Rabun Bald

Rabun Bald is the tallest mountain in Rabun County and the second-highest peak in Georgia, standing at 4,696 feet. Hikers may enjoy vistas that stretch for more than 100 kilometers from the summit's observation tower. Rabun Bald is said to be home to fire-breathing demons, according to Native American tradition, and several campers have reported hearing weird noises throughout the night.

The first fire tower in the region was built atop Rabun Bald by Nick Nicholson, Georgia's first forest ranger. Until the early 1970s, the United States Forest Service was in charge of the fire tower. A Youth Conservation Corps crew destroyed the fire tower's highest component, a metal-framed container with glass windows that rested above a stone foundation, once it was taken out of operation. The route quickly gains height, reaching Rabun Bald's lower levels through a rhododendron and mountain laurel-filled woodland. At slightly under two miles, the access route meets the Bartram Trail. The hike then bears right, following the yellow-blazed Bartram Trail south to the summit of Rabun Bald. The path steadily climbs elevation, yet the challenge is mild due to a series of abrupt trail switchbacks that gradually gain height.

Location: Rabun County, Georgia, U.S.

Elevation: 1,431 m

Parent range: Blue Ridge Mountains