Georgia trails · Nicholson Gap
Nicholson Gap
A 2.6-mile out-and-back in Georgia, with 1,254 ft of climbing. Reaches Jones Knob and other pass/summit destinations. Managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Elevation profile
The climbing leans toward the middle third: 46% of the ascent falls between mile 0.9 and mile 1.7.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Jones Knob (summit)
- Nicholson Gap (pass)
- Blue Rock (summit)
Getting there
Nicholson Gap access. 34.88212, -83.92448 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On August 31, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:41 a.m., the sun rises at 7:07 a.m. and sets at 8:03 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 8:29 p.m. (EDT) — 12 h 56 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 5.2-mile round trip takes roughly 3 h 10 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 10:17 a.m. — 9 h 46 min before sunset.
Loop options
- Bridge Gap + Connector + Nicholson Gap — 3.3 mi loop, 717 ft gain
- Access + Nicholson Gap + Blue Rock Mountain — 2.6 mi loop, 999 ft gain
- Nicholson Gap + Bridge Gap + Connector — 3.6 mi loop, 1,167 ft gain
Nearby trails
- Arkaquah — 2.6 mi
- Jacks Knob — 6.5 mi
- Wagon Train — 6.5 mi
- Coosa Backcountry — 7.5 mi