Rich Mountain Road entrance - panoramio.jpg
Thomson M · CC BY 3.0

Stanley Gap / Benton MacKaye Trail & Stanley Gap is an 8.2-mile out-and-back near Aska, GA. It climbs 2,189 ft, with sections as steep as 26% grade. It scores 73/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi1,896 – 3,183 ft · steepest grade: 26%8.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 34.79371, -84.28626
Nearest town Aska, GA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Stanley Gap / Benton MacKaye Trail & Stanley Gap

8.2 mi · ▲ 2,189 ft · 3 hr 50 min

Elevation 1,895–3,184 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 34.79371, -84.28626

Weather Sep 6: sunrise 7:15 AM · sunset 7:59 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 2.3 miBear left onto Stanley Gap / Benton MacKaye Trail, heading SW.
  3. 1.2 miSharp right onto Stanley Gap, heading SW.
  4. 0.6 miReach Stanley Gap, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  5. 0.6 miSharp left onto Stanley Gap / Benton MacKaye Trail, heading NE.
  6. 1.2 miBear right, heading N.
  7. 2.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Weather

Sunrise 7:15 AMSunset 7:59 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.9 mi in (~111 min). Leave by 5:48 PM for the 7:59 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:32 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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