22 | ACTIVITIES DIRECTIONSGA.COM
Best spring Hikes
Check out some of our favorite trails and waterfalls
Spring hiking is a special treat.
The wildflowers are starting to
pop up, the waterfalls are flowing
with a winter’s worth of rain and the
summit views are simply stunning.
Before heading out, heed your
inner Boy Scout and BE PREPARED.
Take plenty of water and snacks in a
daypack, and be aware that the days
can still be cool — especially as you
gain elevation. Also, stop by one of
the Fannin County Visitors Centers
(blueridgemountains.com) for
maps and directions.
Go
Hike!
Ocoee Whitewater
Center — For an easy
walk, the Whitewater Center
has a 1-mile path that crosses a
330-foot suspension bridge. You’ll
also find 30 more miles of trails for
hikers and mountain bikers here, just
over the line into Tennessee.
Aska Trails — These hiking and
biking trails are accessible yearround
and consist of several different
routes of varying length and
difficulty. It’s a popular spot thanks
to easy access about 4.4 miles down
Aska Road in Blue Ridge.
Fall Branch Falls — Take
the 15-minute hike to the double
waterfall and you’ll be rewarded with
beautiful pines, mountain laurel and
rhododendron growing along the
trail and creek bank. Access the trail
from Stanley Creek Road, about 8
miles out Aska Road.
Swinging Bridge —
The Benton MacKaye Trail
crosses the Toccoa River
here via a scenic 260-foot
suspension bridge. Access FS
816 off Hwy. 60 and drive 3 miles on
a rough gravel road to the parking area.
Long Creek Falls — At the
southeast end of the county, this trail
begins as a gradual hike alongside
beautiful Long Creek. You’ll make
three short ascents before reaching
the blue-blazed side trail that leads
to the falls.
Springer Mountain — The
famous Appalachian Trail begins
here and travels 2,190 miles north to
Maine. The Benton MacKaye Trail
also starts here, but separates from
the AT near the Long Creek Falls
trail. From the parking lot, it’s a short
.9 mile hike to the summit.
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