Trail Log

Chatahoochee National Forest - Talullah District

This National Forest trail is well-maintained and wide enough in most places for two people to pass comfortably. There were a couple of deadfalls across the trail that had been recently cleared. The trail is a constant uphill walk, except for a couple of short level spots. Water can be found at two places along the trail. One is a campsite with two fire rings at 1.5 miles. The other is a level clearing with multiple campsites. This area has a side trail that leads to a stream, although I didn't walk it to confirm that the stream wasn't intermittent. There are almost no switchbacks. The ground is rocky loam and the trail is easy to follow. At the top of the mountain, there is a lookout tower which used to be a Forest Service fire watchtower until it burned down. Spectacular views of the Little Tennessee valley (Franklin, NC; Dillard, Mountain City, Rabun and Clayton, GA), Sky Valley, GA; Apple Valley and Warwoman Dell; Westminster and Walhalla, SC; Scaly Mountain and Highlands, NC. The summit has four well-established campsites with fire rings. Mountain ash and wild blueberries are surrounded by maples and rhododendrons. Rabun Bald Trail meets the Bartram Trail here, which stretches north and southwest from the summit.

This trail is difficult to find in the fall and winter, and even harder to find in spring and summer. It's very overgrown and leaf litter covers the trail in colder months. The trail is marked by red blazes, but they are faded and far apart. Alex Mountain has a double peak. The first has an open trail shelter with a fire ring and some benches. It's been damaged by wind, but there's still enough to keep the rain off. The second peak is more rocky and houses a Georgia Power microwave transmitter. There is a gravel road leading from this tower down to Sky Valley. Views are of Rabun Bald, Sky Valley and the Dillard area. There are no water sources along the trail.