Fabled “Hot-lanta” can’t hold a candle to the Mountaintown Roadless Area in the Chattahoochee National Forest when it comes to the beauty of your surroundings.

Mountaintown Roadless Area
The 12,000 acre Mountaintown Roadless Area itself is best suited for those who are seeking a more relaxing pace. Popular with hikers, fishermen, birdwatchers, campers, and plant enthusiasts, the five-mile-long Mountaintown Creek Trail winds its way through some of the state’s best untouched wilderness. Also in the area is the Benton MacKaye Trail which connects Alabama’s Pinhoti Trail to the Appalachian Trail along the high ridge in the eastern portion of the Mountaintown area. There is something to be said for hiking past a cascading waterfall only to watch it calm itself into a smooth pool dimpled by the native brook trout that inhabit these waters. If it sounds idyllic, that is because it truly is a perfect wilderness unspoiled by the hand of development.

Chattahoochee National Forest
Mountaintown Roadless Area is just a small part of the larger Chattahoochee National Forest. It is a 750,000 acre natural playground for those who want to take advantage of all this unique landscape has to offer. The terrain ranges from stands of old growth hickory to dramatically steep stream-cut gorges to the rare mountain bog on Keener Creek. Naturally, this means there are plenty of recreational options for every visitor to the Chattahoochee forest.

Recreational Opportunities in the Chattahoochee
Visitors are free to camp, picnic, hike, fish, hunt, shoot, horse-back ride, white-water raft, canoe, and use off-highway recreational vehicles. In fact, in 2004 the top five recreational uses of the forest were relaxing, hiking/walking, fishing, developed camping, and other non-motorized activities. The Chattahoochee forest’s rivers and streams provide a gorgeous backdrop for hikers and walkers, not to mention some of the best fishing in the entire state. It is obvious why many people choose to spend their time in these woods just drifting through nature.

If high and dry is more your style, then the 800 miles of trails should suffice. These back-country trails can be used for hiking, biking, horse-back riding, and off-highway vehicles. Visitors also have the opportunity to check out the highest peak in Georgia --Brasstown Bald, which stands at 4,800 feet.

Hunting and shooting activities are also allowed in the Chattahoochee National Forest. There is an abundance of wildlife, including white-tail deer, wild turkey, and black bear that inhabit the hills and remote pockets of the forest. Even the pastime of recreational shooting is popular in the area. Enthusiasts should know that there are 4 shooting ranges located within the forest for just such a use.

The Chattahoochee National Forest, including its pristine Mountaintown Roadless Area, is located just a short two-hour drive north from downtown Atlanta. Whether you venture out to find rare and threatened plant species, or raft through the frothing chutes of the Chattooga River, the Mountaintown Roadless Area and the Chattahoochee National Forest can help everyone put the worries of city life beyond the furthest ridge.

For More Information

• For more information about the Chattahoochee National Forest and the Mountaintown Roadless Area, call the Forest Supervisor’s Office at 770-297-3000 or the National Forest Information Office at 706-864-6173 or visit http://www.fs.fed.us/conf/welcome.htm