Trail Log: The Georgia Loop

Field Notes III.XIV: Context around a backpacking trip of the 60 mile Georgia Loop

Apr 06, 2025

This is NOT the adventure story of this journey!

These are not the finished photos. You’ll have to wait just a little while longer for that. Let me explain…

My intention was to hike the Bartram Trail. With that in mind, I thought I might still be on trail when this issue of Field Notes was due to drop. I don’t currently have finished drafts ready to publish while I’m away. So, my workaround idea was to try to make daily Substack Notes posts and then compile them into a Field Notes post that I publish from my phone in the field.

Well, the Big Ridge wildfire in the Warwoman Wildlife Magagement Area closed part of the Bartram Trail and cancelled that route for me. I pivoted and decided on the Georgia Loop, which is about half the distance of the Bartram. I’m still curious about how this posting framework would work out, so let’s find out!

But first!

Several of you generously contributed some trail magic towards my thru hike of the Bartram Trail. While that hike didn’t work out, your support still helped with some of the supplies below. I used one of these meals on the Georgial Loop. The rest will be kept in reserve for when I do hike the Bartram. A special thanks to-

Kyle Shepard
Niki Elle
Charles Corbit
And others who prefer to remain in the shadows!

I’m very grateful and extend my sincerest thanks!

Here is the concept and the framework. I thought it might be nice to give an overview of this adventure and what is involved before we dive into the adventure story. It might give you context and help set the scene. Hopefully it doesn’t spoil it with overkill and leave you ready for something else by the time we get to the narrative.

I tried to post daily Substack Notes, dependent on cell service availability. I originally titled them Trail Notes, but edited that to Footnotes from the Georgia Loop. This Field Notes post is titled “Trail Log” and will include a compilation of those notes, because sometimes its hard to see them all (or see them in order) in the Substack Notes feed. Maybe I’ll add a photo or two that I couldn’t fit into the Footnotes.

* Just be aware that all of the photos here are cell phone supplemental shots!

Additionally, I’ll include just a bit of info about the gear and the route itself.

Gear

This is most of the gear I took with me on this trip. Included are several pieces of new gear that REALLY helped keep the weight down. These include-

New backpack: Durston Gear Kakwa 55
New sleeping quilt: Katabatic Flex 22
New camera tripod: Vanguard Vesta Go 204CB

There are some other minor upgrades as well. I’m not doing a gear review on these items, but I will say that each of them performed beyond my expectations. If you’d like more specific info on any of them, let me know in the comments or a message.

Here is a more detailed breakdown of my gear and its weight, if interested. The heaviest element by far is my camera gear. One day I will upgrade and refine that, too. But, since this trip I have already identified ways to shave off some additional ounces here and there. Even so, its better than the 28 lb base weight I had on the Foothills Trail last year!

The Route

I had to pivot pretty quickly when I realized I couldn’t do the Bartram Trail. I read about the Duncan Ridge Trail and it sounded interesting. However, it is only 30 miles long. I found very little logistical details about this trail online, but I did read that it was made with the intention of being a loop in conjunction with the Appalachian Trail, for a total of 60 miles.

I had been calling this the Duncan Ridge Loop and did not find out until I was on the trail that it is actually named The Georgia Loop.

The Duncan Ridge Trail is described as the toughest section of trail in Georgia. After having walked it, I would agree to that with the caveat that I’ve done harder terrain in North Carolina. I did this route counter-clockwise. On the map below I began at the base of Blood Mountain at the 3 o’clock mark. The DRT heads northwest, merges with the Coosa Backcountry Trail for a little bit, then merges with the Benton MacKaye Trail at about the 11 o’clock mark, and finishes at Three Forks Gap at the little squiggle on the bottom left at about 7 o’clock.

Those waypoints on the DRT is all the info I could find about water sources or campsites. Most of that info was about 20 years old. It worked out, though. There were long stretches between water, but the sources were there. I added more waypoints of my own as I went along.

I chose to go counter-clockwise simply so that I could have a brief experience of hiking northbound on the Appalachian Trail at the start of thru hiking season for the return. Wow, was that a fun time! It was much easier going than the DRT and, as you can see, there is much more info to work with.

Click the map below to go to GaiaGPS, where you can explore it in more detail.

Click this image to explore the route in GaiaGPS

Footnotes from the Field

Next week we will start the Georgia Loop adventure story with photos from my main camera! Stand by for adventure!

I hope this logistical Trail Log post has been of interest and not overkill. I’d love to get your feedback on this format and if its worth pursuing prior to publishing the actual adventure stories of these long trails. It does give me some time to work on my photos and writing.

By the way, I did not film this trip. I saved weight and headache by leaving the GoPro behind for this one and it made the whole trip considerably easier. However, I did try to photograph the journey with the idea of a narrative photo essay in mind. I’m excited to share it!