Hello,
Recently had the luck to visit
Dukes Creek falls near Helen, GA.

The falls trail was very easy to walk
and had great views.
we stayed in a hotel in Helen.

Was wondering about Fort Mountain state
park.

Are there any easy trails with good falls
views here?

Also, how are the roads leading to this
park? Is it too steep? Or is it
like Richard Russell?

And are there any good hotel type accomodations
near it?

I looked up chatsworth GA and didn't
seem to be too many hotels there...

Thanks

There's a lodge right on the top of Fort Mountain with a great view across mountains and valleys. But my favorite place is the Overlook Inn, a wonderful B&B on the mountain. Their mailing address is Chatsworth, but they are definitely up on the mountain, not in Chatsworth. Each room has its own jacuzzi and is nicely furnished. And the inn serves a really great gourmet breakfast overlooking the mountains. I think they have a website, but I don't know what it is. Try www.overlookinn.com. There's also another nice hotel near Overlook Inn on the mountain, but again my memory fails me.

There's lots of good hiking in the area also, so you will have plenty of opportunity for outdoor activities.

I think the name is Cohutta Lodge.

Found the website for the Overlook Inn on Fort Mountain. It's www.theoverlookinn.com. The previous web address I suggested takes you to an inn on Cape Cod. If you look at the website, you'll get a real good idea of what the place is like. Good luck.

Thanks, starrsville, you are right. The big lodge on top of Fort Mountain is Cohutta Lodge, and it has good rooms and a nice restaurant. The restaurant is visited by lots of folks in the area who aren't staying at the hotel, and the food is usually very good.

corsica, there's a new Best Western in Chatsworth..built for a couple of years now. Can't say what it's like since I live near Chatsworth and don't have the need for a hotel.

We live at the foot of the Cohutta Wildlife Management Area and Cherokee National Forest and that's a really pretty sight with a couple of trails..not long, not strenuous, but beautiful..and some good fishing. And at the top of the mountain is a great lake called Lake Conasauga. No fishing there right now, but beautiful.

If you do go up to Fort Mountain and want to come down to Chatsworth for a meat and 3, go to Edna's and have her fried chicken and peanut butter pie. If you have a hankering for Mexican fare, find Los Amigos..it's our favorite. We usually have Pollo Ranchero, but last night someone had chicken nachos and the other had their steak fajitas.

I haven't had a meal at Cohutta Lodge in years, but they have recently remodeled the restaurant and the rooms.

You might even attend a wedding. A few years ago we had company and took them up on the mountain and as we got there in our shorts we were right in the midst of a wedding! We stood on the deck and watched. Just as they were about to say the "I do's" 3 people on horses came riding up the back of the mountain! Not planned and not part of the wedding!

Ellijay is a nearby town and really a neat place with great little antique and gift shops and some good food.

Have fun!

Thanks for the many replies!

I guess my real question is:
how steep is the drive to Ft
Mountain?

I'd probably take GA-52 to 411.

I have been to amicalola and dukes
creek. The roads were curvy but
not steep.

Can I expect similar roads?

The other question is: The big rock
trail - is that similar to dukes creek
and easily walked?

Thanks much!!

As you might expect, the roads up either side of Fort Mountain are twisty but they are not real steep and they don't give you a feeling of danger at every corner. To orient you a bit more, Ellijay is at one side of Fort Mountain and Chatsworth is on the other side. All the places I've walked around the mountain are pretty easy, no steep or challenging parts. I'm sorry but I can't compare to Dukes Creek -- never been there. Good luck.