Great Outdoors
North Georgia Fall Color Guide: When and Where Leaves Peak
When fall color usually peaks in the North Georgia mountains, how to track Leaf Watch reports, and the best overlooks and drives near Ellijay.
Topic
The Great Outdoors in North Georgia
Waterfalls, wilderness trails, deep mountain lakes and some of the best fall color in the Southeast, all within reach of Ellijay.
Great Outdoors
Russell-Brasstown Scenic Byway: A 40-Mile Mountain Loop from Helen
Drive the 40-mile Russell-Brasstown Scenic Byway loop near Helen: Hogpen Gap, Brasstown Bald, Dukes Creek and Anna Ruby Falls, with stop-by-stop notes.
Great Outdoors
Jacks River Falls: Hiking the Cohutta Wilderness
How to hike to Jacks River Falls in the Cohutta Wilderness: Beech Bottom and other routes, creek crossings, day-use rules and safety tips.
Great Outdoors
Lake Conasauga: Camping at Georgia's Highest Lake
Lake Conasauga is a 19-acre spring-fed lake near Grassy Mountain, the highest in Georgia. Camping fees, season dates, rules and directions from Ellijay.
Great Outdoors
Carters Lake Guide: Georgia's Deepest Reservoir Near Ellijay
Carters Lake near Ellijay: the deepest reservoir in Georgia, with walleye and striper fishing, undeveloped shoreline, Corps campgrounds and Carters Dam.
Great Outdoors
Toccoa River Swinging Bridge: How to Reach the Footbridge
The Toccoa River swinging bridge spans about 260 feet on the Benton MacKaye Trail. Two ways to reach it, what the road is like and what to bring.
Great Outdoors
Vogel State Park Guide: Trails, Cabins and Lake Trahlyta
Vogel is Georgia's second-oldest state park, at the foot of Blood Mountain. Trails, cabins and camping, and current notes on drained Lake Trahlyta.
Great Outdoors
Black Rock Mountain State Park: Georgia's Highest State Park
At 3,640 feet on the Eastern Continental Divide, Black Rock Mountain is Georgia's highest state park. Views, trails, camping and nearby Foxfire.
Great Outdoors
Fort Mountain State Park: Stone Wall, Fire Tower and Trails
Plan a visit to Fort Mountain State Park near Ellijay: the mysterious 855-foot stone wall, the CCC fire tower, the lake, trails, camping and fees.
Plan Your Visit
Visiting Ellijay and North Georgia With Your Dog
Where dogs can and can't go around Ellijay: state park leash rules, dog-friendly cottages, orchards, forest trails, and the festivals and gardens that say no.
Great Outdoors
Mountain Biking Near Ellijay: Bear Creek, Pinhoti and More
Where to mountain bike near Ellijay: the Bear Creek loop, Pinhoti sections, Windy Gap and Fort Mountain, with distances, seasons and trail tips.
Great Outdoors
Springer Mountain: Hiking to the Start of the Appalachian Trail
Springer Mountain marks the southern end of the Appalachian Trail. The easy 2-mile hike from Forest Service Road 42, directions and road warnings.
Plan Your Visit
Georgia State Parks ParkPass: Costs, Discounts and Where It Works
How Georgia's $10 daily and $70 annual ParkPass work, which North Georgia parks need one, the senior and military discounts, and where the pass is not valid.
Great Outdoors
North Georgia Trout Fishing: Delayed Harvest Streams and Wild Trout Water
Where to fish for trout near Ellijay: Georgia's five Delayed Harvest streams, the Noontootla watershed, the Toccoa tailwater, and the licenses you need.
Great Outdoors
5 Extraordinary Must-Visit Waterfalls in North Georgia
Amicalola, Anna Ruby, DeSoto, Raven Cliff and Minnehaha Falls: trail distances, fees, difficulty and how to fit each one into an Ellijay trip.
Great Outdoors
7 Stunning Hikes You Can Do in North Georgia
Seven North Georgia hikes near Ellijay, from Brasstown Bald's paved summit path to Blood Mountain and Tallulah Gorge, with distances, climbs and fees.
Activities
7 Fun Outdoor Activities Around Ellijay, GA
Waterfalls, mountain biking, river tubing, horseback trails, zip lines, lake fishing and apple picking around Ellijay, with current details and tips.