Benton MacKaye Trail

Long trail stretching from northern Georgia to Tennessee and North Carolina

The trail in Georgia stretches from Springer Mountain to Double Spring Gap on the Tennessee border. The first 20 miles of this trail merge with the Appalachian and Duncan Ridge Trails. From Springer Mountain, the Benton MacKaye Trail goes north to Rhodes Mountain and turns west, crossing the Toccoa River at Shallowford Bridge. The trail uses county roads near Stanley Gap, and then follows ridge tops to Cherry Log. The trail then crosses private property before following state and county roads to Bush Head Gap. The entire trail is marked with white diamonds and blazes on trees.

The last 7 miles of the Georgia portion of the trail are located within the Cohutta Wilderness. The terrain varies from streams through laurel and rhododendron thickets to scenic ridge tops, mature forest, and country roads. The trail is marked with white diamonds and blazes on trees. On the Cohutta district, the trail merges with the South Fork, Jacks River, and Hemptop Trails, where horse travel is permitted within the wilderness.