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Getting Started
About Fannin County, GA
"Trout Capital of Georgia"
Ü Enlarge
 Designated by
the Georgia State Legislature in 2010 as Trout Capital
of
Georgia, Fannin County lies in the Appalachian Mountains,
90 miles north of Atlanta, bordering on North Carolina and
Tennessee.
Extending
from within the county seat of Blue
Ridge to the county border north, south, east and west, more than 100 miles of trout streams and rivers wind
through Fannin County across 100,000 acres of the
Chattahoochee National Forest. Blue Ridge is a quaint
mountain gateway town with art galleries, downtown shopping,
delectable restaurants, a scenic railroad, and get-away
cabins nestled on mountain ridges, in peaceful valleys
and on scenic waters.
The headquarters for the Trout Adventure
Trail in Fannin County is
the
Ü
Fannin County
Chamber
of Commerce in Blue Ridge.
About Gilmer
County, GA
"Georgia's Apple Capital"
Ü Enlarge
 Gilmer
County is Georgia’s Apple Capital and
contains abundant
National Forest lands,
including Springer Mountain, the southernmost terminus of
the Appalachian Trail in the Chattahoochee National Forest.
Gilmer County is located along Highway 515/GA Highway 5, about
75 miles north of Atlanta. At more
than 430 square miles
big, the heavily wooded landscape stretches across the
southernmost reach of north Georgia’s Blue Ridge
Mountains.
Ellijay,
the capital and largest town in Gilmer County is an
“Appalachian Trail Town” and is located about 40 minutes east of the Trout Adventure
Trail. The official
headquarters for the Trout Adventure Trail in Ellijay is
Ü
North Georgia
Mountain Outfitters.
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Directions and Parking
Where to start and how to get to the Trout Adventure Trail
Parking
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Hikes on the Trout Adventure Trail
can start either of two trailhead sites:
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The upper (higher
elevation) starting point is the
Springer
Mountain
Parking Area on Forest Service Road 42. Parking
at this site is limited, but on most days parking
room is ample, except on weekends during the fall
when leaf colors are at their finest. Limited
parking is also available along the Forest Service
Road near the parking area. A US Forest Service
billboard is on site with information about the
Trout Adventure Trail and other useful information
for visitors. There are no restroom facilities at
this trailhead.
-
The lower starting point is at
Three Forks on Forest Service Road 58. Three Forks is the location
where the Appalachian and Benton MacKaye trails
cross FS 58, also known as Noontootla Road. There is
no designated parking area but off-road pullouts and
parallel parking along FS 58 where the road widens
sufficiently usually provides plenty of room for
parking safely. There are no restroom facilities at
this trailhead.
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Springer Mountain Parking Area
and
Three Forks
are connected by Forest Service
Roads,
so it is possible to drop off
hikers at one parking area
and pick them up at another by shuttling cars between
locations.
Drive time
between trailheads is about 10 minutes one way.
ÜClick for Shuttle routes
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Finding Three Forks
Three Forks is roughly in the center of a
square connecting Dahlonega. Ellijay, Blue Ridge and
Blairsville. It is
the location where the Appalachian Trail crosses Forest Service
Road 58, also known as Noontootla Road, off Doublehead
Gap Rd in Blue Ridge (Fannin County).
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From Blue Ridge:
1. Start at ASKA RD where it intersects with
OLD HWY 76 (next to ACE Hardware).
2. Drive 13.5 miles on ASKA ROAD miles until it ends at
NEWPORT ROAD.
3. Turn RIGHT on NEWPORT ROAD and
drive 4.5 miles until it ends at DOUBLEHEAD GAP ROAD.
4. Turn LEFT on
DOUBLEHEAD GAP ROAD and proceed .8 mis across bridge(becomes gravel road) and past
church.
5. TURN RIGHT on FS 58 (gravel road) also called NOONTOOTLA
ROAD.
6. Proceed 5.3 miles on
FS 58 past farm, past curve and gradual climb to Three Forks.
7. Three Forks has
limited off road parking and is recognizable by Appalachian
Trail signs and a bridge across Noontootla Creek (downhill to
the right off FS road).
If you crest the mountain without
seeing the intersection with the trail, you have gone too far.
Click the links below to
find Three Forks from other cities:
Ü
From Ellijay
Ü
From
Blairsville
Ü
From
Dahlonega
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Three Forks
Click for interactive map (Google
Maps)
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Finding Springer Mountain Parking Area
Springer Mountain Parking Area
is located on Springer Mountain
where the Appalachian Trail intersects with FS 42. This
is a limited sized parking area, but on most days there is
sufficient room for parking, except on weekends during the fall
when leaf colors are at their finest. Limited parking is also
available along the Forest Service Road near the parking area.
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From Blue Ridge:
1. From the start of ASKA ROAD where it
intersects with OLD HWY 76 (next to ACE Hardware):
2. Drive 13.5 miles on ASKA ROAD until it ends at
NEWPORT ROAD.
3. Turn RIGHT on NEWPORT ROAD and drive 3.8
miles to DOUBLEHEAD GAP ROAD.
4. Turn right on DOUBLEHEAD GAP ROAD
and drive 1.75 miles to the intersection with FS
42 on left.
4. Turn left on FS 42 and proceed 5.8 miles to
the Springer Mountain Parking Area on the left.
Click the links below to
find Springer Mountain Parking Area from other cities:
Ü
From Ellijay
Ü
From
Blairsville
Ü
From
Dahlonega
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Springer
Mountain Parking Area
Click for
interactive map (Google Maps)
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Shuttle Route
From/To Three Forks and Springer Mountain Parking Area
Springer Mountain Parking Area
to Three Forks: Take FS 42 heading
generally east 2.7 miles to its intersections with FS 77 and FS
58 at Winding Stair Gap. Take the immediate left on FS 58
heading northwest (downhill) to Three Forks, a distance of about
2.7 miles.
Three Forks
to Springer Mountain Parking Area:
Take FS 58 heading uphill generally southeast 2.7 miles to the
intersection of FS 42 at Winding Stair Gap. Take an immediate
right on FS 42 headed west (downhill) to Three Forks, a distance
of about 2.7 miles.
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