Georgia Traverse (3 Viewers)

[neckbone]

Looks like a trip I had planned next weekend is going to fall through. I already have vacation scheduled, so might do a long weekend on the Traverse. Anyone else heading up there the weekend of 10/17? I'd love to do some moderate wheeling, but dirt roads, rivers and camping will probably do the trick as well.

Not a big fan of camping in campgrounds, are primative campsites easily found?

 

[MongooseGA]

Check out Charlie's Creek trail. From what I've heard it's one of the only 'moderate' spots of the trail. The rest being pretty easy gravel/fire roads.

There are first come/first serve primitive sites off the side of the trail, some right up against the creek.

 

[Irish Reiver]

@MongooseGA I did the Charlie's Creek tail back in march and parts of the road were so bad that i skipped it when i went back in June. I was wheeling alone which didn't help but i did have a winch so i wasn't too concerned about getting stuck. Certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone wheeling solo. Oh and the actual campsite isn't that great. Looked like the kind of place you might find someone hanging from a tree...

 

[neckbone]

@MongooseGA I did the Charlie's Creek tail back in march and parts of the road were so bad that i skipped it when i went back in June. I was wheeling alone which didn't help but i did have a winch so i wasn't too concerned about getting stuck. Certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone wheeling solo. Oh and the actual campsite isn't that great. Looked like the kind of place you might find someone hanging from a tree...

Yikes!! We'll be solo too, unless anyone wants to join up. And, I've camped in sketchy sites, but sounds like it's a little more sketch than I would prefer.

 

[Bryanseye]

Did Charlie’s a few weeks ago as a day trip to Helen for early Oktoberfest brews. With rain the day before I was expecting worse but it was still tame. The stock 200 along for the ride had zero issue. Camping is primitive (great if that is your thing) though all occupied as we went through on Saturday.

 

[MongooseGA]

@MongooseGA I did the Charlie's Creek tail back in march and parts of the road were so bad that i skipped it when i went back in June. I was wheeling alone which didn't help but i did have a winch so i wasn't too concerned about getting stuck. Certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone wheeling solo. Oh and the actual campsite isn't that great. Looked like the kind of place you might find someone hanging from a tree...

Huh?

Charlie's creek is pretty tame. In fact I'd call it a beginner's trail. We've been through numerous times with stock 100s, a stock 200, and I think even a 2wd 4th gen 4Runner. (though, that last one may be Tray Mountain I'm thinking of). It's possible you ended up on some other sections but the trail I'm familiar with is a cake walk. We stopped going because it became boring as the truck got built up. While this isn't "advice" per se, I'd personally wheel it solo in my truck without hesitation. There's one 'rock garden' section with rock the size of basketballs and watermelons, and one big 'berm' that isn't technically part of the trail. Other than that, there isn't much to the trail. Don't go into any mudholes that you have the option to avoid.

See this berm? Don't go over it. It's been rutted out quite a bit since this video and a buddy later rolled his 4Runner over here.

New video by G.A. Miller

photos.app.goo.gl

Bunch of stock 100s playing in the creek at the end of the trail: New video by G.A. Miller

The campsite I go to is excellent. Sits below the trail against the creek. Not sure what else you'd want from a primitive site on an off-road trail.

You might also look into Popcorn Creek Trail. It's not a long one, but it's about the same level of entertainment as Charlie's.

 

[MongooseGA]

Yikes!! We'll be solo too, unless anyone wants to join up. And, I've camped in sketchy sites, but sounds like it's a little more sketch than I would prefer.

I'm not really sure what he's talking about. If you've ever wheeled in the mountains before, there's not much to Charlie's. If you have a winch, it'll be extra insurance. As for people hanging from trees... I guess that's a possibility anywhere there are trees Can't say I felt anything other than comfortable in the site I posted above with just myself and the dog.

Next weekend... I may be free to come run the trail with you. What days are you planning to be in the area?

If you're really interested in working your butt-hole clenching muscle, look into Flatland Rd in Suches GA or Beasley Knob in Blairsville. Or Coppinger Cove in Sequatchie, TN.

 

[Irish Reiver]

Most the track is lame for sure but in March parts had seen significant erosion. I was on 3" lift and 35's and it was barely passable and not something i would recommend for anyone doing solo.
If you guys have been up the trail since march and the road is better then fair enough.
Here is a link to my video coming back out of campsite. Around the 3:20 mark you will get an idea of what it was like.

 

[MongooseGA]

Most the track is lame for sure but in March parts had seen significant erosion. I was on 3" lift and 35's and it was barely passable and not something i would recommend for anyone doing solo.
If you guys have been up the trail since march and the road is better then fair enough.
Here is a link to my video coming back out of campsite. Around the 3:20 mark you will get an idea of what it was like.

Definitely muddier than the last time I was there, which would have been in January I think.

 

[neckbone]

I'm not really sure what he's talking about. If you've ever wheeled in the mountains before, there's not much to Charlie's. If you have a winch, it'll be extra insurance. As for people hanging from trees... I guess that's a possibility anywhere there are trees Can't say I felt anything other than comfortable in the site I posted above with just myself and the dog.

Next weekend... I may be free to come run the trail with you. What days are you planning to be in the area?

If you're really interested in working your butt-hole clenching muscle, look into Flatland Rd in Suches GA or Beasley Knob in Blairsville. Or Coppinger Cove in Sequatchie, TN.

Well, I'm used to kayak camping in random places, so that camp site in your picture is the Ritz compared to what I'm used to. I'm thinking we're going to leave Columbia on Thursday and come back Sunday.

If you have a chance to make it, I'd love to have someone w/ some experience. Something a little more than just a tame forest service road would be fun.

 

[MongooseGA]

I'll shoot you a PM

 

[bencallaway]

@MongooseGA I did the Charlie's Creek tail back in march and parts of the road were so bad that i skipped it when i went back in June. I was wheeling alone which didn't help but i did have a winch so i wasn't too concerned about getting stuck. Certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone wheeling solo. Oh and the actual campsite isn't that great. Looked like the kind of place you might find someone hanging from a tree...

Ha! Strong disagree from me.

Edit: Watched your video. Looks like that one spot got torn up by someone being stupid. I'm guessing its been filled in. I've led a group of VW buses down that trail every January for about 12 years. Almost all were 1 wheel drive on 14" wheels. Never had an issue.

2nd Edit: Where were you? Not sure we are all talking about the same trail. It looks like it but hard to tell. Never seen ruts like that before on Charlies Creek I know.

 

[Whiskerz]

Since this is the Ga. traverse discussion on a FB group I am in it appears the forest service put up permanent gates on some part of Tray mountain. I have done Charlies creek in the 200 . Had to choose a couple of lines carefully and did put a ding in the running board but no real issues. It was fun. Charlies Creek is a county road from what I have read.

 

[MidLife1977]

Since this is the Ga. traverse discussion on a FB group I am in it appears the forest service put up permanent gates on some part of Tray mountain. I have done Charlies creek in the 200 . Had to choose a couple of lines carefully and did put a ding in the running board but no real issues. It was fun. Charlies Creek is a county road from what I have read.

Since this is the Ga. traverse discussion on a FB group I am in it appears the forest service put up permanent gates on some part of Tray mountain. I have done Charlies creek in the 200 . Had to choose a couple of lines carefully and did put a ding in the running board but no real issues. It was fun. Charlies Creek is a county road from what I have read.

The USFS seems to REALLY want to get out of the road maintenance business. Each year there are more gates, and some roads have gone years without being repaired following landslides. Has anyone travelled near Unicoi Gap lately?

 

[LDowney]

The USFS seems to REALLY want to get out of the road maintenance business. Each year there are more gates, and some roads have gone years without being repaired following landslides. Has anyone travelled near Unicoi Gap lately?

This info is dated ... the last FS meeting that I attended was in Kennesaw 6 or more years back.

The main message from the FS was that there budgets for road/trail/path maintenance was being reduced each year with higher usage each year. In this meeting, the FS pulled the cross section of the users together with the objective of pulling the users (hikers, fisherman, equestrian, cyclists, AVT/UTV, 4x4, ...) together to help maintain the road/trail/path systems. In short, it failed. Luckily it was not the off-road community that caused the failure because we had already been doing exactly this with the FS. Effectively no still knew how to share from kindergarten. The majority of these groups wanted the FS to invest all the maintenance budget to aid them with the expectation that the other groups got nothing. It was truly absurd. I recall one fisherman demanding the the FS blacktop all access roads and parking lots to the fly fishing areas, because the gravel roads were made a mess of his Porsche. Clueless and selfish was the primary behavior offered the the FS that day.
After that meeting, I never received information that the FS scheduled any follow-on meetings.

The key message in my rambling is the FS does not have the budget to cover the needs so they are retracting (reducing miles in every sector of use). Consequently, I would not project that the FS has a desire to "get out of the road maintenance business".

Please accept my apology for hijacking your thread with old info.

 

[MidLife1977]

All good, and understand. By 2020, I do think they are intentionally backing off. Perhaps the new federal Great American Lands Act provides funds to USFS for road maintenance?

 

[hotdiggitydamn]

We just did Sarah’s Creek in Clayton and although short and easy was very beautiful and enjoyable. Charlie’s creek is a great starter trail I’ve done in my stock 100 with bald street tires before. It made my hole pucker only because my level of experience was low. I recently got stuck there being stupid and it was great because there are always plenty of others going by to help if needed. Popcorn creek trail is right around the corner and nice and easy too. Earls Ford is also very easy but fun. The creek crossing can be high at times which adds to the fun. All these trails are in the Clayton area and within 30 minutes of each other. Basically what Mongoose said.

 

[bencallaway]

Ran Charlie’s Creek Tallulah River
today. The video @Irish Reiver posted is either a different Charlie’s Creek or USFS has improved the trail. There were no red clay sections today. It was extremely wet. I know there is more than one Charlie’s Creek.

Stayed in 4Hi and did not air down. No issues. My buddy in a Jeep stayed in 2wd on 33’s. The water crossings were deep.

 

[rex in bama]

Likely going to be up on the traverse this weekend. Have done the cohutta loop. Any good recommendations (mild wheeling, remote camping) between that portion and the Charlie’s creek section?

 

[rex in bama]

Likely going to be up on the traverse this weekend. Have done the cohutta loop. Any good recommendations (mild wheeling, remote camping) between that portion and the Charlie’s creek section?

Well, ended up just getting on it at the loop and heading East. Some pavement here and there, but most of it gravel, and with some good side roads to explore in spots. Other than rain at night, the weather was perfect.