Hiking the Aska Trails and White Water Rafting or Tubing down the Ocoee River
Start your second day in Blue Ridge, by hiking one of the many Aska Trails. Two of our favorite trails are the Green Mountain Loop and the Fall Branch Falls trails. The Green Mountain Loop is 3.3 miles and consists of several hike options including a loop from Deep Gap, a shuttle hike to Blue Ridge Lake, and a shuttle hike connecting with the Long Branch Loop Trail. This route, however, describes a loop hike from Deep Gap at Aska Road.
Directions: The trailhead is located across from the parking area at Deep Gap on the other side of Aska Road. Start at the trailhead to the right with your back to the parking area. (The trailhead to the left about 50 yards up Aska Road is where you will pop out in about an hour on this loop hike.) The Green Mountain trail gradually ascends on the southeastern side of Green Mountain on a well-marked dirt path through a canopy of hardwoods. At approximately the halfway point, the trail begins a steep ascent onto the ridge of Green Mountain. At the ridge crest, there is a wood sign and a junction with a trail leading 2.5 miles to Forest Road 711. Here you will turn left and hike back towards Deep Gap for roughly a mile. (Going straight at the ridge crest will take you down to Blue Ridge Lake which requires a car shuttle.) To complete the loop, begin a gradual decent down past the summit of Green Mountain and back to Aska Road about 50 yards from where you started.
The Fall Branch Falls Trail is a one mile trail, which is part of the Benton MacKaye Trail and features a lovely waterfall and bubbling stream. From Blue Ridge, you will take old Highway 76 through Blue Ridge, turn right on Aska Road, the first road after the three-way stop sign. Go 8 miles and turn right on Stanley Creek Road. Go 3.1 miles to the "parking lot" on the right just past the bridge over Falls Branch, just past the game warden's house (marked). Our suggestion is to turn your car around before you park here since parking is frequently a problem.
Should you require a map, please visit The Blue Ridge Board and Trail on Main Street in the town of Blue Ridge. Remember to mention Escape to Blue Ridge, then Linda will let you try out some hiking poles and tell you the best places to hike.
After you complete your hike, take a white water rafting trip down the Ocoee River to cool off. White water rafting is one of the most popular summer time mountain adventures in Blue Ridge and the surrounding North Georgia mountains. You can enjoy an exhilarating white water rafting trip as a couple or with a larger group, while providing a challenging and exciting adventure to be remembered.
The most popular white water rafting company with our guests is Ocoee Rafting, which is less than 20 minutes away from Blue Ridge, Georgia. Ocoee Rafting trips are between 1.5 and 2 hours and take you down the Ocoee River through an amazing gorge within the Cherokee National Forest. You'll be able to enjoy 20 continuous rapids and enjoy several spots to play along this scenic river. People of all experience levels will enjoy the Class 3 and Class 4 rapids that are recognized as one of our country's premier rivers (also part of the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics). If you do not have white water rafting experience or desire a more leisure ride, consider packing a cooler and tubing down the river instead.
Other Trails to consider
Stanley Gap Trail (Aska Trail) 5.5 miles. Trail Directions: Go south on Aska Road 8 miles. Turn right on a dirt/gravel road (Toccoa River Outpost on left). Parking area for trail is 4.1 miles on right. Alternate route - travel south on East First Street 1 mile to Hwy. 515, turn left on 515 and go south 5.9 miles to Co. Rd. 152. Turn right on Co. Rd. 152 and then another right going beneath overpass. Follow Rock Creek Road upstream. Pavement ends at 1.8 miles. Continue on dirt/gravel road, parking area is on left 5.1 miles after end of pavement.
Flat Creek Loop (Aska Trail) 5.8 miles. Trail Description: Follow the trail (white & dark green blazes) on the road west from the bulletin board. Within a 100 yards the trail forks. Stay on the road to left. At about 0.4 miles look for dark green blazed side trail into woods on left. This trail goes through woods for about 0.25 miles. Come onto and follow old logging road. Route rejoins a dog trail and gradually descends toward Flat Creek. After 0.5 miles trail joins an old road near the creek. Follow the road downhill to creek, cross and take a right at about 50 yards. Follow road (Do not digress onto dead-end side roads!) about 1 mile to Head of Valley. Head of Valley has open, mature hardwoods in abundance. Cross creek again heading uphill, gradually ascend old road to graveled road. Follow dark green blazed graveled road 2 miles back to parking lot. Directions: Deep Gap - From Forest Service office, travel east 1.5 miles on East First Street (old US 76) to Aska Road (Harmony Church on left). Turn right, go south 4.4 miles to Deep Gap parking area below gap on west side of road
Free Knob Loop (Aska Trail) 2.5 miles. Trail Description: Via Benton MacKaye Trail and Dial Road. This trail combines a woodland trail walk ascending, crossing and descending a small knob with a return road walk alongside the Toccoa River. The ascending portion is just strenuous enough to provide a feeling of healthy outdoor exercise and the river walk provides a nice contrast to the forested setting. The eastern end is through a beautiful mature pine grove on a needle carpeted trail. Directions: From Blue Ridge travel east on E. First St. (top of hill from door of Toccoa Ranger Station) to Aska Road (1.5 miles). South on Aska Road to Shallowford Bridge. Turn left across river and immediate right on dirt-gravel road leading to Dial, GA. At 0.4 miles come to point where trail enters road from forest. Continue east on road to parking area at 1.2 miles.
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