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Explore a section of the Appalachian Trail with a group of your peers and an experienced guide! Your days will be filled with exploring interesting sites on the trail, and nights will be spent around the campfire and under the stars. This section hike will show you the beauty of the A.T. and maybe even give you the motivation to do a longer hike. With each mile, you’ll feel more confident and get a more refined sense of self than you had before. Learn all about geology, explore the wildlife, and make life-long friendships!
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The first day of your week-long hike is dedicated to arrival and orientation. Once you meet your guide at the agreed meeting point around 1:00PM, you’ll register for the hike and go over the itinerary and what to expect, including discussing gear and food. After a short 2.5-mile hike to stretch the legs, you’ll head to town for a lunch and a beer. The evening will be spent sleeping in tents. If you drive to the meeting point, your car can remain parked there for the entire duration of your hike.
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In the morning, you will start hiking to the first shelter. It’s a six-mile uphill hike under the beautiful forest canopy providing shadow. Filtering water along the way, you’ll camp and cook food. If the shelter (a basic, three-sided building) is open, you can opt to sleep there rather than in your tent.
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After a climb to the top of Springer Mountain, you will officially be on the Appalachian Trail! An easier day of hiking, it’s eight to ten miles depending on the skill level of the hikers in the group. Another night spent in tents.
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Hiking between six to eight miles, this is one of the challenging hiking days, with several steep uphill climbs and descents. Enjoy nature and wildlife along the way and spend the night under the stars.
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Depending on the mileage of the previous day, this day is an easier hike in terms of terrain. You’ll get your first real view of the mountains. After hiking out of the woods you’ll get to your vehicles and head to the hostel for the night for a break.
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To maximize the fun on your final day on the trail, you will be slackpacking today. This means that you’ll only carry a daypack with just water, snacks and daily provisions. There are two options for hiking. The first option is to hike the 11 miles up and over Blood Mountain, a trip highlight with amazing views. This is a full day of hiking from 9am to 5pm. The other option is a shorter six-mile loop up and over Blood Mountain. It’s a later start with more time spent on top of the mountain enjoying the views! Once you return to the hostel, pack up and head back home.
Please note: Typical itinerary includes hiking between 6 to 10 miles per day over the course of a week. Your exact itinerary will be discussed with the guide after booking.
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Secure your spot for next year with a 10% deposit!
This tour gets sold out very quickly, but with early-bird booking, you will be the first one to know about any new upcoming dates. Pick your preferred dates without risk of your bucket list adventure selling out!- Only 10% of the total amount should be paid as a deposit upon booking. This deposit is non-refundable, but can be transferred to another 57hours adventure any time in case the dates don’t suit you.
- Once the dates are set, you can confirm your booking by the end of this year by paying another 20% of the total amount.
- The final balance is due 3 months (90 days) prior to departure.
Once the trip has been confirmed, the regular cancellation policy applies.
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57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Atlanta, Georgia, please refer to the Georgia Department of Public Health website.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
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What you get on this adventure:
- An experienced, local hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area
- Six days of hiking
- Dinner on Day 1
- One night at the hostel on Day 5
- Entry and campground stay at Amicalola Falls SP
- Shuttle from trailhead to vehicles on Day 5
What’s not included:
- Personal items
- Camping food
- Dinner at the hostel
- Camping gear (can be rented at $200 for the week)
- Shuttle from and to the airport
- Lodging on Day 6 at the hostel — optional
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The best thing about this Appalachian hiking tour is that it was created with people above the age of 50 in mind. Each day you will hike up to 8 miles per day, taking you through accessible terrain and crossing around 40 miles total. There might be some scrambling and balancing along the way, but the hike is beginner-friendly. Take shorter hikes to prepare, and pay attention to what your body can handle. And don’t worry—you’re not alone. Plenty of people hike the trail after 50. If you are looking for adventure and up to the task of multiple days or weeks of full-day trekking, you’ll be rewarded immensely.
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Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
- Backpack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 30-40L bag)
- Rain cover for the backpack
- Sleeping bag and sleeping pad
- Compression sack for the sleeping bag
- Tent
- Water filter
- Camp stove
- Cooking pot
- Fuel canister
- Camp food
- Utensils
- Lighters
- Ursack or just a bag to place your food in
- Zip lock baggies
- Hiking poles
- Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity)
- Lightweight hiking boots or shoes
- Camp shoes
- Gaiters — optional
- Spare clothes for layering
- Waterproof rain jacket
- Compression sack for your clothes
- Sunhat
- Sunglasses
- Headlamp or flashlight
- Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.)
- Biodegradable camp soap
- First aid kit
- Ear plugs
- Camera — optional (but recommended)
- Camp chair or piece of rubber or plastic to sit on — optional (but recommended)
You can rent any basic hiking and camping gear from your guide for $200 per week. These items include backpacks, rain covers, compression sack for the backpack, tents, sleeping bags and pads, hiking poles, water filter, stove, cooking pot and fuel canister.
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Group sizes and prices:
- For this hiking trip, the usual client to guide ratio is 5:1.
- The cost does not decrease as the group grows. All prices are per person.
- Singles over 50 are always welcome on this hiking trip! You will join a group of other hikers with a similar experience and skill level to ensure that everyone gets the most out of their experience.
Hiking the Appalachian Trail can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
- This hiking trip was created specifically for people over 50 years old. Although many people that cross the A.T. in their golden years, this trip will follow the less challenging parts of the trail.
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To get to Amicalola Falls State Park, most people fly into Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport 1.5 hours from Atlanta. After booking, your guide will give you more info on transportation from the airport to Amicalola.
Once you get to Amicalola Falls SP, you’ll meet the guide at the Visitor Center. If you are flying in, your guide can arrange a shuttle from the airport to the park for an additional fee.
You’ll typically meet up with your group on Sunday for a day of preparation ahead of the hike. On Monday morning, you will hike out from Amicalola to the Approach Trail or be shuttled up to Springer Mt., depending on the group’s abilities.
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While you’re on the trail, follow the seven principles of Leave No Trace (LNT). In the last few years there has been a rise in usage of the trail with several negative corresponding results: more trash which leads to bears becoming used to food lying around, shelters getting closed because they’re overwhelmed with rodents and garbage, and overall degradation. Do your part to leave the trail as you found it.
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