Things to do / Travel Guide
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Explore Georgia's only two National Forests! With more than ten wilderness areas, six beaches, and thousands of acres of lakes and streams combined, Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest has the green, the space and the solitude for the perfect Southern outdoor adventure!
Covering almost 1 million acres combined, Chattahoochee and Oconee National Forests range in terrain from tall peaks to small hills and boast lakes, rivers, and wildlife. The Chat, home to Georgia's highest mountain, contains over 430 miles of trails that wander through mountains, wind along rolling hills, and traverse wild rivers.
With its numerous waterfalls, the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest attracts countless visitors to the base of the Appalachian Trail. The gently rolling Piedmont section of central Georgia is great for spring catches of red-breast sunfish, crappie and trout in over 1,300 miles of streams, as well as camping, and hiking, and Sinclair Lake is great for swimming, boating and canoeing. The forest is also a draw for history buffs, who can trace events such as the Trail of Tears and many Civil War battles.
The Chattooga Wild and Scenic River is popular for guided rafting trips, and the Chattahoochee and Toccoa Rivers, for canoes and kayaks. The Chattahoochee National Forest lies around the towns of Chatsworth, Lafayette, Blairsville, Dahlonega, Blue Ridge, Clarkesville, and Clayton, Georgia, with District offices in these towns, and the Oconee National Forest is split into two sections, with US Highway 129 running between the two. The Chattahoochee and the Oconee National Forests are both headquartered in Gainesville.