Glassy Mountain

The Chattahoochee National Forest is one of two National Forests in the State of Georgia, and it takes its name from the Chattahoochee River whose headwaters begin in the North Georgia mountains. The River and the area were given the name by the English settlers who heard it from the Indians that once lived here.  The Chattahoochee National Forest was created when the Forest Service purchased 31,000 acres in Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin and Union Counties from the Gennett family in 1911 for $7.00 per acre. In the beginning, the Chattahoochee was part of the Nantahala and Cherokee National Forests in North Carolina and Tennessee, but eventually the Forest Service made additional land purchases and expanded the Chattahoochee to its current size of nearly 750,000 acres.

Glassy Mountain in Georgia is a lesser-known peak located in Rabun County, near the town of Clayton. It’s part of the Chattahoochee National Forest and offers beautiful views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains.  This hike to Glassy Mountain is on the forest road and is not actually on a trail. It is a steep ~500′ climb to the fire tower which is open to the public and has outstanding 360 views. Lake Burton can be seen in the distance to the west/southwest.  There is a working cell tower, large field, and helicopter landing pad here (and even a horseshoe pit), but no camping is permitted on the summit. Please follow the posted rules so this great view remains open to the public.