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Chatsworth GA, Fort Mountain Recs
Posted on 7/13/23 at 5:55 pm
Posted on 7/13/23 at 5:55 pm
Going camping in the fall later this year at Fort Mountain State Park in Chatsworth for about a week.
Any must see things to do and/or places to go?
Will have 2 young kids for the most part, but will likely be able to leave them with their grandparents for an evening or 2.
Golf course?
Rafting or kayaking?
Hiking spots?
Restaurants?
Thanks in advance
Any must see things to do and/or places to go?
Will have 2 young kids for the most part, but will likely be able to leave them with their grandparents for an evening or 2.
Golf course?
Rafting or kayaking?
Hiking spots?
Restaurants?
Thanks in advance
2
Posted on 7/13/23 at 6:15 pm to Doug_H
We camped at Ft. Mountain State Park once. One of the great State Parks in Georgia! About a 90-minute drive from Atlanta.
Nice campground. Plenty of camping spots for tents and they have cabin rentals. Nice lake for swimming in season. You could rent a canoe and paddle boards. When we were there they had a miniature golf course. Great hiking trails and views. The overlook is breathtaking and worth the short hike. It is open year round. Check their website out for the latest.
NOW...
You are in the middle of NOWHERE! You'd be about an hour from Amicalola Falls, a great State Park with a lodge and the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi. Dahlonega would be about 1 1/4 hours and it has some nice restaurants, shops etc.
Maybe you target a day trip, early lunch before you'd drive back? Certainly worth it.
Chatsworth is maybe 20 minutes the other way. Don't recall anything there special other than a few chain restaurants and your typical Southern Mexican places. Here's a Yelp.
Nice campground. Plenty of camping spots for tents and they have cabin rentals. Nice lake for swimming in season. You could rent a canoe and paddle boards. When we were there they had a miniature golf course. Great hiking trails and views. The overlook is breathtaking and worth the short hike. It is open year round. Check their website out for the latest.
NOW...
You are in the middle of NOWHERE! You'd be about an hour from Amicalola Falls, a great State Park with a lodge and the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi. Dahlonega would be about 1 1/4 hours and it has some nice restaurants, shops etc.
Maybe you target a day trip, early lunch before you'd drive back? Certainly worth it.
Chatsworth is maybe 20 minutes the other way. Don't recall anything there special other than a few chain restaurants and your typical Southern Mexican places. Here's a Yelp.
Posted on 7/14/23 at 6:34 am to Nole Man
Thanks for the info Nole 
Posted on 7/15/23 at 10:10 am to Doug_H
Great state park but it is remote. Great mountain biking there. You aren’t too far from Elijay and Blue Ridge. Those are great day trips. I like Blue Ridge better (1 hr drive). Dahlonega is great but I don’t think it’s that much better than Blue Ridge to warrant the drive. Gibbs Gardens((1hr 15 min) is not far and a great day out if you like gardens. They have a great Japanese garden that is beautiful in fall. Atlanta Motorsports park in Dawsonville (1 hr 15 min) if your kids are old enough for high speed karting.
I’m just north across the TN/GA line so 2 of my regular places are just north of Chatsworth (north on Hwy 411). Pontoon rentals at Lake Ocoee Inn and Marina on Parksville Lake about 30 minutes north of Chatsworth. It’s sometime labeled Parksville Lake or Ocoee Lake No. 1 on maps. Awesome low traffic mountain lake. During the week you’ll have it to yourself. If there, don’t miss the lake view overlooks on Chilhowee Mountain - follow the road from the Ranger Station on Hwy 64 east from the marina. Also consider going to the Conasauga River Snorkeling Hole in the national forest. Go north on 411 and there are a couple routes east. Drive about 45 minutes on gravel and there is a Forest Service picnic area there. Take snorkel gear and have a blast. One of my kids favorite things. Usually warm enough into October. You can find the Conasauga River Snorkeling Hole on Google Maps. You won’t have cell service there so print your map. It’s really not hard to find but it seems to take forever on gravel. Have a great time.
I’m just north across the TN/GA line so 2 of my regular places are just north of Chatsworth (north on Hwy 411). Pontoon rentals at Lake Ocoee Inn and Marina on Parksville Lake about 30 minutes north of Chatsworth. It’s sometime labeled Parksville Lake or Ocoee Lake No. 1 on maps. Awesome low traffic mountain lake. During the week you’ll have it to yourself. If there, don’t miss the lake view overlooks on Chilhowee Mountain - follow the road from the Ranger Station on Hwy 64 east from the marina. Also consider going to the Conasauga River Snorkeling Hole in the national forest. Go north on 411 and there are a couple routes east. Drive about 45 minutes on gravel and there is a Forest Service picnic area there. Take snorkel gear and have a blast. One of my kids favorite things. Usually warm enough into October. You can find the Conasauga River Snorkeling Hole on Google Maps. You won’t have cell service there so print your map. It’s really not hard to find but it seems to take forever on gravel. Have a great time.
Posted on 7/15/23 at 7:25 pm to Uroblast
Nice! I’m inspired. We go to Blue Ridge occasionally. Where would recommend looking for places to stay??
Posted on 7/15/23 at 7:59 pm to Nole Man
I’m close enough that I’ve never really researched lodging there. However, there are lots of Air bnb cabins. McCaysville, Ga (just north of Blue Ridge) has also gotten pretty popular. Could look for a place between the 2 towns. If you are willing to go a little farther into TN, check out cabin rentals at Lake Ocoee Inn and Marina. They are not “luxurious” but it’s hard to find a better lake for peace and quiet. Can rent pontoons there as well. You are fairly close to Blue Ridge and all the white water rafting on the Ocoee River (white water course for the 95 ATL Olympics). I hate to promote it too much. It’s my private lake! I’m not going to say that it is as beautiful as some of the other mountain lakes like Burton, Chatuge, or lake James in NC but it’s my home lake and I haven’t gotten tired of it in over 20 yrs!
Posted on 7/18/23 at 6:29 am to Uroblast
Thanks Urbo!
I'll definitely do some digging into these recs.
We're going Thanksgiving week though so it'll probably be too cold for the snorkeling.
I'll definitely do some digging into these recs.
We're going Thanksgiving week though so it'll probably be too cold for the snorkeling.
Posted on 7/18/23 at 8:33 am to Uroblast
Great stuff!
Question: We might be able to go between no and the first week of September, i.e. maybe even the Labor Day Weekend.
To visit the Hole, is it likely to be crowded during the weekends? Try to go on a non-Saturday/Sunday? Same for pontoon rentals.
Thoughts??
Question: We might be able to go between no and the first week of September, i.e. maybe even the Labor Day Weekend.
To visit the Hole, is it likely to be crowded during the weekends? Try to go on a non-Saturday/Sunday? Same for pontoon rentals.
Thoughts??
Posted on 7/18/23 at 10:41 am to Nole Man
Usually not too crowded at snorkel hole when school starts back but still can be a few folks there on the weekends and Labor Day. There’s a camp ground just down the road at the confluence of Jacks River and Conasauga River so there may be some holiday weekend folks there. But it’s not like the snorkel hole will be over run. It’s just too far back in the woods. If you go in the week you will probably have it to yourself. It can be a little creepy there alone and there a bears in that area. I’ve never had an issue though with people or bears. I do take bear spray though. Pontoon rentals at Lake Ocoee Marina also get light after school starts but more on weekends. If you call the marina ask for Stephanie. She runs the show and can answer your questions. Not sure how much in advance you’d need to rent if on a weekend in Sept. my guess is that there would be capacity. Labor Day would likely be more at risk of being out of pontoons. PM me if you do it. I might be out there and would happily share a lake beer with a fellow poster.
Posted on 9/3/23 at 6:22 pm to Nole Man
Bump - Nole, Did you make to snorkel hole? Great weather and water conditions for it. Likely heading to Parksville tomorrow
Posted on 9/4/23 at 9:17 am to Uroblast
Hey. No we actually just spent a week up in Michigan. Still want to, but not sure of the schedule this month. Give us a report back when you go!
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