When Steve and I took up hiking a few years ago, we started on Northwest Georgia hiking trails. The 17-county region has so many beautiful destinations it was hard for us to choose where to go.
Georgia’s Historic High Country has made it easy to chose a trail in this region with the Northwest Georgia 17 Hikes Challenge. The trails will take you through all of the counties in the region and give you a chance to explore more of the cities and towns. The challenge officially ends on Dec. 31 so you have plenty of time to get them all in before then. We may extend our challenge until 2024. Signing up at this link gets you a cool T-shirt. https://raceroster.com/events/2023/63714/17-hikes?aff=AFEN5
We have explored some of these trails and will be revisiting them over the next few months. Some of the trails are easy and some are more challenging. Here’s a look at the ones we have visited so far.
Resaca Battlefield Historic Site Trail
We heard about the 17Hikes Challenge last year. We started in early January at Resaca Battlefield even though I had not officially signed up for the challenge. We have been to Resaca Battlefield several times before and enjoyed the views and the historical markers along the way.
You will find about five miles of trails here and most of if it is easy. Our tip: Drive to the pavilion for more information about where to go.
The park is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Make sure you check the hours before you go.
Fort Mountain State Park: CCC Stone Tower Trail
This park is beautiful in any season but I recommend visiting in autumn. Here’s why:
The recommended hike is the Stone Tower Loop. Steve and I thought we were headed there during our visit last October. Thirty minutes and several rocky paths later, we realized we were on the wrong trail.
I wasn’t very happy but Steve was having a blast guiding me on through the rocks and roots.
We will be revisiting this one again, probably in October.
Marble Mine Trail at James H. Sloppy Floyd State Park
The Marble Mine Trail at the James H. Sloppy Floyd State Park is one of the first trails I conquered when we took up hiking. I didn’t dress much like a hiker back then.
The trail is rather easy in some places but there are some tricky spots. But the end is worth it.
We visit Sloppy Floyd often and we will do this one again. When you go, rent a paddleboat for a beautiful view of the lake.
Pine Mountain Trail East
Located just outside of Cartersville, the Pine Mountain Trail is known for its spectacular views. We visited the trail in the winter of 2022 on a whim. Even on a cold Saturday afternoon, the parking lot was almost full. Before you get on this Northwest Georgia hiking trail, you will find plenty of information at the entrance.
It is a challenging trail. Neither of us felt like we were prepared for a tough hike that day so we turned around after about a half mile. Someone was kind enough to take a picture of us on the trail that day. We want to try it again so we can see those views.
Pickett’s Mill Battlefield State Historic Site Trails
We visited Pickett’s Mill in January 2020 as a way to kick off the new year. Before we hiked, we attended a program on the battle that took place there during the Civil War. Steve and I learned some things that day.
Rain was threatening so we didn’t hike the entire trail. We look forward to returning here and seeing more of the park.
The other Northwest Georgia hiking trails in the challenge
Here’s a list the other trails and their counties. You can learn more about these here.
- Bremen Tanner Health Walk: Haralson County
- Burnt Mountain Preserve: Pickens County
- Cloudland Canyon Waterfalls Trail: Dade County
- George W. Disney Trail: Whitfield County
- Jackson Hill Trail System – Lee’s Loop: Floyd County
- John’s Mountain Trail: Walker County
- McIntosh Reserve Park Trails: Carroll County
- Noonday Creek Trail: Cherokee County
- Ringgold Nature Trail – Chief Richard Taylor Nature Trail: Catoosa County
- Silver Comet Trail at Cedartown Depot: Polk County
- Swinging Bridge Trail: Fannin County
- Tumbling Waters Trail: Gilmer County
Steve and I are novice hikers and some of them may be a bit challenging for us. But we are going to try all of them. We hope to see you on the trails!
