Community spotlight
ELLIJAY Playing in
WIDE OPEN SPACES
E
llijay, which is located in Gilmer County is the idyllic peaceful valley that is surrounded by majestic Blue Ridge Mountains. Every Fall it is “The Pick” for everyone to enjoy being the “Apple Capital” of Georgia, providing more than 600,000 bushels of delicious mountain grown apples each year. What makes Ellijay more unique is the variety of outdoor recreational opportunities that makes it a great place for playing in wide open spaces. One hundred plus miles of single-track mountain biking trails have earned Gilmer County the official designation as Georgia’s “Mountain Biking Capital” No off season here, with maintained year-round trails that are kept by volunteers and biking associations. Trails like Bear Creek or Pinhoti offer six to ten mile rides for intermediate to advanced riders. The beautiful waterways of the Cartecay Rivers as they come together to form the Coosawattee River. Smaller creeks like Turniptown and Mountaintown offer outdoor enthusiasts another scenic backdrop. The Cartecay’s natural progression form flat-water to Class III rapids and many of the waterways have
6 | vACATION GUIDE in the Mountains
plenty of play spots for paddlers, kayaks, canoeing, or tubing. Nearby Carters Lake is one of the deepest reservoir lakes in the North Georgia Mountains, at a depth of 450 ft., surface area of 3,200 acres and 62 miles around the shore. The lake is fed by the Coosawattee River out of Ellijay and is located in both Gilmer and Murray Counties. The sparkling waters offer a variety of outdoor recreational opportunities including camping, hiking, bird watching, boating, mountain biking, fishing, hunting and picnicking. Several campgrounds with many amenities are located around Carters Lake including Doll Mountain, Woodring Branch, and Harris Branch Beach. Hiking and biking trails are located in various areas around the lake. Big Acorn Trail (easy) begins at the Carters Lake Visitor Center that displays incredible views of the lake and information on area wildlife, flora, and fauna. Talking Rock Nature Trail (moderate) is one of the longest at two miles and boasts a variety of trees and ferns on the lake. Oak Ridge Nature Trail (moderate) is located in Woodring Branch Park and splits into two loops that are both about half mile www.mountainlakeguide.com | Fall 2020
