Len Foote Hike Inn

County: Dawson
Distance: 5.8 miles roundtrip
Elevation: 3,346
Difficulty: Moderate
Markings: Good - Green Blaze (some Yellow)

On October 21-22, 2008, the Hiking Chicks plus set off for the Len Foote Hike Inn. What an adventure!

If you're not familiar with the Inn, it is accessible via a 4.9 mile hike from Amicalola Falls or from Springer Mountain on the back side, which is the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail and somewhere around a 7 mile hike.

We're not hard-core...we took our time and rested whenever one of us heard our heartbeat pounding in our ears. Not a lot of wildlife, but any time in the woods is a good time!

The trip in is a bit more strenuous than the trip out. It took us about 4 hours, 15 minutes to get to the Inn, and 3 hours, 30 minutes to get back to Amicalola. There is a $3.00 fee to enter the Amicalola Falls State park and ample parking once you get there. We started out with breakfast at the Lodge located in the park, which is recommended. Although we passed only a handful of other hikers, this is a popular spot and going in the middle of the week seems like it was a good plan!

Once at the Inn, which is focused on being "green" and maintaining a minimal footprint in the natural environment, we found warm showers, great food, and no trash cans. They definitely maintain the "pack in, pack out" approach. The spartan rooms have bunk beds and heaters, which was all we needed. There's a spectacular sunrise awaiting you in the morning, as well as lots of hot coffee.

One of my favorite things on this trip was the fact that the staff at the Inn provided an educational overview of the area and its history. Since we're local girls, we knew some of it, but it was fascinating and refreshing that they take the time to add a cultural point of view for hikers.

All in all, it was kind of like camp for hikers...communal, spartan, and lots of fun! Happy to say we had no bruises or bumps on this trip.

Pura Vida,
Bubbles