Sunset Rock
F.D. Roosevelt State Park
2970 Ga. Highway 190
Pine Mountain, GA 31822
(706) 663-4858
The Pine Mountain Trail is a 23-mile footpath, which crosses and follows the Pine Mountain Ridge in west central Georgia. The trail is inside Franklin Delano Roosevelt State Park, close to Calloway Gardens, and popular with people from all over the State. Much of the land once belonged to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose farm was located near the present site of WJSP-TV. Today, volunteers from the Pine Mountain Trail Association maintain the path which includes many points of interest and very few steep inclines. The trail was first developed in 1975 and now is used by over 50,000 hikers and backpackers each year.
Backcountry permits are required for all campsites and no more than fifteen people are allowed to use them at any given time. Sunset Rock is situated along a south-facing ridge between the Bethel Creek and Whiskey Still campsites and has winter views to the southwest. Campers often enjoy the view at dusk from a small outcropping near the trail. Dowdell Knob has more sweeping views, but Sunset Rock also looks to the west and has significantly more solitude and an overnight backcountry site (Whiskey Still) only a short distance away.
- click to see trail photos from this hike along the Pine Mountain Trail: January 18, 2003
- click for a detailed trip report from a backpacking trip to Sunset Rock: January 18, 2003 (password required)
- click for a trip report from this hike hike to Sunset Rock (password required)
- click for a map of the Pine Mountain Trail with campsites and water sources (password required)
- click for a trail map of this hike to Sunset Rock at FDR State Park
- click for a topographical map of this section of the Pine Mountain Trail (password required)
- click for a topo and profile map of a loop hike to the Whiskey Still Campsite and Sunset Rock
- click for a trail map of the Pine Mountain Trail from mile 11 to mile 18 (password required)
- click for another hike to the Whiskey Still Campsite in December 2011
- click for hikes to the nearby Bethel Creek and Dowdell Knob in this section of the park
- click to access the guidebook Best Hikes With Dogs Georgia And South Carolina which has details on this destination
- click for other Georgia hiking and backpacking books