Pack Carrying Training Hike: Warwoman Dell / Pinnacle Knob / Courthouse Gap

We will leave the park and ride at 8:30AM, please arrive a few minutes before. 

We park at Warwoman Dell, 3 miles from Clayton on Warwoman Rd. Almost immediately upon leaving the trailhead (1884 ft), marked by a plaque to William Bartram, we come to the first of the two waterfalls on this hike, a two-level cascade on Becky Branch. For the next half hour we hike roughly parallel to Warwoman Rd, then swing north and soon pick up Martin Creek, a picture-book creek with grassy banks and pebbly riverbed as well as swirling rapids and a spectacular falls, viewed from a platform. Leaving the creek, we steadily ascend through open woods to somewhere close to Courthouse Gap and take a side trail to Pinnacle Knob (3141 ft), which offers a splendid 180-degree view. The Forest Service has rerouted the trail to the top (it is easier).  We’ll have lunch on top. At this point we could retrace our steps back to the spur and make a left to go to Courthouse Gap and then retrace our steps back to the cars.

The photo, kindly supplied by Ofelia, shows Pinnacle Knob from Courthouse Gap.

The intent of this hike is to help those folks who want to complete a backpack carrying training hike.  You don't have to carry a backpack to join this hike, but the pace will be leisurely.  The hike will have 'rest breaks'.

From the park and ride take I-85 North to I-985 North. I-985 turns into GA 365/US 23/US 441. Continue to the Burger King in Clayton, GA, for a pit stop.  Once back in the cars, continue east onto Rickman Street. Follow Rickman Street for approximately 0.5 mile to its end at signed Warwoman Road. Turn 
right onto Warwoman Road and proceed approximately 2.3 miles to the Warwoman Dell Recreation Area. Turn right on a gravel road leading to the parking lot. The path begins at the far right 
end of the parking lot.