Ellijay bills itself as the apple capital of Georgia and in October that is exactly what it is: two-lane roads backed up with cars going to the same six orchards. It is also the closest town to one of the largest wilderness areas in the eastern United States, which is the part the apple traffic tends to bury.
So here are the things to do in Ellijay, GA in rough order of how far they get you from the parking lot, starting with the wilderness and ending with the cider.
The Cohutta Wilderness
About 85 miles of trail across the Cohutta and Big Frog wilderness areas northwest of town. No blazes on much of it, no bridges, and river crossings that are the trail rather than an obstacle on it. This is the real backcountry in north Georgia and it is not a casual afternoon.
Jacks River Falls is the destination most people are after, and there is no short way in. The two standard approaches are Beech Bottom, which is around 8.6 miles round trip and the easiest option, and the Jacks River Trail from Dally Gap, which is shorter on the map and involves a long series of river fords. In high water the fords are dangerous rather than inconvenient. Check the forecast for the days before you go, not just the day you go.
The Aska Trail system
North of Ellijay toward Blue Ridge, the Aska trails give you loops from about 2 miles to 6 miles with ridge views over Lake Blue Ridge. This is the middle ground: real hiking with real climbing, but marked, mapped and short enough to do before lunch. If the Cohutta is more commitment than you want, start here.
Fort Mountain State Park
Around 18 miles west of downtown Ellijay, 4,000 acres, with roughly 25 hiking trails and 27 miles of bike trail, plus a lake for swimming and paddling. The mountaintop rock wall it is named for is 855 feet long and nobody knows who built it or why, which has kept the theories going for a century.
This is the best single park near Ellijay if you want variety in one place: a view hike, a lake, and mountain biking without driving between them.
Amicalola Falls
East of Ellijay, and the tallest waterfall in Georgia at 729 feet. The staircase beside the falls is 604 steps and it is a genuine workout. It is also where the Appalachian Trail approach trail starts, running 8.5 miles from the visitor center to Springer Mountain, and in March you will share the parking lot with thru-hikers starting a five-month walk.
Float the Cartecay River
The Cartecay runs right past town and is the local float: mild whitewater, a few named ledges, and outfitters in Ellijay renting rafts, kayaks and tubes. Spring and early summer have the water. By late August it can get scratchy.
Carters Lake
The deepest lake in Georgia, southwest of town, with clear water and a shoreline that is largely undeveloped because the Corps of Engineers owns it. The Tumbling Waters Trail is the short walk to do here, ending at a waterfall and an overlook.
The apple orchards, and how to do them
This is why most people come in fall, and it is worth doing if you go in with a plan. The Apple Orchard Loop is a self-guided drive linking the farm markets along Highway 52 and Highway 282. R&A Orchards is the one people name first for picking and for the kitchen. Reece's does cider, including hard cider.
The practical advice: go on a weekday, or go early. A Saturday in the first half of October puts thousands of cars on two-lane roads that were not built for it, and the fruit is the same on a Tuesday.
When to go
October is peak for a reason: apples, fall color in the Cohuttas, and comfortable hiking temperatures. It is also the busiest and the most expensive. April and May are the underrated window, with high water in the Cartecay, wildflowers, and waterfalls at their strongest. Summer is humid and the rivers drop. Winter is quiet and the bare trees open up ridge views you cannot get the rest of the year.
How many days do you need?
A weekend covers a hike, a float and the orchard loop. Three days lets you do a real day in the Cohutta Wilderness, which eats a whole day by itself once you count the drive on forest roads to the trailhead.
Things to Do in Ellijay, GA FAQs
Apples. Gilmer County calls itself the apple capital of Georgia and the orchards along Highways 52 and 282 draw large crowds through September and October. The Cohutta Wilderness northwest of town is the other reason to come and gets a fraction of the traffic.
Harder than it looks. The easiest approach, Beech Bottom, is around 8.6 miles round trip. The Jacks River Trail from Dally Gap is shorter but involves repeated river fords with no bridges, which become genuinely dangerous after heavy rain. Neither is a casual walk.
Roughly late August through early November, with October the peak for both fruit and crowds. Go on a weekday if you can. Weekend traffic on the orchard loop in October is the main complaint people have about the trip.
Yes. The Cartecay River runs past town with outfitters renting tubes, kayaks and rafts, best in spring and early summer. Fort Mountain State Park has a lake with a swimming beach, and Carters Lake is a short drive southwest.
About an hour and a half north of Atlanta, which is why it fills up on weekends. It is one of the closest genuine mountain towns to the city.
