Once our kids, Thing 1 and Thing 2, were home for the summer, they immediately wanted to go to North Georgia for a hike. We headed to Hiawassee, a small town about two hours north of Atlanta.
Located on Lake Chatuge, Hiawassee is home to stunning mountain views. In fact, the highest peak in Georgia is located just ten miles away at Brasstown Bald. Since we had visited Brasstown Bald previously, we bypassed it and headed straight to Hiawassee.
Bell Mountain Park & Historical Site
Bell Mountain was our first stop, offering panoramic views of the North Georgia mountains, Lake Chatuge, and the town below. The one-mile road to the summit is narrow and steep (with inclines up to 20 degrees) so I don’t recommend it if you drive anything larger than an SUV or minivan. Fortunately, we didn’t experience any oncoming traffic so we didn’t have to pull over.
At the first parking lot, we got out and walked up the 300-foot path to the upper parking lot. Although visitors can drive to the upper parking lot, red and white signs warn that it is at the driver’s risk.
Be prepared for lots of graffiti on the rocks. Some people think it’s cool, others despise it. To be honest, we focused on the breathtaking scenery around us at 3,400 feet and didn’t give the graffiti much thought. We climbed the 100 or so stairs to one of the observation decks and ate a picnic lunch while learning about the mountain.
The Cherokee Indians originally inhabited the entire area. The first white settlers arrived sometimes after 1920 and Towns County was formed in 1856. However, in the 1960s, several investors blasted the top off of the mountain to mine minerals. The failed venture prompted local citizen, Hal Herrin to purchase the 18-acre property for preservation. After his death, his estate donated the land to Towns County for public enjoyment in 2016.
While under Herrin’s ownership, high school and college students graffitied the mountain. When Towns County first took over the property, it saw the markings as “a colorful history” and allowed it to continue. However, in 2018, the county reversed course and now prohibits graffiti. Despite warning signs and surveillance cameras, the graffiti continues.
Hamilton Rhododendron Gardens
The other stop on our list was the Rhododendron Festival at Hamilton Gardens. Located at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, the 35-acre property showcases over 400 varieties of rhododendrons, making it the largest rhododendron garden in the Southeast.
Rhododendrons bloom in mid-April so the best time to see all the bright colors is during the 4-week-long Rhododendron Festival. Food trucks, live music, and a wine bar are onsite on weekends during the festival. Art exhibitions and a 5K run are also part of the festivities.
Although entry is free, the gardens suggest a $6 per person donation. After receiving our map, we wandered on zig-zagging paths down to the shores of Lake Chatuge. The trails led us past an arbor, a water-wheel, a waterfall, and tons of rhododendrons bursting forth with pinks, purples, reds, and white colors. Other plants include azaleas and ferns on the woodland trails.
I’ve been to plenty of gardens in the South such as Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Gibbs Gardens in Ball Ground, and Bellingrath Gardens outside Mobile. Yet, I’d only heard about Hamilton Gardens about a year or two ago. Surprisingly, the gardens opened in 1981 from transplanted collections from Fred and Hazel Hamilton.
The Hamiltons were avid gardeners and collectors of azaleas and rhododendrons. Fred, a senior executive with Sears, even developed the Hazel Hamilton yellow azalea species in his greenhouse. As they aged, the Hamiltons couldn’t care for all their specimens and sought a place to transplant them for public enjoyment. When the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which controls Lake Chatuge, donated land at the fairgrounds for a park, the couple found the perfect spot. Crews took over 1,000 plantings from the Hamiltons’ gardens at their residence in Atlanta and their second home in Towns County and transferred them to the new park, renamed Hamilton Gardens.
Through the years, interest and volunteers declined. In 2016, a non-profit board took over managing the gardens and made much-needed improvements to the facilities and grounds. However, in 2021, the non-profit disbanded and management returned to the Georgia Mountain Fair. Only time will tell if GMF will take care of the gardens this time around.
Other Things to Do
If you like lake activities, Hiawassee boasts several marinas and outfitters renting paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, and other boats. We spent the rest of the afternoon boating on Lake Chatuge with friends who own a house near the lake.
The area boasts many hikes due to its proximity to the Appalachian Trail. However, you can also find shorter and less strenuous hikes. Local outfitter, Trailful Outdoor Company offers this list of 30 trails in the area.
Hiawassee is best known for hosting the Georgia Mountain Fair every August. If you’re in the area, this would be a great event to check out – especially as the mountain air offers a respite from the extreme summer heat in other parts of the state.
In Conclusion
For more information, click on the links to the websites for Bell Mountain and Hamilton Rhododendron Gardens.