Try these three great day hikes along the 120-mile Bartram Trail
Russell Bridge, which spans the Chattooga River at the Georgia-South Carolina border, is as unassuming as it is remarkable.
It marks the start of a 120-mile journey across the wilds of Georgia and up into the North Carolina mountains. The bridge is the southern terminus of the Bartram Trail, a continuous ribbon following the journey of eighteenth-century botanist William Bartram.
Bartram, one of the first botanists born in the New World, explored from the Carolinas all the way down to Florida between 1773 and 1777. Along the way, he chronicled flora and fauna—including plants such as the oak leaf hydrangea—which had never been documented before.
Two centuries later, the Bartram Trail was designated, built around an amalgam of existing trails that followed Bartram’s approximate route through Georgia and North Carolina. Wanderers today can follow this route’s yellow blazes to beautiful waterfalls and lookouts through the Southeast’s signature dense deciduous forest. To see what Bartram saw, check out the following day hikes.
Bartram Trail day hikes
Pinnacle Knob
8.2 miles round-trip; 1,700 feet of elevation gain
Start: Warwoman Dell Picnic Area on Warwoman Rd., Clayton, Georgia
From Warwoman Dell, follow the trail 0.3 miles north to Becky Branch Falls, a gorgeous 40-foot cascade. Continue on to see and splash around in Martin Creek Falls, roughly 1.5 miles in, which boasts a viewing deck for those who wish to stay dry. If you’ve had your fill, it’s time to turn back, because this is where the real effort begins; in the two miles to Pinnacle Knob (via the Bartram and then Pinnacle Knob Summit spur trails), you’ll climb more than 1,000 feet. With great effort comes great reward: the knob’s rocky outcropping offers layers of expansive views, including of the southern end of the Smoky Mountains in the distance.
Scaly Mountain
3.8 miles round-trip; 1,100 feet of elevation gain
Start: 4594 Dillard Rd., Highlands, NC
Beginning at Osage Overlook—a charming lookout in its own right—this hike is steep at times. Around 0.8 miles in, take the short spur trail to appreciate a waterfall before continuing uphill for another mile to Scaly’s 4,804-foot summit. There, you’ll find three breathtaking spots looking out over Tessentee Valley to the north and Blue Valley to the south. This is an enchanted forest hike with a big payoff.
Jones Knob and Whiterock Mountain
4.7 miles round-trip, 944 feet of elevation gain
Start: 2266 State Rd. 1678, Highlands, NC
Starting at Jones Gap, follow the Bartram Trail to a short blue-blazed spur leading to the rock face on Jones Knob. You’ll know when you’re there—the breathtaking views will stop you in your tracks. The rock face, speckled with small shrubs and wildflowers in spring and summer, is worth exploring in its own right. Follow the spur trail back to the Bartram and continue north to another beautiful exposure: just below Whiterock’s 4,508-foot summit, expansive views stretch from the Tessentee Valley below across the towering and seemingly endless Nantahala Mountains.
Downtown Franklin, NC
Sure, this isn’t the wilderness, but the Bartram Trail goes right through downtown Franklin. There’s even a trail map in town and a yellow blaze—the same kind that marks trees along the entire trail—on the fence outside Lazy Hiker Brewing Co. After grabbing a burger and a beer at the brewery, visit Outdoor 76 to stock up on gear and (as long as you’re parked nearby) check out the three-floor vintage mecca Bryant’s Antique Mall.
