December 13, 2020…read more Approximately 8 miles north of Elijah, GA on highway 76 shortly before entering the town of Cherry Log, you'll turn right onto Rock Creek Connector which takes you to a regular looking two lane road called Rock Creek Rd. Almost immediately upon making the right hand turn on Rock Creek road is the sign "Rich Mountain Wildlife Management Area" and my cell reception (meteo PCS) dropped again. Following Rock Creek Road eventually turns into a crushed gravel road with a stream running next to it and past several farms including a small horse farm. This was my third time to this area in the past month, and thankfully my final time. My goal was to summit Tickanately Bald, a peak that was nearly 4000 ft tall and nestled 0.7 miles south of Rich Mountain. This time I went up FS295 to the end and hiked the rest of the way. The 4000 ft challenge led by the Appalachian Trail Club has less than 10 members who have ever climbed all 32 peaks. And there is a good reason why. You might think...hey, these peaks aren't Mt Everest. What's the big deal? You wouldn't be wrong, however, plan accordingly, if you want to attempt it. Be warned: this activity is not without risk. Climbing walls of vegetation only to encounter brambles that want to cut you, is definitely not everyone's cup of tea. In many cases, there is no good footing. Especially after a rain. Stream crossings or hopping is a skill and balancing yourself across rocks to ford a small spring also is an art form, especially if your heart is pounding out of your chest from climbing 1000 ft. And finally, it's very easy to get yourself turned around. If your phone dies, runs out of battery, or you simply smash it while slipping on a patch of leaves covering a slick rock, well you are SOL, especially without cell phone service to call for help. And better have a back up plan. Don't go out there without a secondary GPS device. Pack water, pack a snack. Put something on your windshield in writing notifying people you are out for a walk and expect to be back. Give someone a clue where you are going too. Weather can change quickly, and the terrain difficult to navigate. While these mountains aren't huge, they are still fairly remote compared to the usual urban park you may have encountered. Plan ahead an be safe! Suffice it to say, I had fantastic weather. (Winter is the best season to get out and conquer your Georgia 4K peaks! And Limited Vegetation). I brought my phone and my GPS watch and a bottle of water and although the distance to the peak was 2.5 miles I gave myself 6-7 miles and plenty of daylight to climb this peak by leaving at noon. FS295 is approximately 4 miles from the beginning of Rock Creek Road and begins steadily up for 2 miles right at the Hunter Checkin Station. It's fairly navigable and I managed it in my Prius at 4-6 mph! There are a couple of nice choice camping spots along the way. At the top, I parked and ran 1.2 miles down to Little Rock Creek. From there I picked a line and started hiking up, and pretty much kept this up for 1300 ft or 1.5 miles till I reached the top of Rich Mt where there is an old chimney from an old house that once was. There is no benchmark (the geodesic marker often installed by the US Forest Service to denote the high point) to be found anywhere on Rich Mountain, unfortunately. There is an old unmaintained trail to the West (facing south) which leads you directly to Tickanately. Unfortunately, I went down the wrong side of Rich Mountain and had to adjust. Translation...climb back up to the top of Tickanately, then stumbled upon the path which I took back to Rich, before descending the same 1300 ft I had climbed----this time it was weeeeehaww and nimbly bounding down hill till I got back to Little Rock Creek. The total elevation gain was 2400 ft in 2.5 hours and my glutes got worked big time. The feeling of accomplishment was overwhelming. Seven 4K peaks done and 25 to go!

I occasionally afford myself the luxury of visiting places without really knowing what to expect…read more This park just wasn't that clear to me in its purpose, but it became more so after arrival, with a visitor center focused on Native American history and identifying this as a Cherokee Nation headquarters. A spread of recreated buildings outside offers opportunities for perusal. The most aesthetically distinctive site is a large spring of the sort that seem more common in Kentucky than Tennessee, which evinces a robust blue color and empties into a clear stream. The spring itself is off-limits, but the stream is open for wading. All of these sites are within sight of the initial entrance, but a trek uphill reveals picnic areas, an amphitheater, and a couple of mile trail through the woods. Between the different elements of the park, it was easy to spend a couple of hours there, and best of all, it's free, though the gift shop warrants examination.

Red Clay is not the type of state park that I would normally seek out. Why? It's not in the…read moremountains and the trails are tame. Nonetheless, something about it lured me in for a visit and I'm glad I ventured out here (on Indigenous People's Day coincidentally). Historically, it's really interesting that this was the last meeting site for the Cherokee tribe's council. The signs claim it is "where the Trail of Tears really began." I was really intrigued by the natural Spring called "the Blue Hole." I've never seen a spring that appears bright blue in a forest setting. Seeing this cool natural sight was pretty awesome. Also, I could just imagine the Cherokee using this spring water and being here hundreds of years before. Trail wise: Pretty flat and easy trails. It's not very challenging. But, it makes up for it because it's a calm place with beautiful forest. I loved walking around. Also, since this is small and off the beaten path, it's not crowded at all. Overall: highly recommended. Worth a visit!

Cool 90' waterfall near the TN end of Cherohala Skyway. After a 2 year long closure, BRF just…read moreopened 3 weeks ago (May 30,2025). It had a great setting with strong cascades after much rain in the Cherokee National Forest. Since August, 2023 much of the roads, parking and the original 1933 Bridge were updated and new observation decks from the Bridge make it enjoyable even for the mobility challenged. The base of the falls and swimming holes can be accessed. I dipped my toes in and the water was warmer than expected on a hot humid (80s) day. There are 2 access roads along the Cherohala Skyway and are easy to miss. River Road is easier and seems to show up on GPS. Turkey run is NOT marked, newly paved but had a big fallen tree blocking much of the road. Parking is limited, about 15 parking spots and a steady stream of cars waiting on a weekDay afternoon. It's worth a stop but be prepared for the crowds and limited parking. No restrooms nor anything else. Leave No Trace!

Definitely put this on your list of places to see! It's a fairly short but scenic drive from…read moreTellico Plains, albeit on a very narrow road for two way traffic. Once you get there, you can park right beside the falls and see it from the bridge or hike down the rocks to the bottom and get even closer. There's also a nice short 1/8 mile hike to get to the top which offers an excellent view as well.

Super fun! Easy walk! Kid and pet friendly! We walked our 2 dogs and had no issues! The bridge…read moreobviously swings so be careful holding your phone on the bridge taking photos! Great place to skip rocks!

On our recent trip to Blue Ridge, we decided to check out the Toccoa River Swinging Bridge. I am…read moreglad we did as it was quite scenic. We pulled in not knowing what to expect. You take a turn off the main highway and you have a few mile drive up the dirt road to get to the actual bridge. I did do this in a front wheel drive car, but a 4 wheel drive truck would be recommended if the conditions were wet or less than ideal. The road is pretty skinny at points and there is definitely not room for two vehicles even though this is not a one way, so one must drive cautiously. Once there, there isn't really any designated parking. You just park wherever you can. The bridge is quite scenic. It looks more stable than it actually is. It sways quite a bit when people are crossing and it isn't quite wide enough for two people to pass without hugging one side, but the view and hikes surrounding the river make it worth it. We spent a few hours here enjoying nature and then headed back. Awesome spot worth checking out.

Nice place to walk or relax It was beautiful…read more Lots of people walking and enjoying the views Small body of water to put your feet in So calming.... Great place to have a picnic

We stayed here on our way back from Savannah on a whim. The falls are gorgeous and the park itself…read moreis very nice. Beware, it is a very steep hill to get up to the campsites. The sites themselves are very nice, and it is quiet. We did get hit by a storm, but our camper held up quite well. The lodge is also a beautiful building and has scenic views. The park was clean and there is a small nature center with live animals and reptiles. The staff are friendly and helpful too. The one downside is the firewood issue that persists in most state parks. You aren't allowed to bring in firewood from other places (unless bought in the area), and they charge you a ridiculous amount for what are little more than shims to use. Overall, this was a wonderful end to our Georgia journey.

Found in the Chattahoochee National Forest is the Cohutta Overlook. We paid this hidden in plain…read moresite overlook a visit while driving into the city of Ellijay from Fort Mountain State Park. Being a shade under 5 miles from Fort Mountain along GA-2/GA-52, i'm hesitant to say you can't miss this area because you can. Only a sign and a road going into a wooded area are all that alerts you. I'd advise you to turn on in. This lone road has parking spots along it, and loops around back out to GA-2/GA-52. Very close to the entrance of this road is a very small dirt trail, marked by a small wooden sign listed as "overlook", that goes up. Yea it can be sketchy looking, but if you head on up the trail, you'll be met with a stone circular clearing that gives you a nice view. On a clear day, it's beautiful, and while I wasn't here at night, I can only imagine that stargazing here at night must be out of this world. The actual trail is barely a quarter of a mile and is more a nature walk than any sort of a hike. There are a few wooden/stone stairs, but practically anyone can make it to the top. Very little foot traffic here, as my girlfriend and I had the place to ourselves for several minutes, which was nice. There is no physical address, but there are coordinates entered (34.785218, -84.626853). Nice little find that you probably weren't looking for. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

April 4, 2014, Tony and I was driving the back roads of Georgia on our way to Helen, GA to visit…read morethe Bavarian Village. We passed Fort Mountain State Park, which we love by the way. We visited there a few weeks back, but this time ON TO HELEN....on down the road towards Elijay, Ga I noticed a sign "COHUTTA OVERLOOK"...I said...BRAKE..side trip.. My husband is used to this..that is why I travel the back roads so I can find interesting sites, old homes and buildings and overlooks...I do this quite regularly...Glad I am the driver. I also Brake for Yard Sales...lol I drove out the side road and parked along the narrow ONE WAY road..and we started to climb up the side of the small mountain via a trail and some stairs...its a nice little HEART POUNDING hike..but once you are at the top...oh WOW !!! the View is AWESOME...STUNNING..the adjectives keep going on, on and on...You have to take the 10-15 minutes out of your schedule to check out this great vista. I loved it. I took several photos ( of course ) And AGAIN..I can't say it enough....FREE FREE FREE !!!!

We were in Blue Ridge visiting an exhibit at the Blue Ridge Arts Association and stopped by The…read moreLilly Pad right after. It was our kiddos' first time fishing and they had a great time. It's catch and release we only caught one, but it was still a fun experience and a great memory for the kids. Staff was great, especially Nikki. I love that you pay once and can come back all day!

A little smaller than it appeared online. Our kids enjoyed the gem mining but the medium bucket…read moreonly took 2 kids about 15-20 minutes. A great set up and a good amount of gems but just not much dirt.

The views from the top of Bell Mountain are spectacular! The drive up the mountain is not for the…read moreweak either. My husband and I took some great photos, but at the very top deck I could barely stand still due to all of the gnats flying around!! (Nov 1)

Definitely worth checking out! It's a great view, and it's super convenient that you can drive to…read moreit. We had a rental minivan that made it alright (although we stopped in the parking lot right before the really big danger sign and hiked the last little bit). If you had an SUV you could be completely confident driving all the way. The roadway seemed to be well maintained and the signage was clear!

We ate here after they moved from the original location. We…read moreeach had the fried fish with beer batter. It was excellent.

This place is awesome. We discovered this driving from Chattanooga to Asheville along highway 74…read more This is located at the Ocoee Whitewater rafting center. There are bathrooms and a large parking lot. It cost $3 a day to park at this park. There is a long trail along the side of the river that leads you to many opportunities to swim in this stunning "blue holes" we walked along the trail for about 20 minutes and got in the water at several locations. The further back you go the less people to share the swimming holes with. We found a private area and enjoyed. We brought bathing suits, a dry bag, water, sun block and water shoes. The rocks are slippery even with water shows so be careful! An amazing natural wonder worth visiting. Great for couples or couples with children. I highly recommend a visit if you are within an hour or two of this area.