It's not the officially the AT but this 8.8-mile hike climbs past Amicalola Falls to Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the 2,175-mile Appalachian Trail.

Start by walking through Mountain Crossings at Walasi-Yi--the only indoor section of the AT that runs through a stone building built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934--and then climb up into Raven Cliffs Wilderness.

Three shelters, rolling hills and beautiful vistas reward hikers as they connect Springer Mountain to Woody Gap where a recently renovated shelter sits under a leafy canopy.

This 14.6-mile leg promises long views on Blue Mountain and ends at Unicoi Gap where hikers can find an original 1934 metal AT trail marker.

The hotspot on this 9.8-mile section is Blood Mountain, a 4,450-foot peak where historic battles between the Creek and Cherokee Indians stained the ground red.

This strenuous 11.3-mile loop offers a bit of everything--rugged summits, challenging trails, dense woodlands, mountain streams, remote campsites, and heaps of solitude.

Walk 6.8 miles out and back on a rocky singletrack path into an intimate ravine streaming with cold, blue mountain waters. The hike ends at a quiet Appalachian high point.

Discover solitude again on this quiet, mostly forested 6.4-mile trek up a wrinkled Appalachian mountain to a delightful babbling brook. Bring tree ID book.

This 5.6-mile loop climbs the woody spine of Dick's Ridge, then meanders along a twisting mountain stream in a hilly section of Chattahoochee National Forest.

Amble 5.2 miles on this easy out-and-back along an ancient weathered ridgeline with views of the broad valley below and the Tennesee border in the distance.