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The Destination or the Journey
By Jeffrey Hunter
These mountains are also home to the fabled Appalachian Trail, which stretches 2,176 miles from Mt. Katahdin, Maine to its southern terminus atop Springer Mountain, Georgia. Until recently, visitors desiring to spend an overnight in the forests on the flanks of Springer Mountain needed to haul a tent, sleeping bag, and a variety of other gear in a backpack. Now, an ecotourism destination makes these forests accessible to both the casual and the seasoned hiker. Established in 1998, the Len Foote Hike Inn at Amicalola Falls State Park is located 3.5 miles (by trail) from the summit of Springer Mountain. Less than a two hour drive from Atlanta, the Inn named after conservationist, author and photographer Len Foote, is accessible only by foot trail, with visitors beginning the moderate five-mile walk at Amicalola Falls State Park. Guests begin their hike, by 2 p.m., from a parking lot at the "top of the falls." The Hike Inn Trail, which is maintained by members of the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club, climbs through beautiful hardwood forests and under tunnels of Rhododendron. With natural wooden benches placed at scenic vistas and near streams, the visitor will want to bring along a camera for the two- to three-hour hike. Once at the Lodge, each visitor is given a canvas bag containing a towel, wash cloth and bed linens, along with a key to one of the 20 rooms. Before you head off to your room, you might want to browse the Inn’s extensive book collection, which contains field guides and books about the Appalachian Trail. Each room is simple, containing a set of bunk beds, pegs and hangers for clothing and a light. A heated ceiling tile and wool blankets provide plenty of warmth for cold evenings, and for larger families, adjoining rooms are available. One of the highlights of any stay at the Hike Inn is the facility tour. A staffer begins the tour at 5 p.m., visiting the buildings and grounds, and explaining the many unique design features that allow this facility to sustainably host up to 45 visitors a night. These features have resulted in the Inn’s designation as a LEED®-EB (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings) certified building, the first such designation in the state of Georgia. Adjacent to the guest rooms is the bathhouse, which contains composting toilets, along with separate shower facilities for men and women. The toilets, accurately described as "sweet smelling" allow the Inn to recycle 100 percent of the human waste. Constant air flow throughout the system, supplemented by woodchips, allows for the rapid breakdown of solids and the evaporation of liquid waste. Once the waste has reached an appropriate level of decomposition, it is added to the flower beds as fertilizer. The showers contain low flow nozzles, and the water is warmed by an array of passive solar collectors on the roof of the building. The system’s gray water is managed through a leech field system located just downhill from the Inn. This allows for a satisfying and environmentally-friendly shower. Like any good destination, the dining room is always a hit with guests. A hearty dinner and breakfast are included in the fee, and both are served family style. Vegetarian entrees are available. Water, lemonade, iced tea, coffee and hot tea are always available (included), and the wood-burning stove adds a warm glow in the winter, spring and fall. Guests are encouraged to clean their plates, and after each meal, the scraps are weighed with a goal of zero waste. This is a new concept for some, although the children are especially cognizant of the idea of the "clean plate" club. The Inn’s vermiculture system allows red worms to feed on and recycle the plate and cooking scraps as well as the Inn’s scrap paper. An essential ingredient of any ecotourism venture is education, and each night features an interesting program by either the education director, or a special guest. The appropriately named Sunrise Room contains a host of family friendly board games and ample space to flop and play a game of Scrabble or catch up on reading. With 20-foot ceilings to aid in air circulation, the room contains a wood-burning stove, and is surrounded by a large deck complete with rocking chairs. The view to the east is spectacular, and allows the early riser to catch the sunrise and contemplate life while gazing out across the Chattahoochee National Forest. Atop the Sunrise Room is a solar array which provides up to ten percent of the facilities’ electrical needs. Additional highlights include carefully tended flower gardens, horseshoe pits and Starbase. Starbase is a celestial calendar that allows visitors during the spring and fall equinox to observe as the sunrise aligns with a rock structure to project a stream of sunlight into a shallow cave. The Len Foote Hike Inn may be the perfect destination or only the starting point for a long-awaited AT journey. To learn more about it, including current rates and a list of things to bring along during a stay, please visit the web site at www.hike-inn.com. |
The Appalachian Mountains are among the oldest mountains found on the planet. Stretching from Alabama northward to Quebec, these highly eroded mountains were once towering giants, hundreds of millions of years ago. The Southern Appalachians contain the most biologically rich temperate forests on earth. Home to black bear and bobcat along with a wide variety of delicate wildflowers, reptiles, amphibians and birds, the predominantly oak and hickory forests found in these mountains are a naturalist’s dream.Printable Version | Email to a friend | Add to favorites | Larger font
