Springer Mountain is a mountain located in the Chattahoochee National Forest on the border of Fannin and Gilmer counties. Located in the

Blue Ridge Mountains The Blue Ridge Mountains are a Physiographic regions of the United States, physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Highlands range. The mountain range is located in the Eastern United States and extends 550 miles southwest from southern ...

in northern

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

, the mountain has an elevation of about . Springer Mountain serves as the southern terminus for the Appalachian and Benton MacKaye trails.

Name

The origin of the name of Springer Mountain is unclear. One possible origin was that it was named in honor of William G. Springer, an early settler appointed in 1833 by Governor Wilson Lumpkin to implement legislation to improve conditions for the Indians. Another possibility was that Springer Mountain was named for the first Presbyterian minister to be ordained in Georgia, John Springer, who was ordained in 1790. The mountain has been called Springer since at least 1910. As late as 1959, some residents of Gilmer County were still calling the peak Penitentiary Mountain. According to the Gilmer County Historical Society, the name was officially changed by the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club (GATC). It is unknown why the mountain was named Penitentiary.Logue, Victoria
The Story Behind Springer
1990. Retrieved 26 May 2016. There is no known Cherokee name for the mountain.

Geography

Springer Mountain is a north–south-trending loaf-shaped mountain located on the border of Gilmer and Fannin counties. The summit has an elevation above

mean sea level A mean is a quantity representing the "center" of a collection of numbers and is intermediate to the extreme values of the set of numbers. There are several kinds of means (or "measures of central tendency") in mathematics, especially in statist ...

. Springer Mountain is part of the

that extend from Georgia to Pennsylvania. Springer Mountain divides the northern and southern extensions of the Blue Ridge in Georgia, with one branch heading northwest to the Cohutta Mountains and the other branch heading southwest to Mount Oglethorpe. Springer Mountain is located inside the Chattahoochee National Forest, as well as the Ed Jenkins National Recreation Area. The mountain is located about east of Ellijay, northwest of Dahlonega and southwest of Suches. Mount Oglethorpe, the original southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, is located about south of Springer Mountain. Other nearby geographical features include Black Mountain, Tickanetley Creek and Winding Stair Gap.

Hiking

Appalachian Trail

In 1958, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail was relocated from Mount Oglethorpe to Springer Mountain. The reason for this relocation was because of increased development around Mount Oglethorpe.Adkins, Leonard. ''Along the Appalachian Trail: Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.'' 2012. . pp. 11. Springer Mountain was considered to be less dramatic than Mount Oglethorpe, but because of its remoteness, Springer Mountain was also considered to be less susceptible to development. One way to climb Springer Mountain is from a parking lot on Forest Service Road 42, located north up the Appalachian Trail from the summit. Hikers desiring to hike north from Springer Mountain would begin by hiking south on the Appalachian Trail before turning around to hike north. At the peak of Springer Mountain is a bronze plaque with the Appalachian Trail logo, a register for hikers to sign, and a benchmark.Springer Mountain Trailhead
usda.gov. Retrieved 26 May 2016. In addition to the Appalachian Trail, Springer Mountain can be reached from the south via the Appalachian Approach Trail.AT Approach Trail: Hiking Amicalola Falls to Springer Mountain
atlantatrails.com. Retrieved 25 May 2016. The approach trail starts at the visitor center of Amicalola Falls State Park and is in length.

Benton MacKaye Trail

Springer Mountain is also home to the southern terminus of the Benton MacKaye Trail. The trailhead for the Benton MacKaye Trail is located around north of the summit.Benton MacKaye, Sec. I
georgiatrails.com. 24 January 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.Champlin, Eric
Springer Mountain Loop Trail: Hiking the Appalachian Trail & BMT
atlantatrails.com. Retrieved 26 May 2016.Parham, Jim. ''Day Hiking the North Georgia Mountains.'' 2012. Milestone Press. . pp. 155.

Shelters

The nearest shelter from the summit is the Springer Mountain Shelter, located about north of the summit. A water spring is located near this shelter.AT Springer Mountain to Woody Gap
14 September 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2016.Trail Guide
Georgia Appalachian Trail Club. Retrieved 26 May 2016. Another nearby shelter is the Black Gap Shelter, located about south of the summit on the Appalachian Approach Trail.

Gallery

Hiker signing register at Springer Mountain.jpg, A hiker signs the

Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tra ...

register at Springer Mountain SpringMountainScenicMarker.JPG, Appalachian Trail marker Springer Mountain campsite (21990723340).jpg, Campsite on top of the mountain Springer Mountain view.JPG, View from Springer Mountain in May View from Springer Mountain.jpg, View from Springer Mountain in November Springer Mountain and Black Mountain covered in snow (24268378939).jpg, Springer Mountain (left) and Black Mountain (right) covered in snow. Viewed from East Ellijay

References

External links

Georgia AT club

Springer Mountain Hiking & Backpacking Trails

TopoQuest Map of Springer Mountain
* {{Mountains of Georgia (U.S. State) Mountains of Fannin County, Georgia Mountains of Gilmer County, Georgia Mountains of Georgia (U.S. state) Mountains on the Appalachian Trail Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest