Dawson Forest Exploratory Hike - Sun, Oct 2 2011

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page.



Dawson Forest Exploratory Hike


The Basics:
Event Type:Explorer
Event Location: Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area
Date(s) & Time:Sun, Oct 2 2011  8:45 am >> Sun, Oct 2 2011 3:00 pm  (Carpool Departure: 8:45 am   *log in for location*)
Registration Opens: Fri, Sep 30 2011 1:00 pm
Registration Cut Off: Sun, Oct 2 2011 7:30 am
Event Duration:6 Hours 15 Minutes
Difficulty Rating:D4: Moderate to Difficult
Distance:10 Miles
Pace:Moderate
Trip Leader(s):
Clay White
Mark
Email Trip Leader(s)
You must be logged in to get the Trip Leader contact information.
Member Cost:None

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:8
Minimum Group Size:2
Number Registered So Far: 6 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: Yes

Itinerary:

Dawson Forest is a wildlife management area (WMA) located in Dawson County, and managed by the Georgia Forestry Commission.  The entire WMA contains in excess of 25,000 acres and is divided into tracts, some of which contain miles of marked trails available for use by hikers, bikers and horse riders. We will focus on the Atlanta Tract.

According to information published by Dawson County, the WMA terrain ranges from foothills and valleys to high country ridges and river gorges.  Two rivers, including the Etowah River, and multiple streams traverse the property. On our last trip into the Atlanta Tract, we found a beautiful waterfall not disclosed on any of the hiking maps.

Both of your trip leaders have hiked in Dawson Forest, but would like to explore portions of the forest which are new to us.  Our goal is to have fun exploring, which means we will hike some areas with which we are completely unfamiliar.  I am listing this as a D4 hike because, like any exploratory hike, the participants should be in sufficient physical condition to hike several extra miles if we miss a turn or two.

During our exploration, we will also be free to move our cars to various points in the forest. 

The drive to Dawson Forest is only approximately 45 minutes from the carpool.  Therefore, we should have about 4 hours to explore, and still return home by 3:00 p.m.



Required Items to Bring:
Curiosity and a desire to explore
Good hiking shoes
Plenty of water, lunch, and snacks
Clothing appropriate for weather conditions
Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

How to Get There:
Event Directions:From the Park & Ride we will go north on Georgia 400 to the Dawsonville Outlet Mall red light, where we will turn left onto Dawson Forest Road.  Continue straight approximately 3.8 miles to a stop sign.  Straight through the intersection for approximately 1 mile to the south entrance gate.  Straight through the gate and parking and the trailhead will be just ahead on the right.
Carpool to Event Distance (round trip):60Mile(s)
Carpool Departure Time: 8:45 am
Carpool Location:   Log in for location
Carpool Directions:   Log in for directions
Carpool Cost: Estimated cost per vehicle for this event is $24.00 using a reimbursement rate guideline of $0.400 per mile. The total amount should be divided by the number of people in the vehicle, including the driver. This is a guideline, not a rule, for drivers but the cost should not be higher unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Notes:
Will this event occur rain or shine? Yes

Dogs are welcomed on this hike.  The State requires that dogs be leashed in the WMA.
* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Cost Includes:
There is no parking fee for hikers.

Cancellation/Partial Attendance:   Please review the AOC cancellation policy.