Bartram Trail

Bartram Trail is a long-distance hiking route managed by the Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy, tracing William Bartram’s 18th-century naturalist explorations through the southern Appalachians. The full route runs about 115 miles and is split into regional sections—Georgia to North Carolina—with the southern end starting at the Chattooga River and the northern end at Cheoah Bald, which connects to the Appalachian Trail.

In Georgia, the hike covers the stretch from Rabun Bald down toward the Chattooga River. The corridor climbs to Rabun Bald (including access to a fire lookout tower) and then works its way southwest to Warwoman Dell and onward to the Chattooga River area, including notable waterfall country such as Martin Creek Falls and Becky Branch Falls.

Northbound from the Georgia portion, the trail crosses into the Fishhawk Mountains, then dips into the Little Tennessee River Valley before climbing the Nantahala Mountains toward the Cheoah Bald terminus. This makes for a route with repeated uphill/downhill legs rather than one continuous ascent.

Wayfinding is based on yellow blazes: yellow diamonds on the Georgia segment and yellow rectangular blazes on the North Carolina segment. The trail visibility is excellent, but it is still a through-route—plan your day-by-day mileage around availability of campsites and water sources rather than assuming frequent access.

Use the published section guides for segment-by-segment logistics when you’re splitting the route for a multi-day trip. The trail is designed for through-hiking, so you should expect to carry what you need for resupply windows between trail-adjacent services.

Preparation should include scouting/inspecting committed features along your intended days (especially for creek/stream crossings and any spur turnoffs), and checking current conditions on the day you go—wet weather can make footpaths rougher and creek crossings less straightforward even when blazes are clear.

More information: Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy: Home, Bartram Trail Backpacking Guide, Bartram Trail in Georgia