Georgia trails · Appalachian Approach Trail
Appalachian Approach Trail
A 8.3-mile out-and-back in Georgia, with 1,974 ft of climbing. Reaches Frosty Mountain and other lake/pass/summit destinations. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Elevation profile
The climbing is spread fairly evenly along the route.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Frosty Mountain (summit)
- Nimblewill Gap (pass)
- Springer Mountain (summit)
- Amicalola Lake (lake)
Heads up
Getting there
Appalachian Approach Trail Trailhead — parking nearby, restroom, water. About 58 min drive (38 mi) from Gainesville. 34.55764, -84.24908 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On October 14, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 7:16 a.m., the sun rises at 7:41 a.m. and sets at 7:04 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 7:29 p.m. (EDT) — 11 h 22 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 16.5-mile round trip takes roughly 8 h 06 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 3:47 p.m. — 3 h 16 min before sunset.
Loop options
- Appalachian Approach Trail — 2.0 mi loop, 754 ft gain
- Hike Inn Lodge + Cove Trail / Firebreak Trail + Appalachian Approach Trail — 9.9 mi loop, 2,356 ft gain
Nearby trails
- Edmonson Branch Trail — 10.6 mi
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail — 11.5 mi
- Benton Mackaye — 15.8 mi
- Duncan Ridge — 19.6 mi