11/17/2015 Bartram Trail – Highway 28 Bridge – Southward – Rabun Co. GA

Today’s hike was on the Bartram Trail in Rabun Co. GA from the Highway 28 Bridge southward along the Chattooga River.

HIKERS – Suzanne Belflower, Karen Brown, Phil Brownrigg, Joe Collins, Greta Driggers, Jim Driggers, Kanchan Garg, Bill Hunt, Dick Metzgar, Trushna Nadig, and Vic Robson.

TRAIL INFORMATION – A beautiful section of the Bartram Trail starting on the GA side of the Highway 28 bridge hiking southward along the Chattooga River. Early into the hike, the trail crosses over the West Fork Chattooga River on a metal footbridge then southward along the main river. The trail passes through a flat section near the river that was farmland over 60 years ago with an old abandoned hay baler in the middle of tall trees where the hay fields flourished. Also a nearby home place as evidenced by an old rock chimney that still stands.

We took a short walk off of the Bartram Trail down to Adeline Ford on the Chatooga River for our lunch spot.

Hike difficulty – Mostly easy. Some hills but lots of flat hiking along the river.

Directions: FROM CLAYTON, GA TAKE WARWOMAN ROAD EASTWARD FOR 13 MILES TO HIGHWAY 28 AND BEAR RIGHT AND CONTINUE FOR 2 MILES TO THE PARKING LOT ON THE LEFT JUST BEFORE THE HWY 28 BRIDGE.

Another great day for a hike! Mostly cloudy with temperatures from the upper 50’s to low 60 degrees F. – Terrain is rated moderately easy with lots of flat to gently rolliing hills. Distance hiked – 7.5 miles.

BIRDS IDENTIFIED: Junco, Crow, Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, Pileated Woodpecker and Nuthatch.

Scroll down for photos

Parking at Highway 28 Bridge

At the traihead.

Crossing the West Fork of the Chattooga.

Headed down the Bartram Trail along the Chattooga River.

We encounter a large blowdown to crawl over.

We pass by the old hay baler in the old abandoned farm community.

Remains of the old farm home place.

Mushrooms of the week!

Crossing a creek where water is high due to beaver activity.

On the return trip, we take a short side trip down to Adeline Ford on the river.

The Chatooga River at Adeline Ford.

Lunchtime at Adeline Ford!

The “Wild and Scenic” Chattooga River.

The OFHC gang for today’s hike. (l-r) Dick Metzgar, Kanchan Garg, Karen Brown, Trushna Nadig, Greta Driggers, Suzanne Belflower, Bill Hunt, Joe Collins, Jim Driggers, Gail Smith & “Angus”, Phil Brownrigg and Vic Robson.