NOTE:  Preregistration is required. Trip is limited to 15 people.  Please email Rich Reaves at:

Field Trip Leader:   Rich Reaves

Description:   We will drive along Forest Service Road 42 from north of Dahlonega to Cooper Gap and then on to Springer Mountain.  At Springer Mountain, we will turn around and take FS42-2 from Cooper Gap to Suches to complete the day.  There will be several short excursions from the cars, always along the road. We can expect to find several trilliums, wild geranium (Geranium maculatum), Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum), lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majuscula), wood betony (Pedicularis canadensis), Showy orchis (Galearis spectabilis), and much more. We will stop for lunch somewhere along the road.

Location & Directions:    We will meet on Cooper Gap Road above Camp Merrill at approximately 34.642420, -84.094006 (WGS 84 datum, the one Google Earth uses).  From Dahlonega, take Business 19 north to Camp Wahsega Road.  Turn left (west) on Camp Wahsega Road and continue to the US Army Camp Merrill.  Turn right (north) on FS 42 and continue to the meeting destination. Carpooling (from the get-go, not the meeting place) is encouraged to minimize our parking footprint on the narrow unpaved roads.

Meet At:   We will meet on Cooper Gap Road above Camp Merrill at approximately 34.642420, -84.094006 (WGS 84 datum, the one Google Earth uses).

Bathroom Facilities:   None.

Walking Difficulty:   Easy, all within 500 ft of road.

Bring:   Lunch, snacks, & water, bug spray.  Remember to dress for the weather and wear comfortable hiking shoes.  You may wish to bring binoculars, hand lens, notebook, and camera.

Contact:  Rich Reaves, (no email day of trip), 770-827-5186, may not have cell service at meeting site.