AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Hard Labor Creek State Park

Lake Rutledge–Blue Loop, 3 sights

9 mi · ▲ 492 ft · 3 hr 15 min

Lake Rutledge–Blue Loop, 3 sights is a 9-mile out-and-back in Hard Labor Creek State Park near Rutledge, GA. The route reaches Lake Rutledge. It climbs 492 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 13/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi564 – 712 ft9.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Beach Trail 33.64298, -83.58642
Nearest town Rutledge, GA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lake Rutledge–Blue Loop, 3 sights

9 mi · ▲ 492 ft · 3 hr 15 min

Elevation 564–712 ft

Out & Back · Hard Labor Creek State Park

Trailhead: Beach Trail · 33.64298, -83.58642

Weather Sep 7: Overcast, high 83°F / low 73° · precip 25% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 7:13 AM · sunset 7:54 PM

Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 50 ftPass Lake Rutledge.
  3. 100 ftTurn right onto Beach Trail, heading W.
  4. 0.7 miTurn left onto Yellow Trail, heading NW.
  5. 2.7 miBear left, heading N.
  6. 150 ftBear left onto Red Loop, heading NW.
  7. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Blue Loop, heading SE.
  8. 0.1 miTurn left onto Blue Shortcut, heading W.
  9. 100 ftSharp left onto Blue Loop, heading W.
  10. 0.3 miBear left, heading SW.
  11. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Green Loop, heading S.
  12. 150 ftReach Lake Rutledge, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  13. 0.2 miBear right onto Blue Loop, heading N.
  14. 0.3 miSharp right onto Blue Shortcut, heading NE.
  15. 50 ftTurn right onto Blue Loop, heading NE.
  16. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Red Loop, heading NW.
  17. 0.5 miBear right, heading SE.
  18. 150 ftBear right onto Yellow Trail, heading E.
  19. 2.7 miTurn right onto Beach Trail, heading S.
  20. 0.7 miTurn left, heading E.
  21. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/lake-rutledge-blue-loop-out-back-3-sights-14-km-2e6a

Trail surface

99% dirt1% paved

Weather

OvercastTemperature 83°F73°
Precip25%Wind5 mphUV7Humidity89%
Hourly temperatureRain chance
85°70° 12 AM: 5% rain1 AM: 4% rain2 AM: 7% rain3 AM: 10% rain4 AM: 10% rain5 AM: 7% rain6 AM: 6% rain7 AM: 7% rain8 AM: 7% rain9 AM: 9% rain10 AM: 15% rain11 AM: 13% rain12 PM: 11% rain1 PM: 15% rain2 PM: 20% rain3 PM: 23% rain4 PM: 24% rain5 PM: 25% rain6 PM: 24% rain7 PM: 18% rain8 PM: 12% rain9 PM: 9% rain10 PM: 6% rain11 PM: 5% rain
Sunrise 7:13 AM12 AM3 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 7:54 PM
Tue 88°71°
Wed 92°66° 15%
Thu 95°68° 54%
Fri 94°70° 36%
Sat 97°68° 31%
Sun 97°69°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.1 mi in (~58 min). Leave by 6:36 PM for the 7:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:03 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Beach Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Rutledge, Georgia