Blue Mountain and Spaniards Knob South

These two peaks are part of the GATC 4000 Challenge organized by the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club.

I began my hike at Unicoi Gap, heading southbound on the Appalachian Trail. Unicoi Gap has a fairly large parking lot, though it can get crowded on weekends.

The trail to Blue Mountain is just under 1.5 miles, with a steep and rocky ascent gaining about 1,100 feet in elevation. Use extra caution after rain, as the rocks can be wet and slippery.

The summit of Blue Mountain is unremarkable, and the trail continues along the ridge with some moderate ups and downs. About 0.7 miles past the summit, you'll reach the Blue Mountain Shelter, which has nearby privy and a water source.

From there, it's another 0.3 miles to Henson Gap, where I began the ascent to Spaniards Knob South. The climb involves about 0.4 miles of bushwhacking and roughly 400 feet of elevation gain, with some boulder scrambling near the top.

In the last 200 feet, you'll encounter dense briars. I highly recommend wearing pants—this section is brutal. It would also make more sense to attempt this climb during colder months. On the return trip, I discovered it's better to avoid following the ridge directly; staying slightly to the right provides a clearer path with fewer briars.

The summit of Spaniards Knob South is completely unremarkable, covered in briars with no views or markers. I wouldn't recommend climbing it unless you have a strong reason—like completing the GATC 4000 Challenge, as I did.