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Gainesville, Georgia

Looking for the best backpacking in Gainesville? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Gainesville. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Backpacking Spots in and near Gainesville

  • Helen, Georgia

    Hike to Hogpen Gap

    4.0
    1 mi
    Hogpen Gap is one of six "Gaps" of North Georgia. If you are planning to go on this trip from town, you will be starting from a parking lot at the bottom of the trailhead. If you happen to be thru-hiking on the AT, you just take an extra half-mile of your hike and begin following the blue blazes....
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  • Dawsonville, Georgia

    Hike to Springer Mountain

    3.5
    19 mi / 4346 ft gain
    Begin your journey from Amicalola Falls State Park. Despite the steep climb, you should park at the base of the falls and climb the steps for a great view of one of the grandest falls in the South. (For more on that hike, see: "Climb the Stairs to Amicalola Falls"). From the top of the falls, fol...
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  • Blairsville, Georgia

    Blood Mountain via Byron Reece Trailhead

    4.7
    4.34 mi / 1447 ft gain
    The Chattahoochee National Forest and Cohutta Wilderness make up the wild and scenic southern tip of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Blood Mountain trail offers the day hiker a taste of the Appalachian Trail that does not disappoint. The hike starts at the Byron Reece trailhead at Neels Gap where ...
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  • Blairsville, Georgia

    Appalachian Trail from Blood Mountain to Cowrock Mountain

    4.0
    14 mi / 2907 ft gain
    North Georgia is packed with awesome mountain trails, but few boast the beauty and magnitude of the Appalachian Trail. The hike from Blood Mountain to Cowrock Mountain is one of the more scenic sections of the AT in Georgia, in terms of mountain views.  Do this hike as a full day hike, or spread ...
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  • Clarkesville, Georgia

    Panther Creek Falls

    3.7
    7.27 mi / 659 ft gain
    Park at the Panther Creek Recreation Area. The fee to park here is $4. There is extra parking alongside the road if the parking lot is full. The trail begins opposite the parking area, noted by a wooden sign. The trail gains elevation here and there with several drop-offs secured by cable cord f...
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  • Clayton, Georgia

    Hike the James E. Edmond trail to Lookoff Mountain Overlook

    4.0
    7.5 mi / 2378 ft gain
    Black Rock Mountain State Park is Georgia's highest elevation State Park.  It is adorned with several waterfalls, sweeping overlooks, blooming Rhododendron's, and plenty of miles of trail.  The James E. Edmond trail is the longest and by far most challenging hike in the park.  Its medium-long dis...
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