Panthertown Valley Basecamp and Day Hiking (Bear Canister or Ursack Required)

Panthertown Valley is a great place to spend a weekend wandering around. There are many waterfalls and rocky overlooks accessible through a web of official and unofficial trails. I personally love the unofficial trails but will fully admit that they can get overgrown and muddy. If you sign up for this event please make sure to have a good attitude and sense of adventure.

On the first day we will walk in and find a site covering 2-4 miles, after that we will spend the rest of the day exploring without packs. My preferred site is by Jawbone Falls but that is a popular spot and may not be available. Please be prepared to carry a pack for longer than 4 miles in case we have to try a few different areas to find a nice large group site. I want to go with the flow on this trip so the exact plans for what we will see and do over the three days will change depending on the weather and the interests of the group. You should expect to cover 8-12 miles each of the first 2 days and around 2-4 the last day.

With it being fall you should expect it to get cold with the night time temperature getting down to or potentially significantly below freezing but in the South you never really know until a few days out. Please make sure that you bring clothing and sleeping gear that is appropriate for the weather. There are lots of places to get in the water if you want to be known as that one crazy person who swam in the frigid water. I don't do fires but understand if the group wants to make a reasonably sized fire. Please no giant bonfires.

***Several AOC groups have had issues with bears this year at Panthertown. While not yet required by law, I am requiring you to bring a bear canister or ursack for this trip. This is to protect yourself and the bears.***

The best paper map of the area can be purchased online: https://www.panthertownmap.com/order/guides-guide . I have a couple copies to share between the group during the trip if people like that kind of thing. Additionally mobile apps like Gaia gps often show many of the unofficial paths well.

The plan is to head out in the morning right after breakfast on the last day to get back into Atlanta no later than 3pm. This should give anyone wanting to go to the AOC Holiday Social time to cleanup before that event https://www.atlantaoutdoorclub.com/event/details.asp?eventid=17749

Google Map