The field guide

All trails

Trails in and around the Cohutta Wilderness, with distance, elevation gain, river crossings, and bicycle status. More trails are being added as they are verified on the ground.

WatershedDifficultyTrail typeBikes allowedMax listed distance — 20 miSort by

45 trails

Lake Conasauga from the shore, with still water reflecting the forested ridge and a wooden bench facing the lake on a calm day

Lake Conasauga Loop

A flat mile around the highest lake in Georgia, at the top of the range.

1.2 mi loop | 42 ft | Easy

Conasauga River watershed

Hickey Gap Trail

An unofficial out and back to four waterfalls on Mill Creek, from Hickey Gap Campground.

1.4 mi round trip | 287 ft | Moderate

Holly Creek watershed

Songbird Trail

An easy loop near Lake Conasauga built for birding, with a beaver pond.

1.7 mi loop | 164 ft | Easy

Conasauga River watershed

Moss covered trunk of a large hardwood with flared buttress roots on the forest floor of the Conasauga drainage

Chestnut Lead Trail

A short two mile point to point on an old logging grade down to the Conasauga.

2 mi one way | 974 ft | Moderate

Conasauga River watershed

A foggy forest trail climbing through ferns and misty hardwoods on Fork Ridge

Fork Ridge Trail

A short connector on the Benton MacKaye Trail, known locally for its fall color.

2 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Moderate

Big Frog watershed

A green forest view through the trees toward a hazy blue ridgeline above Holly Creek Preserve

Tibbs Trail

A short multi-use trail through Holly Creek Preserve, reached via the Windy Gap OHV system.

2.2 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Moderate

Holly Creek watershed

Backpacker with a green pack cover wading a knee deep crossing of the Conasauga River at Bray Field, with the trail climbing into green forest on the far bank

Sugar Cove Trail

A short, currently closed connector between Rough Ridge Trail and the Jacks River, through a sugar maple cove.

2.2 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Moderate to Strenuous

Jacks River watershed

Winter view of the Cohutta ridges through pine and bare hardwood branches under a clear blue sky

Yellow Stand Lead Trail

A connector trail, useful as a return route variant.

2.3 mi one way | 1,000 ft | Easy to Moderate

Big Frog watershed

Layered ridge line of the Cohutta Wilderness. A photo specific to this trail is coming soon.

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West Fork Trail

A short connector continuing the Benton MacKaye Trail near the Ocoee River.

2.4 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Easy

Big Frog watershed

Wolf Ridge Trail

The shortest and steepest way up Big Frog Mountain, gaining about 1,300 feet in under three miles.

2.7 mi one way | 1,300 ft | Strenuous

Big Frog watershed

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Rough Creek Trail

A rough, overgrown connector between Big Frog Trail and Licklog Ridge, not maintained to the same standard as the rest.

3 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Easy to Moderate

Big Frog watershed

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Pinhoti Section 31 Buddy Cove Gap to Benton MacKaye Trail

Three miles to the point where the Pinhoti ends at the Benton MacKaye.

3.1 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Easy to Moderate

Mountaintown and Bear Creek watershed

Orange and gold autumn oaks framing a long view over blue folded ridges from the Panther Creek country

Panther Creek Trail

A short, steep drop to Panther Creek Falls, from the ridge down to the river.

3.4 mi one way | 1,850 ft | Strenuous

Conasauga River watershed

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Hickory Ridge Trail

A three and a half mile ridge descent from East Cowpen to the Jacks River, just upstream of the falls.

3.5 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Moderate to Strenuous

Jacks River watershed

Penitentiary Branch Trail

A short connector down to the Jacks River, from Hemp Top Trail.

3.6 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Moderate

Jacks River watershed

Big Creek Trail

A hemlock lined creek valley climbing to Chimney Top, the trail here that feels most like the Cohutta side.

4.2 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Moderate

Big Frog watershed

Aerial view of the Grassy Mountain fire tower rising above a dense green forest canopy, with ridgelines stretching to the horizon under a blue sky

Grassy Mountain Fire Tower Trail

A short climb from Lake Conasauga to a standing fire tower and the best long view in the range.

4.3 mi round trip | 757 ft | Easy to Moderate

Conasauga River watershed

A dirt trail climbing through a foggy forest of pines and green undergrowth on the way up Grassy Mountain

Windy Gap Trail

A multi-use trail for hikers, mountain bikers, and dirt bikes, climbing two thousand feet to the top of Grassy Mountain.

5 mi one way | 2,000 ft | Strenuous

Holly Creek watershed

Grassy Gap Trail

A narrow traverse across the midslope of Big Frog Mountain, over rock formations and water filled crevices.

5 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Moderate

Big Frog watershed

Grassy old road bed climbing through bare winter hardwoods and pines toward Big Frog Mountain

Hemp Top Trail – TN

The Tennessee half of Hemp Top, about five miles from the state line toward the Big Frog summit.

5 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Moderate

Big Frog watershed

Hikers walking single file up a fog filled tunnel of twisted rhododendron branches on Big Frog Mountain

Big Frog Trail

The cornerstone trail of the wilderness, climbing through a tunnel of trees to the summit of Big Frog Mountain.

5.5 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Strenuous

Big Frog watershed

The Conasauga River running shallow and rocky through a forested gorge, seen from the bank through green riverside plants.

Conasauga River Trail #61

Under six miles with almost no elevation change, the easiest river walking here.

5.7 mi round trip | 164 ft | Easy

Conasauga River watershed

A narrow footpath winding through a lush green forest of ferns and hardwoods

Licklog Ridge Trail

The longest and most demanding trail in the wilderness, with Ocoee River and North Carolina views near the summit.

5.9 mi one way | 2,284 ft | Strenuous

Big Frog watershed

View from above the Jacks River's horseshoe bend, with the river running through a forested gorge and Cowpen Mountain rising in the distance

Horseshoe Bend Trail

A climb over Ken Mountain to an unmarked overlook of the Jacks River's horseshoe bend, then down to the Jacks River Trail.

6 mi round trip | 1,099 ft | Moderate

Jacks River watershed

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Benton MacKaye Trail – Big Frog

The Benton MacKaye Trail's route across Big Frog Wilderness, sharing tread with several of the wilderness's other trails.

6.2 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Strenuous

Big Frog watershed

Backpacker in a red pack pushing through dense green overgrowth on a faint summer trail

Tearbritches Trail

A short, punishing drop from the ridge to the Conasauga River.

6.5 mi round trip | 2,526 ft | Strenuous

Conasauga River watershed

Shadow Falls sliding down a broad dark rock slab into a wide green pool, framed by rhododendron and new spring leaves

Benton Mackaye Trail 10B Dally Gap To Big Frog Mountain

Under seven miles and thirty six hundred feet of gain to the top of Big Frog.

6.8 mi one way | 3,661 ft | Strenuous

Jacks River watershed

Rice Camp Trail

Seven miles round trip with modest gain, on the quiet north end of the wilderness.

7 mi round trip | 900 ft | Moderate

Jacks River watershed

Two backpackers with trekking poles and a landing net standing on open bedrock above the Jacks River gorge on a clear day

Jacks River Trail - Beech Bottom to Alaculsey Valley

The downstream half of the Jacks River, twenty-two crossings through the lower gorge.

8.3 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Strenuous

Jacks River watershed

Jacks River Falls pouring over dark rock ledges into a wide shallow pool below steep green gorge walls

Jacks River Trail – Dally Gap to Beech Bottom

The upper half of the Jacks River corridor, twenty crossings and the falls.

8.5 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Strenuous

Jacks River watershed

A hiker standing at the base of the massive Gennett Poplar, dwarfed by its trunk, in open spring hardwood forest

Bear Creek Trail

A loop to the Gennett Poplar, open to bikes, and the busiest trail on this list.

8.5 mi loop | 1,122 ft | Moderate

Mountaintown and Bear Creek watershed

A view from Cohutta Overlook over layered blue-green ridges under drifting clouds, with a stacked stone wall in the foreground

Pinhoti Section 29 Cohutta Overlook to Forest Service Road 90

Nine and a half miles from Cohutta Overlook over Turkey Mountain to Holly Creek Gap.

9.6 mi one way | 1,262 ft | Moderate

Holly Creek watershed

Backpacker with a foam pad strapped to his pack walking a narrow dirt trail through waist high ferns in summer forest

Hickory Creek Trail

Nearly ten miles one way through quiet west side timber to the river, in two sections.

9.7 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Strenuous

Conasauga River watershed

Angler in chest waders casting a fly line across the Jacks River in late fall, with bare trees and rhododendron on the far bank

Beech Bottom Trail

The standard way in to Jacks River Falls, on an old grade with one crossing at the end.

10 mi round trip | 990 ft | Moderate

Jacks River watershed

A narrow leaf-strewn trail climbing through a spring hardwood forest of tall oaks and blooming green canopy under a blue sky

Hemp Top Trail – GA

The north end climb from Dally Gap to the Tennessee line, just over ten miles round trip.

10.6 mi round trip | 2,893 ft | Strenuous

Jacks River watershed

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Sumac Creek Trail

Nearly eleven miles through the northwest corner, one of the least traveled routes here.

10.8 mi loop | Elevation gain not recorded | Strenuous

Conasauga River watershed

A worn dirt trail winding through mountain laurel and rhododendron under bare hardwoods and blue sky

Pinhoti Section 30 FS Road 90 to Buddy Cove Gap

Eleven miles from Forest Service Road 90 east to Buddy Cove Gap.

11 mi one way | Elevation gain not recorded | Moderate

Mountaintown and Bear Creek watershed

Hiker with a pack stepping along the edge of a clear, sun lit crossing on Mountaintown Creek, with yellow fall leaves overhead and cobbles visible through the water

Mountaintown Creek Trail

A long creek walk on the east side with wild trout and about twenty crossings.

11.4 mi round trip | 1,505 ft | Moderate to Strenuous

Mountaintown and Bear Creek watershed

View over a green forest canopy toward distant blue ridges, framed by pine branches under a bright sky

Iron Mountain Trail

An eleven and a half mile loop along the Georgia-Tennessee line, built for mountain biking and rarely crowded.

11.7 mi loop | 1,908 ft | Moderate to Strenuous

Jacks River watershed

Small cascade dropping through dense rhododendron and moss covered logs beside the wet, rocky tread near Betty Gap

Conasauga River Trail (Betty Gap)

Thirty eight crossings of the Conasauga, the wettest walk in north Georgia.

13.1 mi one way | 1,640 ft | Strenuous

Conasauga River watershed

An autumn view across the Cohutta ridges from East Cowpen, seen through pine and bare branches under an overcast sky

East Cowpen Trail

The central roadbed running the divide, and the junction for half the trails in the range.

13.2 mi round trip | 3,100 ft | Strenuous

Jacks River watershed

A multi-tiered waterfall on Emery Creek spilling over moss-covered rock shelves into a wide still pool, with a fallen log across the lower drop and dark green forest around it

Emery Creek Trail

Fourteen crossings up Emery Creek to a pair of falls on the Holly Creek side.

13.5 mi round trip | 3,192 ft | Strenuous

Holly Creek watershed

Rough Ridge Trail

Fourteen miles and three thousand feet along the ridge above the Jacks River.

14.4 mi round trip | 3,175 ft | Strenuous

Jacks River watershed

Green summer ridges of the Cohutta range rising above a foreground of sumac and hardwood from the Cohutta Overlook in Murray County

Pinhoti Section 28 Ramhurst to Cohutta Overlook

Eighteen miles from the valley floor at Ramhurst up to the Cohutta Overlook.

18.2 mi one way | 3,215 ft | Strenuous

Holly Creek watershed

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Benton Mackaye Trail 10A Bushyhead Mountain To Dally Gap

Nearly twenty miles across the divide from Bushyhead to Dally Gap.

19.7 mi one way | 3,688 ft | Strenuous

Jacks River watershed