This is gorgeous !! We love creeks....especially small ones. Everybody goes for the "big bucks" and do the AT but I love the "off the beaten path" kinda places like this. Thanks for sharing !!! Great video.
You certainly got some beautiful video of the fall colors. We hiked to Panther Creek Falls from Three Forks back in ‘20 and got some of the fall colors but it was foggy and rainy so it just looks so-so. I have a video of it on my channel but it pales next to yours. Such clear fall days and those colors really show through. Thank you for sharing.
Those were two special campsites you guys had. What a beautiful wilderness area. I remember that week well. I had stopped a job I was on to help a good friend with some emergency exterior repairs to his house. Early in the week we complained about the heat but by Friday we were in sweatshirts and wool caps. Fall arrived that week in a big way. Great time to be out backpacking. I'm jealous of that one! Tom
Hey Tom! Both campsites were outstanding. Cohutta Wilderness is in north Georgia along the Tennessee state line. On the Tennessee side it's Big Frog Wilderness. The combined wildernesses are a little over 45,000 acres and they are the largest designated wilderness area east of the Mississippi.
It has been very beautiful, but the leaves in our area were more brilliant than in Cohutta. Not sure why considering as the crow flies it's only about 50 miles.
Nothing like a Fall hike with color, crunching leaves beneath your feet, and outstanding weather. Always enjoy your videos and diagraming your route with campsites. Greetings from Kentucky.
Hi Bryan! Beautiful fall backpacking trip! Wonderful to see the fall colors and the creeks! The light is starting to come through the trees a bit more now, sure looked pretty with the blue sky. The creek crossings did look challenging, wow, that was sure an adventure crossing back and forth so many times. Great that you got out with Nathan. I'll have to find my big map and check out this area a little more. Enjoyed the video! ~ Jen
Glad you enjoyed the video Jennifer. Cohutta Wilderness is in north Georgia along the Tennessee state line. On the Tennessee side it's Big Frog Wilderness. The two wildernesses contain about 45,000 acres and together they are the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River. This weekend I went down to pick up Nathan in Alabama. He hiked for three weeks on the Pinhoti Trail and walked roughly 245 miles with about 40 miles remaining. Although he got rides for two 20 mile road sections in Georgia rather than walk them, which is not included in the 245 miles. A major cold front came in on Saturday and he didn't have sufficient winter equipment and water was getting difficult to find so he decided to call it quits.
@@BryanDeLay Wow - great job Nathan! That sounds like quite the adventure! Lots of trail miles! Thanks for the info on those 2 Wilderness Areas… I’m not familiar with the east coast Wildernesses, but enjoy learning about them through your trips! I’d love to get out there for some backpacking… maybe one day. I guess it’s too hot and humid in the summer, is fall the best time?
Love this great walk in such beautiful season ❤ The views are gorgeous and always love to see streams in the woods. Very beautiful sand really enjoyed it 😍❤️👍👍
@@BryanDeLay I've actually got Tim Homan's book on the hiking trails of the Cohutta and Big Frog Wildernesses along the the NatGeo map of the area but just haven't made it yet. So many trails, so little time, especially when it's a 6 hour drive up. Oh well 🤷♂
Thanks for showing what it’s like out there. What is your favorite 2 or 3-day hike in Cohutta? Your video of Jacks river falls looked looked it was a pretty impressive place.
Jacks River Falls is very impressive, but at can be crowded at times. The Hickory Creek Trail/Panther Creek Trail/East Cowpen Trail loop is really nice, but Panther Creek is very steep. Another great loop is starting at Dally Gap going down Jacks River Trail, up Penitentiary Branch Trail and Hemp Top Trail back to Dally Gap, although there are about 20 crossings of Jacks River.
Another amazing trip Bryan, beautiful views and scenery ,great camping. I am glad you guys got to do this one together again. Did Nathan do the entire Pinhoti? I hope you are well
Thank you very much Nicole! Nathan hiked the Pinhoti for 3 weeks and was about 40 miles from the southern terminus when I drove down and picked him up. A cold front was coming in and he didn't have sufficient winter gear, plus that late in the fall water was getting hard to find. I'm doing well and hope you are too.
Good stuff Bryan! Cohutta Wilderness is definitely on my list. Looks like you hit prime fall color. Nice camping as well. Interested to hear if your son completed the Pinhoti. Is he rockin a double rainbow?
Thanks Outdoor Operator! The fall colors were about a week past prime, but what is amazing is that the colors were not as brilliant as in Citico Creek which is only about 45 miles northeast as the crow flies. My son is burning it up, 15 to 20 miles a day. He's planning on finishing this Friday, although he got a ride instead of doing the 20 mile road walk in Georgia, which I advised him to do, and he is not going to do he last 30 miles, which is 11 miles of road walking and then 19 miles up to Flagg Mountain, which is in the middle of nowhere and would be difficult to get ride a ride out to Birmingham to catch a bus back home. Although I may go get him if I can get can accomplish everything I need to do this week.
Hi Bryan! Great video and thanks for sharing! This may be a silly question, on your first night it looked like an open campsite, but your tents were nestled under some small trees, why did you choose to set up there, rather than in the open area? I'm from Alabama and have only hiked a small portion of the Pinhoti. Hoping to do more. Recently I did hike in the Shining Rock Wilderness and up in Grayson Highlands. Thanks again!
Thanks J Mash! That's a great observation. There was a dead Hemlock tree that if it fell appeared it would fall in the open area. Hope you had a great trip to Shining Rock and Grayson Highlands.
@@BryanDeLay Yikes! I knew you had probably looked up and saw something concerning. Actually Bryan, I have you to thank for me hiking in the Shining Rock and Grayson Highlands!!! You share hiking videos from so many wonderful areas. I've got a list of hikes I want to check off. I'd enjoy hiking with you sometime!
With so many dead Hemlock trees in the southern Appalachians, you have to check out every campsite. I'm glad my videos have given you some ideas for places to hike. My main goal is to show the look and feel of the trails. I backpack almost every week (only video about 25% of my trips) so maybe we can put together a trip sometime.
So glad you got into the Cohuttas & had good weather! I was on that section of the Conasauga River Trail between Panther Creek & Chestnut Lead in mid-October, and it was pretty rough heading northbound (I saw you documented some of the blow down). The Cohutta Wilderness Trail Volunteers have had quite the punch list since the 2016 fires - they've got the lower section of the Conasauga Trail from Hickory Creek to Bray Field done and are working their way up. How was the trail from Chestnut Lead up to Betty Gap?
Yes, I documented a couple out of who knows how many blow downs. Wish I had taken more videos of the Conasauga River Trail, but we spent so much time going under, over and around blow downs and I just failed to take more videos. From Chestnut Lead up to Betty Gap was not too bad. I'm sure the trail volunteers have their work cut out after the fires and all the dead Hemlock trees.
This is gorgeous !! We love creeks....especially small ones. Everybody goes for the "big bucks" and do the AT but I love the "off the beaten path" kinda places like this. Thanks for sharing !!! Great video.
Thanks Kim! I agree the AT has become heavily used.
You certainly got some beautiful video of the fall colors. We hiked to Panther Creek Falls from Three Forks back in ‘20 and got some of the fall colors but it was foggy and rainy so it just looks so-so. I have a video of it on my channel but it pales next to yours. Such clear fall days and those colors really show through. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the kind words postao002. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Just excellent !! Thank you for another wonderful video.
Thank you very much Mark!
Beautiful fall foliage.
Thanks Bryan!
Thanks Tangent Trails!
Excellent video, beautiful area, my favorite time of year thanks for sharing!
Thanks Lauren! My favorite time of the year too.
Beautiful area. Great woodland scenery.
Thanks Ron! Cohutta is a very nice wilderness area.
Those were two special campsites you guys had. What a beautiful wilderness area. I remember that week well. I had stopped a job I was on to help a good friend with some emergency exterior repairs to his house. Early in the week we complained about the heat but by Friday we were in sweatshirts and wool caps. Fall arrived that week in a big way. Great time to be out backpacking. I'm jealous of that one!
Tom
Hey Tom! Both campsites were outstanding. Cohutta Wilderness is in north Georgia along the Tennessee state line. On the Tennessee side it's Big Frog Wilderness. The combined wildernesses are a little over 45,000 acres and they are the largest designated wilderness area east of the Mississippi.
@@BryanDeLay I'm thinking I'm way overdue for an exploration visit.
What an amazing experience Bryan, new to your channel and we love the natural scenery, ambience and sounds! 💚123✌🏽🌿👍🏽
Thank you Maps For Days! Glad you enjoyed the video.
Beautiful......!
A very beautiful area!
Love the fall colours and especially the leaf litter...always enjoy scuffling through. Making some pretty great memories! Awesome! Bruce and Otis
Thanks Bruce and Otis! Glad you enjoyed the video.
Great time of year
Yes it was Wes! You should put Cohutta on your bucket list.
Plesant surprise, I watched this on my TV so couldn't comment earlier, but as always, I enjoyed another of your adventures.
Thanks Chris! Glad you enjoyed the video on your TV.
Very beautiful nature
Thank you!
Very pretty. Been a beautiful fall.
It has been very beautiful, but the leaves in our area were more brilliant than in Cohutta. Not sure why considering as the crow flies it's only about 50 miles.
Enjoyed the video, Bryan. Keep ‘em coming!
Thank you very much Bob!
Nothing like a Fall hike with color, crunching leaves beneath your feet, and outstanding weather. Always enjoy your videos and diagraming your route with campsites. Greetings from Kentucky.
Thanks Mark! Fall is prime time for backpacking.
Always enjoy your videos Bryan! Another good one!!
Thank you Chris!
Another great video, that’s a beautiful area, looks like you really lucked out with the perfect weather.
Thanks Chris! Cohutta is very nice and we had perfect fall weather.
Great fall hiking!
Glad you enjoyed the video RKW!
Hi Bryan! Beautiful fall backpacking trip! Wonderful to see the fall colors and the creeks! The light is starting to come through the trees a bit more now, sure looked pretty with the blue sky. The creek crossings did look challenging, wow, that was sure an adventure crossing back and forth so many times. Great that you got out with Nathan. I'll have to find my big map and check out this area a little more. Enjoyed the video! ~ Jen
Glad you enjoyed the video Jennifer. Cohutta Wilderness is in north Georgia along the Tennessee state line. On the Tennessee side it's Big Frog Wilderness. The two wildernesses contain about 45,000 acres and together they are the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River. This weekend I went down to pick up Nathan in Alabama. He hiked for three weeks on the Pinhoti Trail and walked roughly 245 miles with about 40 miles remaining. Although he got rides for two 20 mile road sections in Georgia rather than walk them, which is not included in the 245 miles. A major cold front came in on Saturday and he didn't have sufficient winter equipment and water was getting difficult to find so he decided to call it quits.
@@BryanDeLay Wow - great job Nathan! That sounds like quite the adventure! Lots of trail miles! Thanks for the info on those 2 Wilderness Areas… I’m not familiar with the east coast Wildernesses, but enjoy learning about them through your trips! I’d love to get out there for some backpacking… maybe one day. I guess it’s too hot and humid in the summer, is fall the best time?
In my opinion fall is the best season!
Love this great walk in such beautiful season ❤ The views are gorgeous and always love to see streams in the woods. Very beautiful sand really enjoyed it 😍❤️👍👍
Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the video.
Good work Brian. Wish I was out walking but got a puppy this summer so staying close
Thanks farbeyonddriven! Before you know it you'll be hiking with your new friend.
I like this video
Thank you Thesa!
Nice Fall walk in the woods!
Thanks John! If you've never been to Cohutta, you should check it out sometime.
@@BryanDeLay I've actually got Tim Homan's book on the hiking trails of the Cohutta and Big Frog Wildernesses along the the NatGeo map of the area but just haven't made it yet. So many trails, so little time, especially when it's a 6 hour drive up. Oh well 🤷♂
Thanks for showing what it’s like out there. What is your favorite 2 or 3-day hike in Cohutta? Your video of Jacks river falls looked looked it was a pretty impressive place.
Jacks River Falls is very impressive, but at can be crowded at times. The Hickory Creek Trail/Panther Creek Trail/East Cowpen Trail loop is really nice, but Panther Creek is very steep. Another great loop is starting at Dally Gap going down Jacks River Trail, up Penitentiary Branch Trail and Hemp Top Trail back to Dally Gap, although there are about 20 crossings of Jacks River.
@@BryanDeLay Thanks, I guess you'd only have good views on the ridges when the leaves are down?
Another amazing trip Bryan, beautiful views and scenery ,great camping. I am glad you guys got to do this one together again. Did Nathan do the entire Pinhoti? I hope you are well
Thank you very much Nicole! Nathan hiked the Pinhoti for 3 weeks and was about 40 miles from the southern terminus when I drove down and picked him up. A cold front was coming in and he didn't have sufficient winter gear, plus that late in the fall water was getting hard to find. I'm doing well and hope you are too.
@@BryanDeLay yes, water is needed, we've had such a dry fall and summer. Good call for Nathan. We are doing well too!
Good stuff Bryan! Cohutta Wilderness is definitely on my list. Looks like you hit prime fall color. Nice camping as well. Interested to hear if your son completed the Pinhoti. Is he rockin a double rainbow?
Thanks Outdoor Operator! The fall colors were about a week past prime, but what is amazing is that the colors were not as brilliant as in Citico Creek which is only about 45 miles northeast as the crow flies. My son is burning it up, 15 to 20 miles a day. He's planning on finishing this Friday, although he got a ride instead of doing the 20 mile road walk in Georgia, which I advised him to do, and he is not going to do he last 30 miles, which is 11 miles of road walking and then 19 miles up to Flagg Mountain, which is in the middle of nowhere and would be difficult to get ride a ride out to Birmingham to catch a bus back home. Although I may go get him if I can get can accomplish everything I need to do this week.
@@BryanDeLay very cool! I wish him all the best in successfully completing. Hopefully you'll get to meet him at the finish line!
Hi Bryan! Great video and thanks for sharing! This may be a silly question, on your first night it looked like an open campsite, but your tents were nestled under some small trees, why did you choose to set up there, rather than in the open area? I'm from Alabama and have only hiked a small portion of the Pinhoti. Hoping to do more. Recently I did hike in the Shining Rock Wilderness and up in Grayson Highlands. Thanks again!
Thanks J Mash! That's a great observation. There was a dead Hemlock tree that if it fell appeared it would fall in the open area. Hope you had a great trip to Shining Rock and Grayson Highlands.
@@BryanDeLay Yikes! I knew you had probably looked up and saw something concerning. Actually Bryan, I have you to thank for me hiking in the Shining Rock and Grayson Highlands!!! You share hiking videos from so many wonderful areas. I've got a list of hikes I want to check off. I'd enjoy hiking with you sometime!
With so many dead Hemlock trees in the southern Appalachians, you have to check out every campsite. I'm glad my videos have given you some ideas for places to hike. My main goal is to show the look and feel of the trails. I backpack almost every week (only video about 25% of my trips) so maybe we can put together a trip sometime.
So glad you got into the Cohuttas & had good weather! I was on that section of the Conasauga River Trail between Panther Creek & Chestnut Lead in mid-October, and it was pretty rough heading northbound (I saw you documented some of the blow down).
The Cohutta Wilderness Trail Volunteers have had quite the punch list since the 2016 fires - they've got the lower section of the Conasauga Trail from Hickory Creek to Bray Field done and are working their way up. How was the trail from Chestnut Lead up to Betty Gap?
Yes, I documented a couple out of who knows how many blow downs. Wish I had taken more videos of the Conasauga River Trail, but we spent so much time going under, over and around blow downs and I just failed to take more videos. From Chestnut Lead up to Betty Gap was not too bad. I'm sure the trail volunteers have their work cut out after the fires and all the dead Hemlock trees.
Are there any blazes at all on these trails? Seems like they are overgrown and not the easiest to follow.
Some of the trails are blazed, although sometimes it's a natural blaze carved into the tree. And yes some of the trails are not easy to follow.
Nice! Are you going to meet your son at the southern terminus of the Pinhoti?
Not sure yet, I should talk with him today or tomorrow and figure it out.