Fannin County Hiking Trails

Stanley Gap Trail

Trail Length: 4.8 Miles
Rating: Moderate

Directions

From Blue Ridge, go 1 mile on old US 76 to Aska Road. Turn right and continue 4 miles to Deep Gap. The trail crosses the road at the top of the mountain. To reach the Stanley Gap end of the trail, go on Aska Road 4 more miles to Stanley Gap Road. Turn right on this gravel road and travel 3 miles to the trailhead. To reach the lakeshore, go 3 miles on the Aska Road and turn left on Campbell Camp Road; travel 2 miles to the trailhead.

Trail Information

Known 20 years ago as the Rich Mountain Trail, this renamed trace is essentially a shortened version of the former footpath. The trail shares the same path for part of the way with the longer Benton MacKaye. If you hike the trail from Deep Gap it is easier than hiking it from Stanley Gap, mostly because of the grueling, 2 mile, 1400 foot ascent from Stanley Gap to Rocky Mountain. We also like to hike this trail from Deep Gap because we can recoup at Falls Branch Falls near the end of the trail.
Climbing at the outset, the trail rises to the top of Davenport Mountain, from here following a high ridge. As typical of ridge top trails there is little water to be found. Views are occasionally good along this portion of the path and at 1.8 miles the footpath joins the Benton MacKaye Trail. From this point the trail continues to follow the ridge until Rocky Mountian (2.7 miles), when it begins the descent into Stanley Gap. At 3.75 miles the Stanley Gap Trail comes off to the right. At this point we normally continue on the Benton MacKaye so that we can spend a few minutes at Falls Branch Falls.

Benton MacKaye Trail, Sec I

Trail Length: 5.3 Miles
Rating: Moderate

Directions

From Ellijay:Follow SR 52 east to Roy Road. Turn left and continue until the road dead ends into an unmarked road (this is Doublehead Gap Road). Turn right and go 2.5 miles to the Chattahoochee National Forest sign opposite a church. Turn right and continue just over 7 miles to the Springer Mountain Parking Area.

Trail Information
Synopsis: The first part of the Benton Mackaye Trail runs from Springer Mountain to Three Forks, where Stovall Creek and Long Creek meet to form Noontootla Creek. From the start this 5.38 mile hike is essentially downhill, although there are some brief, moderate uphill climbs. It is a excellent trail, widely varying in eco-systems from dry, rocky mountaintops to rich-soil creeks loaded with plants of all types. Throughout the hike, rhododendron are prevalent, frequently forming an arch over the trail.

From the Appalachian Trail parking lot on Forest Service Road 42, hike the AT to Springer Mountain. For more details on this portion of the hike, please see the Springer Mountain Day Hike. This adds another .95 miles to the hike. Continue past the Benton MacKaye trail marker to the start of the AT and the Benton MacKaye atop Springer Mountain. There are excellent views to the southwest from the top of Springer.

Hiking briefly down the Appalachian Trail, the Benton MacKaye turns right just past the path leading to the Springer Mountain Shelter. Climbing Ball Mountain, but skirting the top (some good southern views are a few feet off the path), the trail closely follows the Tennessee Water Divide to Big Stamp Gap, where it crosses Forest Service Road 42 (1.62 miles).

Over the next mile and a half the path rises and falls repeatedly, eventually climbing to Rich Mountain. This section is frequently covered by rhododendron and has a number of wet-foot crossings of creeks. At 3.20 miles the trail rejoins the Appalachian Trail and for the next .6 miles the AT and the BMT share the same path. It is during this time that you reach the top of Rich Mountain, a spine of high ridges that runs almost the entire distance between the F. S. 42 parking lot and Three Forks. As you begin your descent, the AT splits off and dramatically falls down the side of Rich Mountain and follows Stovall Creek to Three Forks.

The Benton MacKaye Trail continues along the ridge of Rich Mountain, falling much more gently. Although overgrown in some areas, the footpath has been recently remarked to make the journey easier. As you continue down the slope of Rich Mountain the treadway follows an old logging road. Note the extensive road system further down the ridge. This is indicative of the vast logging that stripped the lumber from these mountains in the late 19th and early 20th century.
At 5.28 miles the BMT rejoins the AT to cross the bridge at Three Forks. After Three Forks the Benton MacKaye continues along the same path as the Appalachian Trail until Long Creek Falls.

Benton MacKaye Trail, Sec II

Trail Length: 11.3 Miles
Rating: Moderate

Directions

From Blue Ridge: Take Old Highway 76 through town and turn right on Aska Road (first right after the 3-way stop sign. Continue on Aska Road until it dead-ends into Newport Road, turn right on Newport and continue down Newport. At the end of Newport turn left onto Doublehead Gap Road, which becomes a dirt road. Doublehead Gap is named for a powerful chief of the Cherokee Nation at the start of the 1800's. Aska was his winter home, which is the Cherokee translation of the word. Just past a church and cemetery the road narrows, then splits into three separate roads. Turn right onto FS58 and travel 5.4 miles to a widening in the road. This is Three Forks.

Trail Information

This section of the Benton MacKaye stretches from popular Three Forks to Highway 60 and is perhaps the most remote trail in Georgia, with the exception of the trails in the Cohutta Wilderness. It begins at Three Forks, shares the footpath with the Appalachian Trail to Long Creek Falls, then veers north, leaving the AT at the start of the Duncan Ridge Trail. For the next ten miles it crosses two dirt road (FS 333 and 816) and a spectacular swinging bridge over the Toccoa River.

The BMT begins climbing as soon as it leaves Three Forks (the confluence of Stover, Chester, and Long Creek to form Noontootla Creek). For the first half-mile the trail climbs slowly but steadily alongside Long Creek. At .5 miles the trail leaves Long Creek and continues to climb. At .92 miles the trail to Long Creek Falls veers off to the left at a well-marked intersection. A few feet later the Benton MacKaye says goodbye to the Appalachian Trail for 250 miles (also well-marked).

After the turn, the Benton MacKaye Trail rejoins Long Creek running near it as the trail rises steadily, but at an easy pace. After the trail leaves the stream (mile 1.8) its only a few hundred feet to the top of Bald Mountain. Unfortunately, this climb is significantly more difficult that the first 1.8 miles of the trip as the trail steepens dramatically. The trail follows the mountaintop ridge briefly. Over the next 2 miles the BMT descends and rises repeatedly, until reaching Wildcat Ridge. Here the footpath follows the ridge, which easily transitions to John Dick Mountain. Over the next mile there are repeated scenic views as the path descends into Bryson Gap then climbs Little John Dick Mountain. From this point to F.S. 333 the footpath takes on a rolling, similar to paths further north with a number of quick ascents/descents.

When you pass the peak of Little John Dick Mountain and begin to descend, you are entering the valley created by the Toccoa River. At this point the Benton MacKaye begins a long, surprisingly easy, descent to the river. As you reach the swinging bridge there are camping sites to the left (these are our favorites, but they are heavily used). Additional camping can be found across the bridge.
The Swinging Bridge is one of those great places to stop and spend some time even if you don't want to spend the night. Plan on an extended break to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. The Toccoa River is broad and fast moving, dropping quickly as it makes a wide sweeping curve around Tooni Mountain. On weekends from the Spring to the Fall people in canoes, kayaks and rafts travel down the river from Deep Hole to the Dial Bridge.

From the bridge you begin a gradual ascent out of the Toccoa River valley and up Tooni (or Toonowee) Mountain. This climb is easy at first, getting harder as you reach the ridge that forms the summit of the mountain. From here to the top the path "rolls," following an ascent/descent pattern familiar to hikers for the next mile as you reach the acme of the mountain then follow the ridge down.

Abruptly, at 10.7 miles, the path turns left and begins a steep descent towards the intersection of Highway 60 and FS 816, where it crosses the road.

Trail Report (Dec 12, 2004)
Backpacked in a good portion of it from the Blue Ridge trailhead... in the late fall... in a driving rain storm. That part was not easy, but in the morning, when the rain had stopped, the the views were amazing. Actually ran into a black bear (the first time I've actually seen one on a hike). This trail is excellent if you're looking for seclusion and something a little different and a little off the beaten path.

Long Creek Falls

Trail Length: 1.9 Miles
Rating: Moderate

Directions

Take Old Highway 76 through town and turn right on Aska Road (first right after the 3-way stop sign. Continue on Aska Road until it dead-ends into Newport Road, turn right on Newport and continue down Newport. At the end of Newport turn left onto Doublehead Gap Road, which becomes a dirt road. Doublehead Gap is named for a powerful chief of the Cherokee Nation at the start of the 1800's. Aska was his winter home, which is the Cherokee translation of the word. Just past a church and cemetery the road narrows, then splits into three separate roads. Turn right onto FS58 and travel 5.4 miles to a widening in the road. This is Three Forks.

Trail Information

Long Creek Falls Trail is an almost 2 mile round trip trek that offers an easy-to-moderate climb along the combined Appalachian, Benton MacKaye and Duncan Ridge Trails to a beautiful waterfall that flows fully even in the middle of the summer. For through hikers the falls are only a short distance from the main trail making this side trip well worth the few minutes (and steps) to the falls.

Any trail that ends in a waterfall is a great trail, by definition, and Long Creek Falls is no exception. Well known to through hikers, in the past few years these wide, full falls have become a destination for day hikers as well, frequently filling the parking area near Three Forks. In fact, this portion of the trail and the parking lot is so heavily used that we strongly recommend a trip to the falls on a weekday.

To the west from the parking area at Three Forks is the bridge spanning Chester Creek. To the east the trail will take you to Long Creek Falls. The footpath begins a gradual rise in elevation along Long Creek. This creek, along with Chester Creek and Stovall Creek join at Three Forks to form Noontootla Creek, a tributary of the Toccoa River. The trail passes through a wide plain of grass, ascending gradually with the creek nearby. A few feet in is a sign indicating that Long Creek Falls is 1 mile (at this point it is actually less than that and on our GPS we measured a total one way length of .96 miles).

Shortly after the sign is a break, sharpened stumps intended to prevent motorized vehicles, mountain bikes and horses from accessing the hiking path. It has long been a problem in this area, specifically with mountain bikes. The Forest Service is aware of the problem and routinely patrols the area.

The path follows Long Creek throughout the journey to the falls, only once moving away from the creek a short distance into a cove to cross an unnamed, frequently dry stream that empties into the creek. The path is a favorite of ours because it does parallel Long Creek; the flowing stream lends a comforting sound to the hike. As the path climbs the drop to the stream reaches 80 feet at one point and cascades along the way are so loud that they can mislead a hiker into thinking they have reached the falls.

Just before the Duncan Ridge and Benton MacKaye Trail leaves the Appalachian Trail, the path to Long Creek Falls is marked by a trail sign. A few steps leads you to these wide, almost always full falls. The sound can be overwhelming, especially after a rain. Long Creek tumbles over some small rocks, then widens over a single large rock, fanning out and dropping to a clear, shallow pond beneath the falls.
There are no facilities on or near the trail.
Trail Report (Sept 5, 2004)
It was soo pretty and there was a nice cool mist that was the best on a hot stemmy day!

Mountaintown Creek Trail

Trail Length: 11.0 Miles
Rating: Moderate

Directions

Take GA 52 west from Ellijay for 5 miles. Turn right onto Gates Chapel Road and go about 4.5 miles to Hills Lake Road. Turn right and go 2 miles on a rough dirt road.

Trail Information

An excellent challenging trail that is lightly used, Mountaintown follows old roads and the creek to Forest Service Road 64 at the top of Rich's Knob.

Beginning near the calm waters and flat land at the bottom of a ridge in the Cohutta Wilderness, Mountaintown Creek trail follows the creek upstream as it meanders north. The path crosses this creek and Crenshaw Branch on a number of occasions. Most are easy even in the spring when the creek can be higher than normal.

Mountaintown was a Cherokee village along the banks of a pristine creek. It was one of the larger Upper Towns villages.
The first two miles of the trail are essentially flat.
When the creek splits at the start of the third mile, the trail takes on an entirely different personality. Now it begins the ascent to Rich Knob. The trail rises constantly with only occasional level portions. At times, especially near the top, the trail is steep. The creeks that the trail parallels turn into cascades and falls near the top of the mountain.
Trail Report (May 31, 2005)
Be prepared for a lot of water crossings. The uphill part of this trail is steep at times. Expect a very obvious up/downhill for about half of the total trail. Very beautiful, however. Some of the sights were breathtaking-- even with all the summer foliage. A lot of falls and water. If you take the road to the upper trailhead-- make time to stop to see some of the great views on the way up. We didn't run into any other hikers on this trail, but we did see several mountain bikers going down the descent.

Southern Terminus Approach Trail

Trail Length: 8.4 Miles
Rating: Moderate

Directions

From Ellijay take State Road 52 east for 20 miles. Be careful at the intersection of Highway 183 and is an unusual triangle that is frequently reworked. The last time we were here, Highway 52 made a left-hand turn, came to a stop sign, then made a second left-hand turn. Follow Highway 52 for just under 1.4 miles. After the road curves right, the entrance to Amicalola Falls is on the left.

Trail Information

The Southern Terminus Access Trail begins at the Amicalola State Park Visitors Center, climbs to the top of Amicalola Falls (this portion is also called the East Ridge Trail), crosses the road to the lodge, then climbs through the Amicalola Watershed to Springer Mountain.

From the Appalachian Trail long term parking lot cross the street to the visitors center. As you approach the building, follow a cement walkway to the right, turn left (there are bathrooms on the left). Past the bathrooms, turn left again, then make a right hand turn just before a small interpretive area. An archway made of fieldstone marks the start of the trail. Just past the archway is a rock in the shape of the state of Georgia with the familiar "Maine to Georgia" slogan. This trail climbs the eastern ridge of the Amicalola Watershed in a series of switchbacks. It then joins an old road for the final climb to the Upper Falls at Amicalola Falls State Park. To reach the falls, turn left after a gated exit and a small bathroom with snack vending machines. The portion of the Southern Terminus Trail from the Visitors Center to the Falls is heavily used.

After visiting the falls, return to the trail and turn left. At the end of the parking lot turn right, walk along lodge road, then turn left at a banked entrance marked for both the Hike Inn and the Access Trail for the Southern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail. The approach to the Southern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain winds 7.3 miles following ridges and streams in a steady ascent to the top of the mountain. The trail to the Hike Inn and Cochran Falls comes off to the right at 0.1 mile.

Most of the long initial climb is through a typical Southern Blue Ridge deciduous hardwood forest (the technical name for this forest is Temperate Broadleaf Deciduous Forest). Among the trees we noted were white and (occasionally) red oak, a wide variety of maple trees including silver and red maple and boxelder (yes, its a maple tree.) The high canopy of trees rarely breaks into full sunlight, and the rich undergrowth, which includes a variety ferns in the wetter areas, is a simple enjoyment throughout this hike. The Amicalola Watershed, which this trail follows up the mountain is the southernmost boundary for many northern species. Pink ladyslippers, which are considered rare, appear at times.

From the start of the trail behind the top of the falls it winds for 3 miles, climbing steadily, on the east side of the Amicalola watershed. Then it begins a hard climb to the ridge top. From here the trail turns to an up and down affair, with considerably more up than down. Across Frosty Mountain and Woody Knob, the trail then falls to Forest Service Road 28 in Nimblewood Gap. From here it is up and over Black Mountain and into the gap. This is the hardest climb of the trail.

A shelter at Black Mountain Gap about 7 miles up the path is a good stopping point if you are not planning to hike the AT, but if you are planning an extended hike on the AT continue to the shelter just past Springer. It has a privy and running water. Following this shelter is the excellent view from Springer Mountain towards the west. Pam and I like to watch the sunset from here, and then return to our evening accommodations.