Join the Cohutta Wilderness Trail Volunteers (aka Team Conasauga on Facebook) on Saturday, November 7, as we work to improve the Hickory Creek Trail, meeting at the Rice Camp Trailhead.
Late fall is one of the best times of the year for trail work in the Cohutta Wilderness. The temperatures are cool, the bugs are gone, and with the leaves off the trees, the surrounding mountains reveal themselves in ways that are hidden during much of the year. Ridges, hollows, and distant slopes emerge from the forest, offering a fresh perspective on the landscape we work to protect.
Our efforts will focus primarily on lopping back encroaching saplings and vegetation that have narrowed the trail corridor, along with clearing the occasional downed tree and other obstacles encountered along the way.
Expect approximately 6–7 miles of moderate round-trip hiking combined with rewarding hands-on trail work. Whether you're a longtime volunteer or joining us for the first time, it's a great opportunity to spend a day outdoors, enjoy the beauty of the late-fall forest, and help keep this popular trail open for hikers and backpackers.
As always, we'll wrap up the day with our traditional trailhead tailgate. Bring a lawn chair and a favorite snack or sharable treat if you'd like, and join us for some well-earned fellowship after a productive day in the woods.
What to Bring:
• Enough food and water for the day, including a light lunch and a backpack to carry your supplies/food
• Work gloves and a safety whistle
• Sturdy boots and appropriate clothing layers are required for the task at hand (long pants are required; long-sleeve shirts recommended given the potential for thorns or other natural hazards)
• Food, snacks or soft drinks to share with the group for our post-work tailgate back at the trailhead parking area – and a lawn chair if you would like, for relaxing!
Other trail-clearing tools & safety gear such as hard hats & protective eyewear will be
provided.
Email Robert Edmondson – raehiker@gmail.com if you have any questions or want to meet outside of the wilderness and carpool / caravan.
Notes on Driving to Rice Camp Trailhead:
- Google Maps will get you almost there (it takes you to the Horseshoe Bend Trailhead) … keep going on that same road for about another 1.5 miles until it dead ends into the parking area for Rice Camp.
- There are two creek crossings along the road – normally fine for all cars but depends on when it last rained. If you do not feel comfortable driving across these, just let Robert know (email below) and we can coordinate meeting nearby and shuttling you to the event.
Directions to the Rice Camp Trailhead:
From Atlanta
· Take I-75 N to Exit #293 (Hwy 411, Chatsworth/White).
· Go north on Hwy 411 through Chatsworth.
· From Chatsworth (intersection of Hwy 76 & Hwy 411), travel north on Hwy 411 for 11.8 miles to Cisco.
· Turn right onto Old Hwy 2, at the Cisco Baptist Church, and go 7.8 miles.
· Turn right onto FS 51. There is a directional sign here for Rice Camp, East Cowpen, Hickory Creek, and Horseshoe Bend Trails.
· Travel 4.7 miles until the road ends at the trailhead. There are two creek crossings, usually low enough for the average sedan with care.
From Chattanooga
· Take I-75 S to Exit 341 (GA 201, Tunnel Hill/Varnell).
· Turn left onto GA 201 N and go 4.7 miles to the intersection with GA 2 (just past the Dollar General).
· Go 12.2 miles until the intersection with GA 225 (at a stop sign). Turn left onto GA 2 / GA 225 N.
· In one mile, turn right onto GA 2. Go 2.3 miles to the intersection with US 411, at Cisco Baptist Church. Continue onto Old Hwy 2 and go 7.8 miles.
· Turn right onto FS 51. There is a directional sign here for Rice Camp, East Cowpen, Hickory Creek, and Horseshoe Bend Trails.
· Travel 4.7 miles until the road ends at the trailhead. There are two creek crossings, usually low enough for the average sedan with care.
· GPS Coordinates: 34.9501680629135, -84.60509191349213
Please note that CDTV events are a family- friendly, alcohol, and drug-free setting.
