Benton MacKaye Trail & Wilscot Mountain Road

16.2 mi · ▲ 3,405 ft · 7 hr 6 min

Benton MacKaye Trail & Wilscot Mountain Road is a 16.2-mile out-and-back near Padena, GA. It climbs 3,405 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade. It scores 62/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi1,887 – 3,038 ft · steepest grade: 21%16.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 34.82839, -84.22987
Nearest town Padena, GA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Benton MacKaye Trail & Wilscot Mountain Road

16.2 mi · ▲ 3,405 ft · 7 hr 6 min

Elevation 1,886–3,038 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 34.82839, -84.22987

Weather Sep 6: sunrise 7:14 AM · sunset 7:58 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 1.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
  3. 1 miTurn left onto Benton MacKaye Trail, heading NE.
  4. 0.5 miTurn left, heading NE.
  5. 150 ftBear right, heading E.
  6. 4 miTurn right onto Seabolt Mountain Road, heading SW.
  7. 0.4 miSharp right onto Wilscot Mountain Road, heading S.
  8. 1.1 miReach Benton MacKaye Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  9. 1.1 miSharp left onto Seabolt Mountain Road, heading SE.
  10. 0.4 miTurn left onto Benton MacKaye Trail, heading NE.
  11. 2.2 miBear left, heading W.
  12. 1.8 miBear left, heading W.
  13. 0.6 miTurn right, heading S.
  14. 1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  15. 1 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

21% dirt20% gravel59% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 7:14 AMSunset 7:58 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.0 mi in (~76 min). Leave by 6:22 PM for the 7:58 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:03 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

More from this trailhead