http://blueridgebartram.org/
The Bartram Trail (112 miles approx.) is designated as a National Recreation Trail by the National Trails System Act of 1968 (North Carolina & North Georgia). The trail is blazed with yellow, vertically oriented rectangles in North Carolina and Georgia. It crosses over some of the most scenic mountains of North Carolina and Georgia, with many side trails, blazed in a blue vertically oriented rectangle, leading to views of the Blue Ridge and the Smokies.
The Bartram Trail is constructed for foot traffic only. Use of off-road vehicles, ATVs, bicycles, horses, pack animals, etc., is prohibited on the trail. The pathway, water/erosion control systems, steps and cleared area to each side of the pathway are not appropriate for anything but foot traffic. Use of wheeled vehicles, whether human-powered or fossil-fuel powered, is particularly damaging to the pathway.
The Georgia portion of the Bartram Trail originates at Russell Bridge on Hwy 28 and travels west to Rainey Mountain, then turns north to travel through Warwoman Dell, Courthouse Gap, Wilson Gap, Rabun Bald and reaches the North Carolina border just south of Highlands.
This portion of the Bartram Trail, all 37 miles of it located in Rabun County and the Chattahoochee National Forest,
In North Carolina, the trail curves in a north-to-west direction through western North Carolina, joining the Appalachian Trail at two points and ending on Cheoah Bald. On its path from the Georgia state line to Cheoah Bald it goes to the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains and crosses the Fishhawk Mountains before descending to the Little Tennessee River Valley. The Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy has designated a stretch of the Little Tennessee River to Franklin a canoe trail. Thru-hikers must follow a series of country roads through the valley into Franklin. As of 2023, this portion of roads has been significantly reduced and replaced with a walk along the Little Tennessee River Greenway before returning to a short walking down Main Street through the Town of Franklin.
Outside of Franklin, the Bartram Trail turns west and ascends the Nantahala Mountains to Wayah Bald, which, at 5385 feet, is the highest point on the trail. The trail joins the Appalachian Trail briefly from Wayah Bald to Winespring Bald, then descends to Nantahala Lake.
Continuing mainly along easements between private National Forest land from the Lake, the trail reaches Appletree Campground in the upper Nantahala Gorge, and then climbs up and over Rattlesnake Knob before reaching the Beechertown “put in” on the Nantahala River. From the river, the Trail climbs to the summit of Cheoah Bald, and ends there.
The entire 112 miles Bartram National Recreational Trail is maintained and supported by the non-profit Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy. If you’re interested in supporting the trail please visit their website: https://blueridgebartram.org/become-a-member-by-donating/
The most up-to-date trail maps and guides to the entire Bartram Trail can be found on the Blue Ridge Bartram Trail website at: https://blueridgebartram.org/product-category/maps-and-guides/
Comments
Had a blast running just the GA route from South to North. I know this can be done much faster and wanted to post so others could share their FKT's! Cheers! - Matt Nielson
Shashi Sudini, Alex Sessa, and I (Tyler Lahti) will be attempting the Georgia only route as an Unsupported team on 11/7/2020.
I'm jumping on the Covid FKT attempt bandwagon. This will be my first attempt at any FKT. Earlier this year I ran with and supported Selena Perrin in her successful FKT of the Silver Comet Trail (https://fastestknowntime.com/fkt/selena-perrin-silver-comet-trail-ga-20…). Shashi and I are coming off a fun and very competitive Blue Ridge 50k on 10/10 (https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=72424#id1696152). Alex and I are hoping to run the Blood Rock 50k in Alabama in December. We all thought this would be fun in the interim.
We're starting at the GA/NC border and finishing at the GA/SC border. Hoping for nice, cool December weather. None of us have been to the trail before, so going to scope out some prior to 11/7 around both Warwoman Road and 28.
Weather looks like it will be ok for this Saturday and fortunately (IMO) the low temps are expected to be a bit higher. Shashi and I will be giving this a shot as Alex is rehabing an injury. After Zeta, we're expecting a lot of blowdowns, so hopefully it's passable and won't slow us too much. Should be exciting
Good Luck! Also note that the GA/NC border is north of where you park on Hale Ridge Road. Check our strava for the location as other FKT attempts have started in the wrong spot :)
Thank you! Tomorrow will be a success even if we just make it to the top of Rabun Bald...bc then I can at least check that off my list of GA 4000ers
Yes - hit Alex Mountain too... Also I think when you were at the Rich Mountains you didn't get Tickanetley Bald... Ben noticed
Tracking link that may or may not work tomorrow...idk
https://maps.findmespot.com/s/7W4V
I ran the Georgia section of the Bartram trail yesterday in 7:35:33...but my watch stopped tracking sometime after mile 21! (And after I ran about a mile off course!) Major bummer especially since I’ve never had that problem before. Any way to still get my time verified? My watch did record every mile split and I have pictures with time stamps. Either way, it was a great time. I’ve wanted to run this route for awhile since I consider it to be in my backyard :)
On Friday 3/26/2021, I will attempt the Bartram FKT starting around 11am and heading southbound. It will be a supported attempt with a crew running with me at different segments. Thanks, Joe
Unfortunately, due to flash flooding and torndao warnings I had to postpone this attempt
On Friday April 2, I will be attempting an UNsupported Ga. Bartram Trail FKT. The route will be north to south. Wanted to attempt this on New Years day, but had to postpone. I can’t wait to get started.
On Wednesday January 26th 2022, I will be attempting to beat the current unsupported FKT of the Georgia section of the Bartram, I will be going in a north to south direction.
Tomorrow morning, October 14th 2023 I will start an unsupported attempt of the full Bartram trail south bound.
How did your attempt go?
Finished in just under 37 hrs and the first part was lovely and the rest was very unpleasant! I've procrastinated on posting it/we just had a baby shortly afterwards. I'm working on the submission now.
In the morning of Tuesday, June 25th, I will start a full Bartram Trail FKT attempt southbound, from Cheoah Bald to Russell Bridge. Note that the route was modified slightly in 2023 to run through downtown Franklin, but if anything it is slightly longer now. The Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy maintains this info on their website: https://blueridgebartram.org/
Tracking: https://share.garmin.com/YO9EC
I will begin an unsupported FKT attempt of the full Bartram Trail on Friday, October 11th. I will be going southbound, from Cheoah Bald to Russell Bridge.
Tracking: https://share.garmin.com/BartramFKT