The AT through Georgia got way busier after 2020

I hiked the approach trail back in 2018 and barely saw anyone until Neels Gap. Went again last spring and there were maybe 40 people camped at Springer the first night. Permits, crowd flow, even the shelter logs just feel different now. Has anyone else noticed the shift on other sections or is it just Georgia?

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reese_perry64d agoMost Upvoted

Man thats wild to hear about Springer being packed like that. I did the GA section in 2020 right when things reopened and even then it was crowded but not 40 people at the shelter packed. What worked for me was dodging the herd by starting late in the day around 4pm and hiking till dark, then camping just past the usual spots. The crowd always piles up at the same shelters and water sources, but if you push an extra mile or two past those you get total solitude. Also I flipped my schedule so I ate dinner at 5pm and was asleep by 8, then woke up at 4am to get moving before everyone else even woke up. That way I saw way less people and got better views without the noise. Georgia is definitely the worst for it since its the starting point for everyone, but the further you go north the crowd thins out real fast.