Appalachian Trail Georgia Section Hike: Hogpen Gap to Dicks Creek Gap

Hiking Hogpen Gap to Dicks Creek Gap in Georgia on the Appalachian Trail is a challenging and beautiful section of the AT! In 2023 we section hiked 1,225 miles of the Appalachian Trail, the longest footpath in the world, and spent 13 weeks day hiking, working, and van camping on the Appalachian Trail as we moved up the trail slowly from Georgia to Maine. In this series we cover each section we hiked and in this article we cover the area from Hogpen Gap to Dicks Creek Gap in the state of Georgia!

If heading NOBO (Northbound) on the Appalachian Trail hogpen Gap begins at mile 38.2 of the 2023 AT Distance and Dicks Creek gap ends at 69.2 Miles. The 31 Mile Hike will include over 5,000 feet of ascent, a few thousand feet of descent, a few road crossings with parking available, and will put you close to the state border of north carolina!

Hogpen Gap to Dicks Creek Gap Appalachian Trail Section Hike Need to Know’s:

1. Good News: Gaps on the Appalachian Trail often mean there will be parking and a road crossing should you want/need to get picked up!
   Bad News: Gaps in mountains mean you come off and go up steep mountains many times to reach a gap. This was the good, the bad, and the ugly reality of our section hike. We got to sleep in our van but the days began and ended with STEEP climbs!
   The climbs out of Hogpen Gap, Tesnatee Gap, Unicoi Gap, and Dicks Creek Gap are no exceptions.

2. Unicoi Gap is a close drive to the town of Helen Georgia (a bavarian themed town that we camped at Hearthstone Campground at) and Dicks Creek Gap is located just around the corner from the famous Around the Bend Hostel and near the trail town of Hiawasee Georgia that we loved! (We camped at Long Ridge just outside of Hiawasee.)

3. This is a 31 mile section hike and we broke it up into three days but that included us going out and back some at both Unicoi Gap and at Dicks Creek Gap. I was averaging 12-15 miles per days on the AT but in Georgia no miles are easy miles (well really that goes for the whole trail outside of maybe the Towpath that starts in Southern Maryland.) Georgia is up and down mountains, all day, every day!

4. Most NOBO Thru-Hikers find a Georgia that is cold, rainy, and brown due to the timing of hiking from there. I found spring (late May) to be just an absolutely stunning time flower wise and very comfortable time temperature wise to be hiking here. Many locals did comment that the weather was a smidge warmer than usual for late May so I think normally the weather in June here would be nice as well. Fall is comfortable here too as a section hiker but it is hunting season and you would need to wear fluorescent orange. So if you are a section hiker my pick is late spring/early summer if you have the flexibility to pick the BEST time to hike this section!

What did I wish I would have known or done differently?

1. The AT heading North from Hogpen Gap runs into Tesnatee Gap fairly quickly and it has also has parking. It’s probably a better spot to leave a car overnight.

2. Dicks Creek Gap is the last road crossing for a bit when heading NOBO on the AT and I really had wanted to do the “Georgia/North Carolina” state crossing. I should have been more prepared to backpack a night or two rather than coming off the trail.

3. Hiawasee is a FUN trail town with good food options, fresh fruits and vegetables at a market, and a full resupply point. We definitely could have spent more time hiking in and out of the trail from there.

4. The lack of cell phone coverage at the gaps in Georgia. When coordinating rides and pickups planning ahead is important for both times and maps out of the gaps.

5. Just how much I was going to love hiking in the state of Georgia. It wound up ranking as my 4th favorite state of the trail, spending an extra day or two here would have allowed me to hike 100% of the miles in the state. Don’t sleep on its beauty and fun slice of the trail it offers!

What gear did I use and like the most on my 2023 AT Section Hike?

1. Hoka One Kaha’s were my trusted shoes for this day (and for the whole summer on the trail.)

2. I used my REI 40 Liter Backpack. This worked great since I was coming on and off the trail every day but most thru-hikers or multi-day section hikers were looking at bigger packs than mine.

3. Darn Tough Vermont and Merino Wool Socks from REI and SmartWool were my go to’s.

4. Osprey Water Bladder and Lifestraw Collapsible Filter for hydration.

5. I wore New Balance running shorts mainly and much preferred that to more typical hiking shorts.

6. Gaiters were a must as was coating our clothes in Permethrin to avoid ticks. (We did not get any ticks remarkably while hiking the AT in 2023.)

7. The AT Guide by AWOL and AT Conservancy are AMAZING resources for a hike on the AT!

One of many gorgeous vistas of the Northern Georgia Mountains on the AT.

The nervous energy had worn off by this section of the Appalachian Trail for me. I hiked this section on days 3, 4, and 5 of our first week and we began to get into a rhythm.

I would hike out with the dog, bring him back, hike back out, they would snooze/rest, and go on their own hike.

It’s amazing how easy it is to fall into a routine of eat, hike, sleep, and repeat and by the time we reached Dicks Creek Gap for Day 5 it felt like we had been on the trail forever!

The trail gives you what you need, not always what you are looking for or desire. For us this section of the trail gave us the chance to really get our feet wet and understand what we would be doing day in and day out for the next several months of 2023!

Thanks for reading and happy trails to you! Whether you are planning a thru, section, or day hike…or are a trail town local, trail angel, or just someone wanting to learn more about the longest footpath in the world…I hope the Appalachian Trail gives you what you need!

Comment below with questions or your experience on this section.
Our Georgia AT Trail Towns Podcast Episode can be found HERE or on your podcasts app and it details all of the trail towns we experienced in the state.

Because Adventure Feeds the Soul,
Mike R

Appalachian Trail White Blaze on a slab of rock, Georgia, 2023.