SOTA Guide - Bluff Mountain via Lemon Gap, W4C/CM-035
Drive Guide - Bluff Mountain (Lemon Gap) from Atlanta
Duration: 3:45
See Walnut Mtn trip plan. (You hike past Walnut Mtn on your way to Bluff Mtn.)
Drive Guide - Walnut Mountain (Lemon Gap) TO Atlanta
Duration: (30 minutes to I-40) 3:45
See Walnut Mtn trip plan.
Trail Guide from Lemon Gap
Duration: 4 miles, 3:20 up, 3:00 down.
In 2018, this was about all I could comfortably handle. (I did Walnut and Bluff but NOT Max Patch.) I was pretty tired by the time I reached the car, but I was not miserable.
Navigation to Walnut Mtn (See Walnut Mtn guide.)
Navigate from Walnut to Bluff Mountain
Continue on AT 3 miles. You’ll pass through 2 gaps, then pass 3 water sources (a trickle, a small cascade, and a trickle - tank up at the cascade), then climb the ridge to Bluff Mtn. Take lots of breaks along the way; this is a slow hike.
At the top of Bluff Mountain, the AT turns left. Continue straight (leaving the AT) for about 25’, to a campsite which makes a nice operating location.
Trailhead altitude: 3550
Walnut Mtn Summit altitude: 4300
Bluff Mtn Summit altitude: 4686
GPS tracks/waypoints:
Trailhead: 35.82536, -82.93744
Shelter: 35.83651,-82.93644
Water at Walnut: ????
Catpen Gap, with side-trip to R to view: 35.83695,-82.92021