After realizing his dream for the Appalachian Trail, Benton MacKaye, (pronounced Mac-Eye) a forester felt the need for a series of loop trails that intersected with the Appalachian Trail.

In 1980 a trail association was formed to create a major loop in the South which appropriately named the Benton MacKaye Trail. The plan is to create a 250 mile foot trail with its southern tip at Springer Mountain, and its most northern point in the northeastern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains.

The trail in Georgia stretches from Springer Mountain to Double Spring Gap on the Tennessee border. The first 20 miles of this trail merges with the Appalachian and Duncan Ridge Trails. From Springer Mountain, the Benton MacKaye Trail goes north to Rhodes Mountain and turns west crossing the Toccoa River at Shallowford Bridge. The trail uses county roads near Stanley Gap, and then follows ridge tops to Cherry Log. The trial hen crosses private property before following state and county roads to Bush Head Gap. The entire trail is marked with white diamonds and blazes on trees.

for more information....

Benton MacKaye Trail Association
PO Box 53271
Atlanta, GA 30355-1271

contact@bmta.org