Two of the Southeast's great long trails — the Appalachian Trail and the Benton MacKaye Trail — run through the mountains surrounding Suches, GA. The AT passes Blood Mountain and crosses GA-60 at Woody Gap, minutes from the Toccoa Currents cabins. The Benton MacKaye offers quieter, wilder terrain through the same mountain landscape. Neither requires a through-hiking permit. Both are accessible as day hikes from Suches.
The Appalachian Trail runs 2,198 miles from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. Georgia’s 78-mile section is where the trail begins, and it passes through some of the most rugged and beautiful terrain in the state. The North Georgia mountains around Suches put you within close range of several excellent AT access points.
Woody Gap on GA-60 is the closest AT trailhead to the cabins. There is a small parking area and a gap in the ridge where the trail crosses the road. From Woody Gap you can hike north toward Jarrard Gap and Lake Winfield Scott, or south along the ridge toward Blood Mountain. The trail follows the mountain ridgeline through open hardwood forest with views that open up at gaps and balds. Long Creek Falls is accessible from Woody Gap via the AT heading south.
Blood Mountain is the highest point on the Georgia AT at 4,458 feet. The most common approach is from Neel Gap on US-19, about 30 to 40 minutes from the cabins. The Blood Mountain loop via the Byron Reece and Appalachian trails is a 4.5-mile moderate to strenuous hike with significant elevation gain. The stone shelter near the summit is one of the most photographed spots on the southern AT. Views from the summit on a clear day extend across multiple counties.
The Benton MacKaye Trail is less famous than the AT but beloved by those who hike it. Named after Benton MacKaye, the forester and conservationist who first proposed the Appalachian Trail in 1921, the BMT runs approximately 300 miles from Springer Mountain in Georgia through the Cohutta Wilderness and into Tennessee and North Carolina.
The BMT follows a different philosophy than the AT. Where the AT tends to follow ridgelines, the BMT dips into river valleys, crosses streams, and travels through wilderness areas that see far less foot traffic. It is a wilder, quieter trail. If you want solitude, the Benton MacKaye delivers it.
The trail passes through the mountains of Fannin and Union counties around Suches, giving guests access to BMT sections without a long drive. Sections near the Toccoa River corridor and through the Cohutta Wilderness offer excellent hiking through mature forest with stream crossings and wildlife sightings that are less common on the more heavily traveled AT.
What is the closest Appalachian Trail access point to the Toccoa Currents cabins?
Woody Gap on GA-60 is the closest AT trailhead to the cabins in Suches. There is a small parking area where the trail crosses the road. From Woody Gap you can hike north toward Jarrard Gap or south toward Blood Mountain and Long Creek Falls.
Can I hike to Blood Mountain from the cabins?
Yes. The most common approach is from Neel Gap on US-19, about 30 to 40 minutes from the cabins. The Blood Mountain loop is 4.5 miles, moderate to strenuous, with significant elevation gain. It is the highest point on the Georgia AT at 4,458 feet.
Are dogs allowed on the Appalachian Trail and Benton MacKaye Trail near Suches?
Yes, on most sections of both trails in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Keep them on leash in trailhead areas and be prepared for rugged terrain on longer sections.
What is the difference between the AT and the Benton MacKaye Trail?
The AT follows ridgelines and is heavily traveled. The Benton MacKaye dips into river valleys, crosses streams, and travels through wilderness that sees far less foot traffic. If you want solitude, the BMT delivers it.
Base camp in Suches and day hike the AT and Benton MacKaye. The Chattahoochee National Forest surrounds the cabins on all sides.
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