Mountaintown Creek Trail in Cohuttas (via GA Pinhoti Trail)

This is a 14 mile strenuous hike with twelve creek crossings, three of which are "wet."

This is one of the few hikes in the southern Cohuttas where we can start at the bottom, go to the top, and come back down. We also avoid all but a few miles of gravel roads to get there.

This hike starts at the begining of the Bear Creek Trail, some of which is now part of the Pinhoti Trail. (The Pinhoti is a long trail which ultimately connects the AT to Alabama, via the Benton McKaye.)

We will go up Bear Creek, past the Gennett Poplar, which is one of the largest trees left in Georgia, and get on the Mountaintown Connector over to the Mountaintown Creek Trail, which is also part of the Pinhoti. 

We will have lunch at a camp site near one of the upper stream crossings.

From there it is a climb up to Buddy Cove Gap at 3164 feet, and Forest Service Road 64. Then we come back down the way we came.

There are a number of stream crossings, three of which are typically not "rock hoppable."  (But this is not Jack's River, so no deep wading.)  The three wet crossings are closely spaced within one half mile.  I plan to switch to flip flops at the first one and back to shoes after the third.  You can do what you want, but I recommend bringing along either flip flops, bare feet, sandals or water shoes, or you may be hiking in wet boots/shoes most of the way.

Please Note:

• THIS IS NOT A BEGINNER HIKE
• This is not a "fast hike."  The pace is moderate.
• Make sure you are in good physical condition, can hike long distances and keep a moderate pace.

From Park & Ride, exit and go back toward Chastain Rd, turn right on to Chastain, turn left on to I-575 North, it will eventually becomes 515, stay on 515.  We will have a bathroom break at Burger King, on the right in Ellijay. (1022 Maddox Dr, East Ellijay 30540)  After leaving Burger King, continue  North on 515 and take a left at the light just past the Hardees.  After Hardees, go across the bridge and turn left at the light. This will take you to downtown Ellijay via GA-52. Follow the sign for Fort Mountain State Park, this will keep you on to GA-52, go for 5 miles and turn right onto Gates Chapel Road and go 4.6 miles. Turn right onto Forest Service Road 241. Take this gravel road for approx 2 miles to trail head. Before you get to the trailhead, the Bear Creek camping area will be a spur to the right - don't take that.

Please share gas expenses with carpool drivers.