Water Sources

A must-have item for any hike in any season is an adequate supply of drinking water.

Although many springs and streams are found along the A.T. corridor in Georgia, some sections of the trail are completely dry while in other areas water sources are abundant and easily accessed from the path. The key to a good hike is to carry more water than you think you may need and to plan for obtaining more if you are out for an extended period. Staying hydrated is critically important.

The Georgia Appalachian Trail Club strongly recommends that hikers purify water from any natural source before consuming it. Clear, cold water pouring directly out of a mountainside may look fine but filtering, boiling or chemically treating it against contamination before consuming it is always the safest bet.