North Georgia
Wander south of Chattanooga into North Georgia, and you’ll be rewarded with stunning scenery, rushing rivers, and wonderful waterfalls. Explore North Georgia’s great outdoors by hiking or horseback riding your way through the North Georgia Mountains, paddling down the Cartecay or Chattooga Rivers. Maybe you prefer to mountain bike at 5 points or walk through history at Chickamauga Battlefield. Bet you’d enjoy bouldering at Rocktown or Zahnd. You can camp, cave and chase waterfalls at Cloudland Canyon, or soar like an eagle over Lookout Mountain.
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Benton MacKaye Trail
The Benton MacKaye Trail stretches nearly 300 miles from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Davenport Gap in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The lower 200 miles (closest to Chattanooga) follow the western crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The trail is named for Benton MacKaye, the forester, conservationist, and co-founder of the Wilderness Society who originally envisioned this route for the Appalachian Trail (AT). Passing through GA, TN, and NC, it forms a giant figure-8 loop with the AT, a total distance of over 500 miles.
Although there are many access points along the 290 miles of trail, the most convenient access point from Chattanooga is at Thunder Rock Campground, adjacent to TVA Powerhouse No. 3 (hydroelectric) on US HWY 64, a half-hour east of Cleveland, TN or a mile west of the Ocoee Whitewater Center.
Cherokee National Forest Map of Thunder Rock CampgroundDirections
Difficulty
Backpacking
Hiking
Running
Hours and Cost
Open Daily: 24/7
Cost: Free
Pet Friendly
Yes, on leash
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Cartecay River
Situated on the edge of the Cohutta Wilderness in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, the Cartecay River is a gently rolling mountain stream that becomes a fun, Class II+ run for two and a half miles outside of Ellijay, Georgia.
A step up in from the Hiwassee River for beginner paddlers, the Cartecay’s signature rapids require a little more technical and maneuvering skills.
The river levels are subject to rainfall and at high water, some rapids increase in difficulty to Class III. Conversely, in drought periods, the river can become very low and scrapey.
NOTE
Most of the land along the banks of the Cartecay is privately owned. Plan accordingly, as there are no places to take out for bathroom breaks or other necessities.
PARKING
There is very limited parking along the Cartecay, so using parking and shuttle service from a commercial outfitter is highly recommended.Directions
Difficulty
Kayaking
Hours and Cost
Open Daily: Sunrise to Sunset
Cost: Free. Guiding services vary
Pet Friendly
No
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Chattooga River
The Chattooga Wild and Scenic River flows through a protected wilderness corridor for 59 miles along the Georgia/South Carolina border in the southern Appalachian Mountains. The river is legendary for its intense rapids and rugged scenery. Paddling on the Chattooga, no matter which section, should be approached with the utmost respect due to being in a wilderness setting where cell phone service is nonexistent and help is generally a long hike away.
Section 2
Most of this section is a scenic float trip, with one significant class II+ rapid: Big Shoals, which should be scouted before running. Though the river runs next to the road in this section, access to help or amenities is still very limited.
Section 3
This section contains mostly Class II-III rapids, generally spaced from a half mile to over a mile apart. The last rapid, Bull Sluice (Class IV+) can be avoided by taking out at the top.
Section 4
The Chattooga’s infamous Five Falls (Entrance, Corkscrew, Crack in the Rock, Jawbone, Soc ’em Dog) finish off this fast and intense whitewater run, which is only for the most experienced paddlers.Directions
Difficulty
Paddling
Hours and Cost
Open Daily: Sunrise to Sunset
Cost: Free. Guiding services vary.
Pet Friendly
Yes, on a leash along the bank and in the Francis Marion and Sumter National Forest.
Contact
Sumter National Forest—Andrew Pickens Ranger District
112 Andrew Pickens Cir.
Mountain Rest, SC 29664
864-638-9568
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Chickamauga Battlefield
Part of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, the Chickamauga Battlefield provides gently rolling, groomed trails that meander for several miles through woods, pasture lands and restored Civil War era homesteads.
The park’s system of paved roads post slow speed limits and are perfectly suited for cyclists and runners, especially Glen Kelley Road, which has a dedicated pedestrian and bicycle lane. Maps and brochures offering self-guided interpretive tours are available at the Battlefield Visitors Center.
Horseback Riding
The well-marked, non-technical trail system is good for beginner trail riders and offers unique views of the Civil War battlefield. Horse trailers may park in a gravel lot on the western edge of the park on Dyer Rd. Before riding, please stop by the park’s Visitors Center for information and a trail map.
Biking
Chickamauga Battlefield offers several road cycling options for families and adults. The National Park’s self-guided Auto Tour runs over roads with speed limits of 20-35 mph. The 6-mile loop travels by beautifully restored monuments, wood, and pasture lands and contains multiple stops at historic points of interest.
Use other lightly trafficked park roads to lengthen rides to 12-14 miles. For a shorter, family-friendly ride, park at Wilder Tower and ride the Glen-Kelley Road bike path to Lafayette Rd. and back.Directions
Difficulty
Hiking
Running
Biking
Horseback Riding
Guides
Hours and Cost
Open Daily: Sunrise to Sunset
Closed on December 25
Cost: Free
Pet Friendly
Yes, on leash
Contact
Chickamauga and Chattanooga Military Park 3370 LaFayette Rd. Fort Oglethorpe, GA 30742 706-866-9241
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Cloudland Canyon
Cloudland Canyon is a 3,488 acre Georgia State Park located near Trenton, GA on Lookout Mountain, just 45 minutes southwest of Chattanooga. The park features some of the most spectacular scenery on the Cumberland Plateau and the rugged geology of the trail system includes multiple waterfalls, 1000 ft sandstone cliffs, and multiple caves to explore. The park boasts over 64 miles of hiking/running trails, along with 30 miles of mountain biking trails at the 5 Points Recreation Area that can be accessed via the Cloudland Canyon Connector Trail (CCT).
This Georgia State Park is a great weekend destination for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels including day hikers, backpackers, horseback riders, cavers, mountain bikers, disc golfers, and campers. The park offers every type of overnight camping experience possible! Choose from fully-equipped and comfortable Cottages, quirky Yurts to several different types of Tent, Trailer & RV Campsites including Walk-In Campsites and Backcountry Campsites.
The park’s 18-hole disc golf course features moderately hilly, open and wooded fairways with concrete tee pads and DISCatcher holes. The intermediate level fairways range from 192 to 347 feet long. The park also includes wild caves for touring during select months of the year, a fishing pond, 16 miles of horseback riding trails, picnic grounds, group shelters, a playground and numerous interpretive programs.
Directions
Difficulty
Hiking
Running
Biking
Backpacking
Caving
Guides
Hours and Cost
Park Daily, 7 a.m.–10 p.m.
Office Weekdays, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Interpretive Center Saturday–Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Cost: $5 day use/parking fee Camping, cave tours, disc golf costs vary Annual passes available
Pet Friendly
Yes, on leash
Contact
Cloudland Canyon State Park 122 Cloudland Canyon Park Road Rising Fawn, GA 30738 Park 706-657-4050 Reservations 800-864-7275
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Crockford-Pigeon Mountain
Located in Walker County, near Rock Springs, Georgia, Crockford-Pigeon Mountain is a 20,657-acre state-owned Wildlife Management Area that contains approximately 100 miles of trails and forest service roads. This area features abundant wildlife, unique natural features, and gorgeous views. It's a favorite hunting destination for deer, turkey, squirrel, quail, and rabbit. Many protected species call this area home. Locations popular to visit include Rocktown, Lost Wall, Pocket, Pettyjohn’s Cave, Sawmill Lake, Bluehole Springs, Civil War Wayside. This WMA boasts 5 designated camping areas, numerous trails and trailheads, and historic Mountain Cove.
Hunting
Crockford-Pigeon Mountain is open to large and small game hunting, including deer, wild (feral) hog, bear, and turkey. For more information, visit Georgia Department of Wildlife Resources interactive hunter’s guide.
Horseback Riding
Most hiking and riding trails are situated on the tabletop of the mountain, which is a finger jutting northeast from the Lookout Mountain escarpment. In particular, riders can access the trails and roads at Rape Gap, Pocket Loop, and Chamberlain trailheads.
Rock Climbing
There are two climbing areas on Crockford-Pigeon Mountain. Rocktown is a world class bouldering area known for its bullet hard sandstone, tough iron bands, and slopey top outs. The Lost Wall is primarily a small trad crag. The parking area is halfway up the mountain on the way to Rocktown.
Caving
There are several caves within Crockford-Pigeon Mountain, the largest of which is Petty Johns Cave. These caves feature long rappels and dangerous scrambling. Only experienced cavers should enter into the deep without a guide.
All horse, bike, caving, hiking, rock climbing, parasailing and hang-gliding trails are closed during firearm deer seasons. Additionally, all horse and bike trails and areas are closed before 10:00 a.m. during archery deer and turkey season. No ATVs on the property.Directions
Difficulty
Hiking
Running
Biking
Climbing
Caving
Guides
Hours and Cost
Open Daily: Sunrise to Sunset
Cost: Hunting License or GORP Pass Required
Pet Friendly
Yes, on a leash
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Five Points Recreation Area
Located 30 minutes south of downtown Chattanooga, the Five Point Recreation Area is a network of multi-use trails on the scenic plateau of Lookout Mountain.
Five Points offers 25 miles of interconnected singletrack trails that feature steep climbs, rolling descents, and technical features through the mountain gorges and former mining areas surrounding Lula Lake. It also includes the Cloudland Connector Trail (CCT), which links Cloudland Canyon State Park to the Lula Lake Land Trust on Lookout Mountain in North Georgia, and eventually, all the way into downtown Chattanooga.
The Cloudland Connector Trail is a multi-use trail for horseback riding, hiking, trail running and mountain biking. Be respectful of other users and always yield to horses and pedestrians.
Developed and backcountry camping is available nearby at Cloudland Canyon State Park.Directions
Difficulty
Biking
Hiking
Guides
Hours and Cost
Open Daily: Sunrise to Sunset
Cost: $5 parking fee per car
Pet Friendly
No.
Contact
Cloudland Canyon State Park 122 Cloudland Canyon Park Rd. Rising Fawn, GA 30738 706-657-4050
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Fort Mountain State Park
Located near the Cohutta Wilderness in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, Fort Mountain State Park is a 3,712-acre mountain getaway in North Georgia.
Hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders will find some of the most beautiful trails in Georgia, winding through hardwood forest and blueberry thickets, crossing streams and circling a 17-acre lake. Hikers can explore a stone fire tower built by the Civilian Conservation Corps and an ancient rock wall that stands on the highest point of the mountain.
During summer, visitors can cool off by swimming at the lakeside beach or renting a paddle craft to play on the lake. The Park's stables offer guided horseback rides and stall rental throughout the year. Park guests may stay overnight in fully equipped cottages, at the campground which has 80 tent, trailer or RV campsites with hookups and bathhouse facilities, walk-in sites, a group shelter or pioneer campsites or at one of the 4 backcountry campsites.Directions
Difficulty
Hiking
Running
Biking
Paddling
Guides
Hours and Cost
Open Daily: Sunrise to Sunset
Cost: $5 day use parking. Camping varies based on site amenities and length of stay.
Pet Friendly
Yes, on a leash
Contact
Fort Mountain State Park 181 Fort Mountain Park Rd. Chatsworth, GA 30705 706-422-1932
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Great Eastern Trail
The Great Eastern Trail is a project of the Great Eastern Trail Association, working with the American Hiking Society and local trail partners, to create America’s newest long-distance hiking trail extending from Alabama to New York! Still under development, the Great Eastern Trail (GET) runs through Chattanooga using parts of the Cumberland Trail, North Chickamauga Creek Greenway, Tennessee Riverpark, and Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park’s Lookout Mountain trail system.
When complete, the GET will connect the Florida National Scenic Trail to the North Country National Scenic Trail in New York State, as well as making connections to the Benton MacKaye, Pinhoti and Appalachian Trails. Currently, long-distance hikers can access nearby backcountry sections of the GET from downtown Chattanooga using temporary routes on city rights of way and greenways.
Chattanooga was designated a GET Trail Town in 2013.
Directions
Difficulty
Backpacking
Hiking
Running
Hours and Cost
Open Daily: 24/7
Cost: Free
Pet Friendly
Yes, on leash
Contact
Great Eastern Trail Association 118 Park St. S.E. Vienna, VA 22180
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Jack Mattox Recreation Center
The Jack Mattox Recreation Complex is located in Ringgold, GA, a few miles south of downtown Chattanooga, off of I-75. The 9-hole course is beginner friendly, lightly wooded, and a great option for junior players.
Directions
Difficulty
Disc Golf
Guides
Hours and Cost
Open Daily: Sunrise to Sunset
Cost: Free
Pet Friendly
Yes, on a leash
Contact
Catoosa County Parks and Recreation 749 Pine Grove Rd. Ringgold, GA 30736 706-891-4199
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Petty John's Cave
Pettyjohns Cave is located in the Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area, in Walker County, GA, and is comprised of 6.5 miles of charted underground trails. The cave includes a squeeze called the Worm Hole and several large rooms, including the Echo Room and the Bridge Room, where a stream running 80 feet below the bridge can be heard. G3 Adventures offers guided wild cave tours to Petty John’s cave.
DO NOT EXPLORE ANY CAVE WITHOUT THE PROPER EQUIPMENT AND GUIDANCE
Directions
Difficulty
Caving
Hours and Cost
Open Daily: Sunrise to Sunset
Cost: varies depending on duration of tour
Pet Friendly
No.
Contact
Crockford-Pigeon Mountain 365 Rocky Lane Rd. Lafayette, GA 30728 706-295-6041
G3 Guides 706-913-7170
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Pinhoti Trail
The Pinhoti Trail (Pin-hoe-tee) is a 335-mile backcountry trail that runs northeast from the Talladega National Forest in Alabama to Springer Mountain in Georgia, where it joins the Benton MacKaye and Appalachian Trails. With 164 miles of trail contained in Georgia and the other 171 miles in Alabama, the Pinhoti Trail is maintained by trail clubs and associations in both states. The closest trailhead to Chattanooga is in Fort Mountain State Park, near Dalton, GA. Through hikers will find designated campsites and shelters. Day hikers can access multiple loops through lush native forests and rocky southern terrain. The Pinhoti Trail in Northwest Georgia is a mountain biker's paradise offering hours and days of two-wheeled trail riding. Mulberry Gap, a Mountain Bike Getaway, offers a ride in/out options with cabins, tent camping, hot showers, home-cooked meals, and shuttles. Other sections of the long-distance trail in Georgia are designated for horseback riding. There is no horseback riding allowed on the trail in Alabama.
More than 25 miles of horse trails offer loop rides varying from 3 to 16 miles. Riders must bring their own horses and register at the Fort Mountain Park stables, or visitors can take guided trail rides. The trail contains several ecosystems and includes canopied hardwood forests, endangered eastern hemlock, brooks, lakes, rocky trails, country roads and segments of highways. The north terminus is approximately 70 miles west of Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail, near the Benton MacKaye Trail. The trail's southern terminus is on Flagg Mountain, near Weogufka, AL.Difficulty
Hiking
Running
Biking
Hours and Cost
Open 24/7
Cost: Free
Pet Friendly
Yes, on leash
Contact
Talladega National Forest 45 Highway 281 Heflin, AL 36264 (256) 463-2272
Fort Mountain State Park 181 Fort Mountain Park Road Chatsworth, GA 30705 Park 706-422-1932 Reservations 800-864-7275
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Rocktown
Located in Walker County, near Lafayette, Georgia the Crockford-Pigeon Wildlife Management Area sits on a finger of the Lookout Mountain plateau, jutting northeast towards Chattanooga.
The mountaintop has several acres of exposed rock formations, from 30-40 feet high, all carved into indescribable shapes. Gnarled with cracks, handholds, overhangs and other climbing features, the place is called Rocktown.
Climbers of all skill levels can find accessible boulders within the field. The first time you go, take an experienced friend and plan on doing a lot of exploring.
A Georgia Outdoor Recreation Pass (GORP) is required.
Check Crockford Pigeon Mountain hunting dates before visiting in late fall.Directions
Difficulty
Climbing
Hiking
Running
Hours and Cost
Open Daily: Sunrise to Sunset
Cost: GORP Pass or Georgia Hunting/Fishing license
Pet Friendly
Yes, on a leash
Contact
Georgia Department of Natural Resources 2592 Floyd Springs Rd. Armuchee, GA 30105 706-295-6041
Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Armuchee Ranger District 806 E. Villanow St. P.O. Box 465 Lafayette, GA 30728 706-638-1085
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Sitton's Cave
Sitton’s Cave is part of Georgia’s Cloudland Canyon State Park and is widely known as a great cave to explore with the family. Sitton’s sits at the bottom of the canyon and is open for tours in April, June, July, September, and October.
Guided tours vary in length from one to four hours and require a moderate level of physical fitness and a high tolerance for mud.Directions
Difficulty
Caving
Guides
Hours and Cost
Open Daily: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Cost: $30-$60 per person
Pet Friendly
No.
Contact
Cloudland Canyon State Park 122 Cloudland Canyon Park Rd. Rising Fawn, GA 30738 706-657-4050
G3 Adventures 706-913-7170
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Zahnd
Nestled atop Lookout Mountain in Georgia, only 45 minutes from downtown Chattanooga, rests a wonderful assortment of fine-grained sandstone boulders ranging from vertical slabs and textured slopers to cavernous overhangs.
Zahnd boasts many established classics in the V0-V10 range, as well as plenty of unsolved problems and projects, mostly in the moderate range. Parking will be found on the right side of the road, southbound on HWY 157, just after mile marker 6. The boulders are a short hike from the parking lot.
This area is open to climbers with a Georgia Outdoor Recreation Pass (GORP) year round, sunrise to sunset. During hunting season it is open to climbers 10 am to sunset.
Public land borders have been marked by orange flagging tape in many areas. Do not go onto private land without permission.Directions
Difficulty
Climbing
Hiking
Hours and Cost
Open Daily: Sunrise to Sunset
Cost: GORP or Georgia hunting/fishing license
Pet Friendly
Yes, on a leash
Contact
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
2592 Floyd Springs Road
Armuchee, GA 30105
706-295-6041