Is There A Shuttle Service From Amacola Falls To Springer Mount

Originally published 1/10/2017; final updated 1/27/2022 by Penina Satlow.

"Westhere'south Springer Mountain? You lot mean the Southern Terminus of the AT? That'due south easy… information technology's in Georgia. In the woods. Really await I don't know." Sound familiar? Yous're not lone. Luckily, this particular trailhead happens to be popular enough that there are quite a few means to get there…. it just takes some piecing together.

Important Note for 2022 and across

More than e'er, the ATC strongly recommends NOBO hikers begin their journey at Amicalola Land Park rather than driving the dirt route to the Springer Trailhead.

Both the eastern and western routes to Springer can be hazardous in winter, and conditions tin be poor during the spring freeze/thaw cycle, especially during moisture years. Both routes can develop deep ruts that tin can plough into a quagmire that creates hazards, specially for passenger cars. The more traffic, the deeper the ruts, and the more than difficulty the Forest Service has re-grading them.

In that location is likewise the business that on busy days, the Springer Mountain parking lot fills upward and cars line the narrow woods service route in both directions, creating rubber hazards.

The ATC is at present encouraging AT thru-hikers to start at Amicalola Falls State Park instead of Springer Mountain. Hikers can avoid poor road weather or getting vehicles stuck, as well as avoid contributing to worsening route conditions and clogged parking.

Another gene the ATC has brought up is that past starting at the Springer parking lot and hiking to the summit and back, you are traveling a popular section of trail twice, in effect doubling the traffic. Taking the approach trail i-manner from Amicalola Falls Land Park tin can help reduce the foot traffic in addition to motorcar traffic.

Hikers starting at Amicalola Falls Land Park tin drive on paved roads and at lower elevations, they tin pick up their hangtag and participate in a brief thru-hiker orientation, equally well as learning about trail conditions and updates. They can weigh their pack one final fourth dimension and sign the register, and finally, get a photograph under the stone arch before hiking by cute falls.

The Basics

1) Amicalola State Park: Hikers starting here will complete the Approach Trail, which is about viii miles heading north to the summit of Springer.

ii) Springer Mount Parking Surface area: 1 mile up Springer and back to the parking lot. Seriously though, meet above.

The toll of getting to Springer varies entirely on your trip strategy. Hikers who plan to utilize a shuttle service should budget anywhere from $forty-$100 for the ride. Factors include pickup location, number of people traveling, and what service you use. MARTA, Greyhound, and AMTRAK tickets volition run between $ten-$40 depending on distance of trip.

Starting Locations:

*Recommended: Amicalola State Park: 418 Amicalola Falls Lodge Rd, Dawsonville, GA 30534

Springer Mountain Parking Expanse:34.637467, -84.195317 // N34 38.248 W84 11.719

Nearest Airport:

Atlanta International Airport (ATL) (89 miles s of Springer)

Nearest Boondocks with Public Transportation:

Gainesville (48 miles southward of Springer)
Super 8
Hilton Garden Inn
Motel vi
& more

Nearest Decent-Sized Town:

Dahlonega (22 miles south of Springer)
Barefoot Hills (Formerly Hiker Hostel)
Holiday Inn Express
Quality Inn
& more than

Getting Anywhere from the Atlanta Airport

To reach Gainesville from the Atlanta airport, you will need to have the MARTA to the Greyhound stop, or drome shuttle to the AMTRAK station. If you have a bigger shuttle budget, many shuttle services volition selection yous up from the Atlanta Airport or the N Springs MARTA end.

Airport → North Springs MARTA Stop: Northward Springs MARTA is a popular place to exist picked up from shuttle services. (Come across below.) MARTA provides motorcoach and railroad train services to the Atlanta surface area and can be constitute at Footing Transportation at the Atlanta airport. $2.50 per ride, plus $2 for a Breeze Card or $1 for a single use ticket. Includes transfers.

Airport → Gainesville by Greyhound: Have the MARTA from the aerodrome to Garnett Station. The nearest Greyhound depot will exist on Forsyth Street. From there, you'll take the Greyhound to the Gainesville stop. The charabanc leaves once a day at 8:25 am. $25-50.

Airport → Gainesville by AMTRAK: Take the MARTA from the airport to Arts Center. From there have the #110 bus to the AMTRAK station. From there, accept the train to the Gainesville station. Train leaves every day at 11:29 pm. $14.

Shuttle Services

Have your credit bill of fare handy in case services desire payment over the telephone. Call early to make sure yous can get the shuttle on the same 24-hour interval your flight gets to Atlanta. Nearly all of the listed services will choice you up from the MARTA North Springs station, Gainesville Greyhound or AMTRAK depots, or the Atlanta airport. More shuttle services tin likewise exist constitute in the comments on FarOut.

Richard Anderson: Pickups at Atlanta Drome, Gainesville public depots, and many points along the AT. Will shuttle to points in North Carolina, and offers options for slackpacking and section hikers. Accepts emails, texts, and calls.
Cell: 404-408-2524

Barefoot Hills (formerly Hiker Hostel): Offer shuttle services from the North Springs MARTA station all the way to trail crossings along the Georgia section of the AT.

Suches Hiker Shuttle: Based out of Suches, Georgia. Dogs allowed. Telephone call or text at 678-967-9510.

Survivor Dave volition pick yous upward at transportation depots or North Bound MARTA end. Volition not choice upwards from Gainesville AMTRAK or bus terminal.
678-469-0978. Call between 8am-8pm EST. No texts. No e-mail reservations.

Ron Brown : Based out of Ellijay, Georgia. Responds to email, Facebook and Instagram letters. Text for quicker response.
Prison cell: 706-669-0919.

Sally and Joyce: They live outside Hiawassee and can exist reached before 7pm EST at 706-896-9339 or at [e-mail protected]

AT Hiker Shuttle. Bret Eady. AT class of 2017 SOBO. Call/texts at 404-569-8776 or electronic mail at [electronic mail protected] Operates anywhere in Georgia.

Jeff Moon. Call/text 24/7 at 706-994-2307. Dog friendly. Operates anywhere in Georgia

The Further Shuttle: Shuttle services throughout Georgia. Overnight stays at their hostel nearly the drome. Small resupply with canister fuel. Call/text. Donald: 772-321-0905. Mary: 706-400-9105. Email at [email protected] Commercially insured.

Driving Directions:

Dahlonega to Amicalola State Park

From Dahlonega, have Hwy. 52 Due west about 20 miles to Amicalola Falls Country Park. Parking is available at the visitor'due south eye.

The Hike: The trail departs from the iconic arch and follows blue blazes past the towering waterfall and through the state park, intersecting with several other trails. There are a few shelters along the way. You volition reach Springer after about viii miles of hiking. Continue northward to begin your journeying.

Dahlonega to Springer Mountain Parking Area

*NOTE:* User input has mentioned poor atmospheric condition for this route. Seriously. First at Amicalola.

Head west on Highway 52 for about 9 miles. Turn right past a sign for Nimblewill Baptist Church building. After about two miles, turn right onto Forest Service Road 28-i by a sign for Nimblewill Gap. In well-nigh ii miles, the road forks and you head left onto Forest Service Road 77 and drive for about v miles to Windingstair Gap. Plough left onto Forest Service Road 42 and drive for about ii miles earlier yous come across the parking area on your right.

Alternately, drivers can stay on 52, turn correct onto Roy Road, so right onto Doublehead Gap Rd.

Keep in mind that weather and changing route conditions can alter routes at any bespeak. Information technology's a rough road, so exist certain to exercise your research before heading out. For alternate driving directions, bank check out the Forest Service page here.

The Hike: From the Springer Mountain Parking Area, follow the white blazes s for about one mile to the summit of Springer. Plough around, and caput back to the parking lot, wave at the people who are probably still continuing at that place, and go along north.

There y'all take information technology! Hopefully, nobody's hike was ever canceled because they couldn't notice Springer Mountain, but you never know. If we left out any helpful info or your favorite shuttle service, feel free to go out it in the comments.

Featured prototype: Graphic design past Jillian Verner (@yourstrulyjillian).