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1 COHUTTA WILDERNESS: East Cowpen, Hickory Ridge, and Rough Ridge Loop

Distance 15.6 miles, loop

Hiking Time 16 hours

Difficulty Strenuous

Elevation +3,480'/–3,475'

Trail Use Backpacking and horseback riding

Best Times Year-round

Agency Chattahoochee National Forest, Conasauga Ranger District

Recommended Map National Geographic Trails Illustrated Springer and Cohutta Mountains Chattahoochee National Forest

HIGHLIGHTS The East Cowpen, Hickory Ridge, and Rough Ridge trails form a loop that passes through the heart of the Cohutta Wilderness. Because this is a long trek with some steep climbs, it works best as an overnight trip for experienced backpackers. The best part is that it travels through two distinct types of terrain found in the Cohutta. The trip begins in hardwoods on high ridges that form the western wall of a deep gorge that drops 1,500 feet to Rough Creek. If you’re backpacking, your first day will likely end with a descent to the banks of Jacks River, which rushes through heath forest of hemlocks and rhododendrons. There is room on the riverbank for camping, and on clear nights you can gaze at a starry sky undisturbed by city lights. On the second day, you climb high again to Rough Ridge, where you can look across the gorge and get a real sense of its depth and breadth.

DIRECTIONS From Atlanta, travel north on I-75 to I-575. Take I-575 north to GA 5/515 and take that highway to East Ellijay. Turn left onto US 76/GA 2 and continue on GA 2 to Ellijay. From the Ellijay town square, go west on GA 52 for 9.5 miles to Forest Service Road 18 and a sign for LAKE CONASAUGA RECREATION AREA. Turn right and go 1.3 miles to where the pavement ends and there is a fork. Bear left at the fork and cross the bridge. Go 2.2 miles and take a sharp right onto Forest Service Road 68. Go 2.5 miles to the three-way junction with Forest Service Road 64. Turn right onto FSR 64 and go 4.4 miles to the Three Forks parking area.

FACILITIES/TRAILHEAD There are no facilities at trailheads within the Cohutta Wilderness. Camping is allowed anywhere in the wilderness, and primitives campsites (usually with nothing more than a fire ring) are right along the trail. Be sure to carry plenty of water because the hiking can be strenuous, and treat all water that you get from streams. Bears and other critters roam the wilderness, so plan to hang your food at night. As an added precaution, give your itinerary to a friend or ranger, especially if you hike solo.

The hike begins at the northwest end of the Three Forks parking lot (Waypoint 1). From here take the East Cowpen Trail, and ascend gradually through mature hardwoods. At 0.4 mile you’ll reach the intersection with the Rough Ridge Trail (Waypoint 2). Continue straight (northwest) to cross over Cohutta Mountain. The trail climbs higher than 4,000 feet of elevation before descending gradually with hemlocks to your right and seasonal views of distant mountain folds to the left.

At 2.2 miles, on a ridgetop, the Panther Creek Trail intersects on the left, and to the right a large campsite sits among large oaks and hemlocks. Continue straight to the northwest to continue on the flat path as it crosses the spine of the ridge. Now, to your left and right, hazy blue bands of faraway mountains stretch across the horizon.

Circle around Buckeye Mountain, and, at 3.2 miles, the East Cowpen and Hickory Ridge trails intersect at a lofty open space (Waypoint 3). Continue northeast to join the Hickory Ridge Trail (the East Cowpen turns sharply to the southwest) and ascend to a campsite at 3.4 miles. If you’re looking for good ridgetop camping in winter, this spot has nice views to each side of this high ground. Just a bit farther, a lone American holly tree (one of the few you’ll see on this trail) stands nearly 15 feet high.

Camping along Jacks River

At 4 miles the forest puts on a dramatic show as the leafy path drops, while a high forested peak fills the sky to the northeast. The trail rolls along, generally descending as the forest grows thick with mountain laurel, and finally dropping to a stream. Continue to the river (Waypoint 4), and cross to find clearings wide enough to accommodate tents. For those who fish, the Jacks River—often waist-deep in normal flows—holds brown, rainbow, and brook trout.

To complete the loop, travel east on the southwest bank of the river, and at 7.6 miles cross the river. (A trekking pole allows for better balance while crossing.) Turn right and go east for a mile, and then cross the river again, continuing to the east. The forest here is humbling, with massive hemlocks rising 100 feet and measuring 10 to 12 feet around. At 8.3 miles, cross Rough Creek and go straight (east) at the next trail junction to take the Rough Ridge Trail (Waypoint 5). Cross the creek yet again, and at 8.7 miles look carefully for a sharp turn to the east where you ascend through rhododendrons.

As you climb, a peak looms large to the north. The path levels momentarily, and you may want to catch your breath before making a hard push up the ridge. Near the 10-mile point, Hickory Ridge comes into view, and suddenly you glimpse the impressive depth of the gorge, though its bottom remains hidden from view (Waypoint 6). The next 3 to 4 miles are a roller-coaster ride on hills and saddles of hardwoods and pines, reaching elevations above 3,600 feet, while small campsites dot the area. At 15.2 miles, turn left onto the East Cowpen Trail to return to the trailhead.

WAYPOINTS

1. N34º 48.958' W84º 40.522'

2. N34º 53.117' W84º 34.244'

3. N34º 55.977' W84º 34.961'

4. N34º 58.196' W84º 34.104'

5. N34º 57.772' W84º 33.375'

6. N34º 57.025' W84º 33.902'