A new trail connecting the Byron Reece Trailhead Parking Lot on US Hwy 19/129 near Neel Gap with the Appalachian Trail opens Saturday, June 6 – National Trails Day. This popular trail connects hikers to Blood Mountain, one of the most visited locations on the A.T. in Georgia. It’s a popular hike for day hikers and families.

Planning for this project began a decade ago, with construction starting in 2023. Both the old and new trails are contained almost entirely within the Blood Mountain Wilderness area. The old Byron Herbert Reece Trail was 0.8 miles long, very wide, heavily eroded, and often confused unfamiliar hikers due to the many hiker-made trails.  The new trail is 1.2 miles long and will provide hikers with a narrow, more sustainable route through a beautiful forest, with minimal signs of human intervention, keeping with the standards of designated wilderness. While the new trail is slightly longer, it will make for a more enjoyable hike up the mountain. It has been designed using new sustainable trail-building standards, making it less likely to widen or erode as the original trail did, and it should withstand the foot traffic it is expected to receive for years to come.

Hikers using the old trail would arrive at the A.T. opposite the Freeman Trail and frequently made a loop using the A.T. and Freeman Trail. Hikers need to be aware that the new Byron Herbert Reece Trail now arrives at the A.T. about a quarter mile west (trail-south) of the Freeman. Refer to the map for clarification. Signage will be posted at critical areas to assist hikers in finding their way. GATC volunteers will also be patrolling the area as they are available to assist hikers.

This project has been completed in coordination with staff from the Chattahoochee National Forest, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, and the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club. GATC volunteers, along with the ATC’s Konnarock Crew, have been integral to the project’s completion.

Click here for a printable map of the new trail.