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Attractions & Points of Interest

Historic Sites:
Chieftain's Trail - A tour of local Native American sites; Call Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce for information. 706-635-7400

Downtown Ellijay - The quaint square is lined with historic buildings, antique, craft, & gift shops, as well as eateries of all kinds. Don't miss the Hyatt Hotel, now the courthouse, the Perry House, the Tabor House, and the Dr. Watkins residence. Ellijay G.A.Website

Ellijay City Cemetery - Best Panoramic views of the city, valley and mountains; South of the square, Ellijay

Fort Mountain - Prehistoric rock formations; Highway 52 West.

Gilmer County Courthouse - National Register of Historic Places, built around 1891 as Hyatt Hotel On the square, Ellijay.

Kell Farm - Built in 1867 by James Kell, the farm is occupied by his descendants. A marker in the cemetery commemorates Kell's Revolutionary War exploits.

Old Cartecay United Methodist Church - est. 1834, oldest Methodist Church in North Georgia. Call to arrange a tour. Highway 52 East & Roy Road. Call:706-276-3703

Places to Visit near Ellijay, Gilmer County Georgia:
Apple Orchard Alley - Eleven of the county's 18 orchards are spread across the picturesque valley along State Highway 52. Other orchards dot Gilmer County's valleys & hillside. Pick up a map at the Gilmer County Chamber Office.

Colonel Poole's Georgia Bar-B-Q, Inc. - A favorite stomping ground for local & national celebrities, the Pig Hill of Fame offers barbecue & a chance to immortalize your name on the fabled hillside. Craig Street, East Ellijay.
Oscar Poole Call:(706) 635-4100
P.O. Box 690, East Ellijay, GA 30539

Ellijay Wildlife Rehabilitation Sanctuary - Call for reservations!
Craig Cylke Call:(706) 276-2980
435 Cougar Lane, Ellijay, GA 30540

Gilmer Golf & Games -
Sally Dorward Call:(706) 698-4653
7286 Highway 515 South, Ellijay, GA 30540 sdorward@ellijay.com - Visit our Website

Grandpa Jones Corn Maze & Pumpkins -
Scott & Jewell Jones, Owners Call:706-273-2306
5959 Boardtown Road, Ellijay, GA 30540 scott-jewell@ellijay.com - Visit our Website!

Hillcrest Orchards - Baby animals.
Janice Smith Call:(706) 273-3838
9696 Highway 52 East, Ellijay, GA 30540

Llamas - Off Highway 52 West. Call 706-276-3658 for reservations.

Pink Pig - Jimmy Carter's favorite barbecue place offers delicious food & unique atmosphere with photos of the famous & not-so-famous interspersed among pig memorabilia. Highway 515 North, Cherry Log.
Bud Holloway Call:(706) 276-3311
P.O. Box 100, Cherry Log, GA 30522

River Park - A picturesque recreation complex on the banks of the Coosawattee River, the park offers picnic areas, tennis courts, and a walking trail. Old Highway 5 South, along the Coosawattee River. South of the Dairy Queen.
 

Carters Lake near Ellijay and Chatsworth Georgia.

Carters Lake was formed from the bed of the Coosawattee River between Ellijay and Carters, Georgia.  3,000+ acre Carters Lake offers recreational opportunities for fishermen, hunters, campers, boatsmen, bikers, and hikers. Long before the creation of Carters Lake, this portion of the Coosawattee was known as one of the best whitewater rapids in the eastern United States.

About the Lake

Since the completion of the original dam in 1977, Carter's Lake has become popular with fishermen, hikers, mountain bikers, and campers. Today the lake, deepest of all lakes in the state of Georgia, boasts good lake fishing, a remote nature and rich cultural and natural history.

The lake is a watershed, designed to help control the annual flooding of the Etowah River Valley. The secondary purpose of the lake is power generation. In the center of the lake, the main channel is a thin strip with long fingers running deep into the mountains making this an excellent place to go canoeing.

Area History

The earliest written description of the area is probably 1731. A Virginian describes the junction of two roads in Cherokee county including the unmistakable descent along the Coosawattee River. In 1735 a second letter about the same road mentions the Cherokee town of Ellijay.

In 1838 the Cherokee were rounded up in the Ellijay area and detained in Fort Hetzel in East Ellijay. From the fort they were marched in groups to an area not far from the present-day dam to head north to the Cherokee Agency in Tennessee. Cherokee from Dahlonega's Fort Embry (or Fort Dahlonega) would follow the same route. From Tennessee they would be forced west on a route known today as The Trail of Tears.

In spite of the excellent power source created by the rapid descent of the Coosawattee, industrial development along the river was almost non-existent because the surrounding land was too rugged. Only occasional farms occupied the area with a saw mill and two grist mills near the river. Keen hikers can spot the remains of the sawmill with the unusual undershot wheel along the Tumbling Waters Trail that begins at the Ridgeway Day Use Area.

The area in the southeast corner of the lake was home to Hoyt Kelly, a moonshiner of note. Hoyt, unlike his more famous brethren in Dawsonville and beyond, did not drive fast cars to deliver his product to market. Instead he would sell the "likker" from a large cauldron to guests who visited from Atlanta.

When approval for Carters Lake dam was attained by the Corps of Engineers the outdoor world mourned the loss of what many enthusiasts considered the best whitewater run east of the Mississippi. Atlanta Writer James Dickey, one such enthusiast, journeyed to the river to make a final run. A friend, who was to pick him up on the Carters end of the lake stumbled across a moonshine operation. After the intruder explained what he was doing in the area, the owner of the still told his son to take the man to the pickup site and if the canoeists didn't show up at the appointed time, kill him. Luckily, Dickey and his friend came into sight within a couple of hours, but the idea for Deliverance was born.

Recreation at Carters Lake

Because of its remote nature, the lake and surrounding land offer more outdoor activities than Allatoona or Lanier. A large wildlife management area gives hunters a spectacular array of medium to large animals. Fishing is also a popular pastime.

Four hiking trails of varying difficulty make the lake a hiking destination. The Oak Ridge Trail follows a high ridge to the lakeside, then returns along a creek. In just over a mile there are four distinct ecosystems. Tumbling Waters (Ridgeway) takes you to one of the few remaining waterfalls in the area (many are beneath the level of the lake}. Here Tails Creek twists and turns down a fifty-foot cascade. The Hidden Pond Songbird Trail is an easy hike that allows you to visit the wetlands of a gentrified beaver pond, and the beaver pond itself, rich in waterfowl. Finally, the Carters Lake Nature Trail takes you through some of the most scenic areas near the Visitors Center, with multiple scenic views of the lake.

Lake Blue Ridge

Lake Blue Ridge is located in Fannin county in North Georgia. The elevation of Lake Blue Ridge is 1,690 ft. above sea level. Lake Blue Ridge covers 3,290 acres. Lake Blue Ridge is fed by the Toccoa River that starts in the heart of the North Georgia mountains. The river flows north to Lake Blue Ridge. Once the water passes through the dam it continues on a northward trek until it reaches the Tennessee state line. At that point the river changes its name to the Ocoee River. This was the site of the white water rafting events for the 1996 Olympics. There are a few boat ramps located around the lake. They are at Morganton Point and Lake Blue Ridge recreation areas.

      Originally the lake was given the name Lake Toccoa by the Toccoa Power and Electric Company. The lake was built by the power company between 1929 and 1932. Later on the lake was sold to the Tennessee Valley Authority and the name was changed to Lake Blue Ridge.

       Lake Blue Ridge is considered one of the most pristine and beautiful lakes to visit in the state of Georgia. This is partly due to the fact that most of the land around the lake is part of the USFS Chattahoochee National Forest. Since most of the land is part of the USFS National Forest this prevents much development from occurring around the lake. Lake Blue Ridge is also surrounded by a number of mountains and hills. One such mountain is Green Mountain with a height of 2,557 ft. The Green Mountain Trail offers hikers many wonderful views of the lake. The Lake Blue Ridge Trail also many Lake Blue Ridge views.

      There are many opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast at Lake Blue Ridge. Hiking, fishing and there are many mountain biking trails around the lake and you explore Lake Blue Ridge in a canoe. It is easy to see why a person could spend an entire day, week, or even longer just at Lake Blue Ridge.

    One of the main attractions of the lake is the good fishing available. Smallmouth bass and walleyes are the most abundant fish, however, bluegills and the muskie can also be found here. It is possible to fish from the banks of the lake at a few places, however most fishermen will use their boats and set out to find a small hidden cove to do their fishing.

Welcome to our North Georgia and North Carolina real estate directory. We have listings of North Georgia and North Carolina homes for sale. We sell North Georgia and Western North Carolina real estate. Call us for homes, log homes, cabins, land, acreage, lots, lake, golf, water front and vacation properties in North Georgia Towns County, Fannin County and Union County. Make us your realtor for Blue Ridge, Young Harris, Hiawassee, Blairsville, Brasstown Valley, Lake Chatuge and Blue Ridge Lake.