pristine area.
Mainspring is in a campaign to raise $525,000 to close on the project before the end of the year. An article about this and a link to donate to this project is at:
GATC has received a 2017 Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award from the Rollins School of Public Health and the Goizueta Business School of Emory University. The award ceremony was held in Atlanta at Emory on January 19. Accepting the award was GATC’s current director of Community Outreach Jay Dement. Also in attend
ance were three former Outreach directors Marianne Skeen, Frank Wright, and Tom Ottinger.
This award recognizes and celebrates people and organizations in greater Atlanta whose work exemplifies the legacy of Dr. King. Some of the criteria for the award specify that recipients should celebrate diversity and impel action in building a better future for all. Additionally, it looks for organizations that invest resources for the well being of all children, especially those who would otherwise miss out on the many opportunities a young life should offer.
The award cites GATC for conducting a youth outreach program over the last ten years that helps young people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in hiking and camping on National Forest lands. The program focuses both on children in areas of concentrated poverty in the metro Atlanta area and on youth in rural north Georgia counties through which the Appalachian Trail passes. Multi-day backpack trips are arranged for the metro Atlanta kids to build their self-reliance and give them a more immersive experience in the outdoors.
The award citation noted that over 25 GATC volunteers have been involved with these outreach activities. GATC thanks all of you who have participated and were instrumental in the club’s receiving this prestigious award. The Club also encourages any other members who are interested to join in this worthwhile outreach effort.
Harpers Ferry, WV (Feb. 9, 2015) – In order to enhance the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) experience for thru-hikers and better manage this natural resource, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), in cooperation with its partners, has launched a new voluntary registration system for those attempting to hike the estimated 2,185-mile-long Trail in one year. This registration system, available at www.appalachiantrail.org/thruhikeregistration, exists to ease impacts from the increased number of hikers expected after the release of two hiking related films, “Wild” and “A Walk in the Woods.”