Green Text =s Highlands Most Popular Hiking Trails

Sunset Rocks: 1.2 miles (round trip). Trail head: Horse Cove Rd., across from the Highlands Nature Center. Features: A rock outcropping overlooking Highlands and Horse Cove; trees marked and identified as part of the Town of Highlands "Highlands Trees" project.

Satulah Mountain Summit: The trail is a short hike down an old road bed to the summit, which is 4543 ft. Excellent panoramic views. Distance Aprox. 1/2 mile one way.

Whiteside Mountain: 2 miles (round trip). Trail Head: Whiteside Mt. parking area. Features: This moderate loop trail offers spectacular views from a high ridge top, 2,100' above the valley floor. Whiteside Mt. (4900') has the highest sheer cliffs in the Eastern US (400 - 750').
Hiking Whiteside Mountain - Highlands Newspaper Article

Devil's Courthouse: accessed from the Whiteside Mountain Trail.

Horse Cove Poplar Tree: 100 yards  from the Trail Head off Rich Gap Rd. Features: Large yellow tulip popular, the second largest tree in the state and third largest in the East.

Glen Falls: 1.4 miles (one way; 15 min. to first falls). Trail head: Glen Falls parking lot. Trail end: Forest Service Rd. (79C) in Blue Valley. Features: Three cascading waterfalls and a beautiful stream. One of the advantages of this trail is that you can return after seeing the first or second waterfall, and still have an enjoyable walk.

Chinquapin Mountain: 3.2 miles (round trip). Trail head: Glen Falls parking area. Features: Numerous stream crossings and several views from Chinquapin Mt. (4,160') into Blue Valley at vistas along the trail. Access also available off of NC106 approximately 3 miles from Highlands.

Cliffside Lake Recreation Area: There are numerous hiking trails in this area, including an interpretive loop trail describing shrubs and trees along the Cliffside Vista Trail. The half-mile loop around the lake offers hikers an easy walk that is quite level. Cliffside Vista Trail accessed from the road before entering the parking area. Cullasaja River Fishing Map

Skitty Creek Trail To Cliffside Lake Cullasaja River Map

Chattooga Loop Trail: 2 miles (round trip). Trail head: Horse Cove Rd. Features: A pleasant walk through the woods and then along the river, ending with a spectacular view of rock formations from the Bull Pen Rd. Bridge, known as "The Iron Bridge." Google Map Location

Chattooga Trail from Iron Bride Bull Pen Rd. to Whiteside Cove Rd. 6 miles.

Ranger Falls Trail: Accessed from Flat Mtn. Ranger Station off Flat Mtn. Rd. or Cliffside Lake Recreation Area.

Nature Center: Trails with interpretive  arboretum features located across the street from Sunset Rocks in Highlands.

Rabun Bald Area Peak 4,696 - This trail provides a spectacular view of the tri-state area from an observation deck atop Rabun Bald, Georgia's second highest point. The deck is constructed from remnants of an old fire tower built in the 1930s. One of Georgia's rarest birds, the raven, is frequently sighted. The ascent is extremely steep. 2 miles one way. Directions: From Highlands to Scaly Mtn., then just past the post office take a left turn on Hale Ridge Rd. then a right on Bald Mtn. Rd. & look for a US Forestry sign that indicates a left on Kelsey Mtn. Rd. to the Trailhead. 
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The 3 Forks Trail:  Begins at John Teague Gap and ends near the west fork of the Chattooga River. Hikers will encounter steep and rugged terrain. Exercise caution if you attempt to proceed down to the river on an unmaintained extension.

 3 Forks Waterfalls Video

Points of Interest Before The Bartram & Chattooga River Trail On Hwy. 28

Bridal Veil Falls: This fall cascades over US 64/28 3 miles from town. Cars drive under the 120 ft. waterfall. Bridal Vail Falls Video | Cullasaja River Fishing Map

Bust Your Butt Falls: On Hwy.64 / 6 miles from west of Highlands, NC.
Cullasaja River Fishing Map Video

Cullasaja Falls:  On Hwy.64 / 9 miles from town, it is one of the most Picturesque falls in North Carolina. It is a 250 ft cascade. Cullasaja River Fishing Map

Dry Falls On US 64/28, 4 miles from Highlands. A pleasant walk from the highway, the path goes behind the 75 ft. waterfall. Cullasaja River Fishing Map

Lake Sequoyah Falls: Located off US 64/28 west, 2.5 miles northwest of Highlands on the Cullasaja River. The Sequoyah Dam is at the head of the falls. There are 18 small falls within a quarter mile paralleling US 64/28. Cullasaja River Fishing Map

Glen Falls: Located off a dirt road 3 miles south of Highlands on 106S. The turn-off is marked by a U.S.F.S. sign. Glen Falls is composed of a series of 3 large falls dropping approximately 60ft. each on the east fork of Overflow Creek in the Blue Valley area. The one-mile foot trail down to the falls is steep.  Glen Falls Video

Ranger Falls: from Cliffside Lake or Flat. Mtn. Ranger Station.

Iron Bridge Falls: Horse Cove Rd. Left on Bull Pen Rd. The bridge crosses the Chattooga. Bull Pen Rd. continues onto Hwy. 107. - Iron Bridge Fly Fishing

Rock House Falls: 40ft. located in Blue Valley  

High Altitude Trout Fishing Map & Videos Close To Highlands, NC

Van Hook Glade @ Cliffside Lake - 4 Miles West Of Highlands NC
Cullasaja River Fishing Map Video

Ammons Branch Primitive Camping Area
From Highlands take Main Street east; becomes Horse Cove Road, for 4.6 miles to intersection with Bull Pen Rd. Take right onto Bull Pen Road and proceed 1.3 miles. Campground is on right. A pit toilet is available. Open year round. No charge.

Blue Valley Primitive Camping Area
From Highlands take Highway 28 south for 6 miles, turn right onto Blue Valley Road and proceed 3 miles to campground on right. There is no charge. There is no developed water supply in the area. There are picnic tables and one pit toilet. Open year round.

Burrell's Ford Campground
From Cashiers take Highway 107 south for 13 miles to Burrell's Ford Road (FS-708) . Turn right and proceed 21/2 miles to campground on the left. The campground is located close to the Chattooga River and has several campsites with tables and grills. Water and a pit toilet are available. Features fishing on the Chattooga River and access to the Foothills Trail, Chattooga River Trail, King Creek Falls & Spoonauger Falls.

Overflow Road Primitive Camping Area
Take Highway 28 south from Highlands for 12 miles and turn right onto Warwoman Rd. Drive 0.2 miles turn right onto Overflow Road and go 1.0 mile to camping area on the left.

Ralph J. Andrews - Jackson County Park
From Cashiers take Highway 107 north for 6.4 miles to Pine Creek Road (SR 1157) . Turn left onto Pine Creek Rd. and go 1.1 miles to Splendor Cove Road, look for Ralph J. Andrews County Park sign and turn left. RV hook-ups, showers, boat ramp (828) 743-3923.

Ellicott’s Rock Wilderness
Camping is permitted within the wilderness, except within 50 feet of the river, tributary stream, or trail and less than a ¼ mile from a road. No groups over 10 people.

                        Types Of Trout Caught In The Highlands Area & License Info.

Best High Altitude Trout Fishing In The Southeast - Cullasaja River Highlands, NC

                                    Fish Cashiers & Jackson County North Carolina

    Fly Fishing The Chattooga River Iron Bridge Area Between Highlands & Cashiers

                                          Fish The West Fork Of The Chattooga River 

                                          Lake Glenville Fishing & Boat Ramp Access 

                                                   Walhalla SC Fish Hatchery Hwy. 107

The upper section of the Chattooga River is located in Jackson County on the Highlands Ranger District where it flows into Georgia and South Carolina. The Chattooga River flows thru the Ellicott Wilderness area and is classified as a Wild and Scenic River. Anglers enjoy the trout fishing that the Chattooga has to offer. Brown trout are abundant, and rainbow trout are also occasionally caught in the Chattooga River.

Access:  From Franklin follow Hwy 64 East thru the town of Highlands down Bull Pen Road thru the Horse Cove community.  Bear right onto FS Road 1178 (Bull Pen Road).  Follow FS1178 till you get to the iron bridge at the Chattooga River.  

Camping:  There are only Primitive camp sites in the Ellicott Wilderness area along the Chattooga River.  This means that there are no facilities and you should only leave foot prints on the wilderness trails. 

Season:  Fishing in the Chattooga River is open all year around.  The Upper Chattooga in Jackson and Macon counties upstream of the SR 1100 bridge is managed under Wild trout regulations   In all wild trout waters the minimum length limit is 7 inches and the creel limit is 4 trout per day. Only artificial lures with one single hook may be used.  Below the bridge, Wild trout/ natural bait regulations apply (artificial lures or natural baits, except live fish, and using only single hooks; minimum length limit is 7 inches and the creel limit is 4 trout per day.) 

 Neotropical migratory birds account for 340 of the 600 species of birds that breed and nest in North America. These birds migrate each fall to warmer climates in tropical regions of Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. A sure sign of spring is the return of these colorful, transcontinental travelers, which awaken us with their songs.

In comparison, "resident" birds, such as the northern cardinal, hang around all year. Some migrants, like the American robin, travel short distances to spend the cold winter months in warmer areas of the United States.

The annual migration of North America's neotropical migratory birds is a biological wonder. It's hard to imagine that a blackpoll warbler that nests in the Northern States, makes an 86-hour, 2,300-mile nonstop flight across the Atlantic. These tiny birds must double their body weight in the late summer and early fall to build up enough body fat to make the long-distance flight.

With the advent of spring, most neotropical birds return to the place where they were born. The Southern Appalachians are a popular nesting ground for these birds, because the area provides some of the largest blocks of mature forest in the Eastern United States. As part of the Southern Appalachians, North Carolina's national forests offer the perfect habitat for a diversity of neotropical migratory birds.

With large blocks of forest and unique combinations of elevation, topography, climate, soil, and geology, North Carolina's national forests provide a huge sanctuary for many of these birds.

The national forests are managed not only for large tracts of mature hardwood forest, but also for grassy openings, brushy thickets, young forests, and high-elevation spruce-fir forests. These habitats provide homes and food for 160 bird species.