There was a great feeling of nostalgia walking up to Springer Mountain again. It has been six months since we finished the Appalachian Trail and when I saw the white blaze, I couldn’t help but smile. To get onto the Benton Mackaye you can either start from the Springer Mountain parking lot or walk up the Appalachian approach trail. We decided that once was enough and the dirt parking lot at the top of Springer Mountain is a lot easier to navigate than the one at Amicolola Falls State Park.
Turning off the Appalachian Trail felt strange. It took some time for my eyes to adjust to scan for a white diamond instead of a white blaze. Though they are in the same general area and cross paths with each other several times, the Benton Mackaye Trail differs from its older brother in more than just the shape of the sign. In the first couple of days I noticed how well maintained the trail was. All the blowdowns were removed, the weeds had been whacked, rocks had been removed and it’s steps and bridges were all intact. The trail itself has felt much more moderate and gradual than the Appalachian Trail which, at times, may seem as though it were in a difficulty contest with itself, and winning.
We started the Benton Mackaye Trail in May. Springer Mountain looked far different than it did in February of last year. The canopy is green and lush and the summer is beginning to settle in. The air is thick with humidity and the forest floor is damp and alive. We have been fortunate so far to have been able to avoid walking in the rain. Though the storms of summer are chasing us. Luckily for us, the Blue Ridge Mountains have halted these summer storms before they reach us. Though the moss and the riverbeds seem thirsty and this isn’t a rain forest for nothing, and we can tell we aren’t getting out of this trail unscathed by the storm.
From the other side,
Daniel and Lizzy
from the other side 