Hiking the Appalachian Trail at Indian Grave Gap

Review of the 5.5 mile Georgia section of the Appalachian Trail rises which rises sharply to the reward of awesome views from the summit of Rocky Mountain.

This moderately difficult, 5.5 mile hike presents a challenge from the very start – the trailhead begins a steep ascent to the top of Rocky Mountain with a vertical rise of nearly 1,000 feet in the first mile of trail. The reward, though, is beautiful views from atop the mountain, as well as a fantastic loop hike through Indian Grave Gap on the back side of the mountain. This is by far one of our favorite hikes along the Appalachian Trail in Georgia.

The hike starts from the trailhead with a climb up stairs from the parking area, climbing through rocky forest.  Follow a mountain stream as the trail switches back and forth as you ascend. Continue the climb as you pass the junction of the blue-blazed Rocky Mountain Trail (your return hiking route after passing through Indian Grave Gap later in this hike).  The Appalachian Trail is blazed white through its entire stretch from Georgia to Maine, with side trails (such as the Rocky Mountain Trail) blazed in blue.

The Appalachian Trail begins to level as you approach Rocky Mountain’s peak – and the forest begins to thin to reveal large outcrops of rock.

Views here – and as the trail extends down from the crest of the mountain – are beautiful and make for the perfect place to stop for a water break after the steep climb up.  Several campsites are visible from the trail – available to those who don’t mind packing their camping gear up the steep climb.

Oak predominates the forest as the trail descends and enters an area thickly vegetated with fern – a pretty contrast to the rocky face of the mountain in your ascent on the Western face.

Pass through Indian Grave Gap, so named for a stack rock pile to designate the grave of a Cherokee Indian buried off the trail, to meet the gravel Forest Service Road 283 at just over 2.5 miles from the trailhead.  Turn left on FR 283 and hike down the forest service road, following the blue blazes of Rocky Mountain Trail.  Blackberries grow alongside the road as it descends down, crossing several small streams along the way. As the road curves to the left, look for Rocky Mountain Trail to depart the road on the left hand side, marked by a double blue blaze at 3.3 miles from our trailhead.  The trail passes through rocky forest of tulip poplar and maple as it circles the mountain before beginning the ascent on the East side of the mountain to rejoin the Appalachian Trail.  You’ll pass a few sets of natural trail markers – as you likely saw at the trail where it departed FR 283 – of small stacks of rocks.

Small streams bisect the trail as it travels through the forest before crossing a stream during your climb.  The Rocky Mountain Trail intersects the Appalachian Trail at around 4.5 miles from the trailhead.

Turn right at the intersection of the Appalachian Trail to return to the trailhead, enjoying the decent downward. You’ll probably notice – as we did – more details of this beautiful, rocky section of forest on the decent than you did on the way up – as gravity is doing most of the work on your way down.

Getting there: take GA 75 North from Helen 9 miles to Unicoi Gap, passing one of our favorite camping spots in the Chattahoochee National Forest – the primitive sites along Forest Road 44 before the Upper Chattahoochee Campground – just before Unicoi Gap.  GPS Coordinates: 34.800927,-83.742955

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