Georgia Day Hikes: Yonah Mountain

It stands like a lone sentinel towering over the Sautee-Nacoochee Valley between Cleveland and Helen is one of North Georgia’s most iconic peaks, Yonah Mountain. While not the tallest (3,166 feet) it is visible from most major spots in North Georgia. The mountains name, Yonah, is the Cherokee word for bear. To some the mountain is known as Mount Yonah and to some old-timers it is called Yonah Bald.

The main face of Yonah.

I have now hiked the mountain twice with the latest time being Thursday of last week. Before we get musing about my day hikes here let’s get a little background on this special mountain.

The mountain has a rich history it is said that two star-crossed Native American lovers, one a prominent Chickasaw named Sautee and the daughter of a Cherokee Chief, Nacoochee. It is said the lovers fled to “Bear Mountain” but to keep peace between the tribes they returned. Wahoo, the Cherokee Chief and father to Nacoochee, is said to have had Sautee thrown from the cliffs of Yonah Mountain. Because she couldn’t live without her love she threw herself from the cliffs. Overcome with remorse Wahoo names the valley Sautee-Nacoochee in their honor.

In the shadow of Yonah, the Sautee-Nacoochee Indian Mound.

The other history is more recent, the mountain has served as a training ground for the U.S. Army Rangers. From what I have read Ranger School has been a part of the mountain since at least 1960. The second phase of Ranger School takes place at Camp Merrill near Dahlonega and the climbing part of the training takes place on the mountain. While the general public hiked and camped on the mountain one had to come up via Yonah Mountain Road, but that was closed to only residents and the military sometime in the early 2000’s.

U.S. Army Rangers...

...on the mountain in August 2013.

Finally in 2007 a hiking trail with a parking area was finished off Chambers Road. The gravel road is 0.4 miles and was rougher in 2013 than my most recent visit. As you pull up to parking area you get a good look at the towering mountain that waits. I must say that the parking area is nice. It is large; I would describe the parking as ample. There is a vault toilet and information board with a map (not a very good one) of the trail up the mountain. There is two starting points depending on where you park the right entrance connects with the left one.

The trailhead sign in summer...

...& winter.

The short drive on the gravel road offers a view of the mountain.

At the parking area is a vault toilet.

The map at the trailhead information board.

Start of the trail on the right...

...& left.

At the start of the trail you will notice a sign that talks about a fine of $500. When I first hiked here in August of 2013 the sign just read that cutting trail is wrong, now it says that if you don’t stay on the path it can cost you…money.

The sign in August 2013...

...had changed by 2015.

The first part of this green blazed trail is not too bad. About 1/3 of a mile in you will come to a footbridge and small cascade that looks like a miniature Raven Cliffs Falls. As the trail continues up there are some rocky spots here that back in 2013 the Army Rangers were training on how to transport wounded soldiers down a rock face. It was just past here that I found what looked like a campsite. In 2013 in looked used but on my recent visit it looks to have grown over, oh well.

A happy green blaze.

The trail in summer...

...in winter the mountain is now visible.

Footbridge in February..

...& August.

Looks like a mini Raven Cliffs Falls.

The lush green of summer...

...the stark beauty of winter.

Camp spot that wasn't there in 2015.

Speaking of grown over I always find it amazing at how much different the trail is from summer to winter. It is not just the foliage or lack of, but the air is different. In winter it is crisp and clear while summer has the muggy heavy feel; it makes for a different hike. Anyway, at just under a mile the trail brings you to the first set of two stone steps as the trail switchbacks up the mountain. It is past the second that trail becomes rocky. Now from the start there are rocks and boulders along the trail, but it is at the mile mark that you will have to climb over rocks to stay on the trail.

Steps through lush greenery.

The second steps in 2013...

...& 2015.

Hike Georgia coming up these steps.

I love the contrast between summer...

...& winter.

In winter you don't have to worry about snakes...

...unlike this spot in summer.

Rocks mean North Georgia.

Doctor Who?

Finally, at 1.2 miles you come to a clearing that is used as a landing area at times, but from the two fire rings it looks like it sees a lot more camping (remember when camping on Yonah there is not a lot of water sources). It is here that you get the first vista spot. The best view is from the rock of the valley toward Cleveland. Now it is here that you have a choice of four paths. While the two left ones will lead up the mountain the center-left one is the main one and has the green blazed.

Coming up to the lower landing area...

...& the short trail...

...to (it is different in winter)...

...this rock...

...& vista with long views in winter...

...lush green one in summer.

Still got some hiking to do.

The rock marks the way (& the green blaze).

When I put this hike up on Hike Georgia I listed it as moderate-to-strenuous. The first part up to the lower landing area is moderate; the next part is where you hit the strenuous section. I call this section of the trail "the trench." It is a steep, washed out, wide trail, which is also rocky. There is no doubt that this 0.3 miles is the toughest of the hike. On my first trip here when I was headed back a line of soldiers pasted me and there was this poor guy who must have had to carry the punishment pack as it was twice the size of his comrades. Let's just say he was struggling.

Our group headed up what I call "the trench."

It steep& rocky, but in winter it is not hot...

...like summer.

The trail finally crests onto Yonah Mountain Road where you go right and come to the Army Ranger Main Staging area.  When I first hiked here this area was full of trucks, tents and soldiers. It is here that I will mention the sign where you can call Camp Merrill and ask if there will be any conflicts (which I think is more about climbing than hiking) on any of the hiking trails.

The vault toilet at...

...the main staging area for...

...the U.S. Army Rangers.

There are days when the army is here...

...& not.

When I went 18 months ago I didn’t know about the number. But, if you go, without calling, and find the Army on the mountain like I did just be smart, give them space and don’t get in there way and you will be fine.

Once again you will find yourself faced with a junction, the trail to the left and middle head up the mountain the left trail (or should I say road bed) swings around and heads up the hill while the middle trail connects back with it. The middle trail is narrower and steeper, but quicker. I forgot to mention there is a wooden sign here pointing the way.

The two trail left lead...

...up the mountain.

I guess this is the point where we talk about how we reach what this hike is about, the vista from the main rock face. The map at the trailhead gives no directions because the Main Face is not part of the "official" trail. So, as you come up the mountain you will reach a wood sign that says X-Wall and Main Face…do not go this way unless you are climbing! I by mistake took my Hike Georgia group this way on that Thursday last week. While there is a small vista, it is not the one you want. Also, don’t take the next path a couple of yards up from this one. While you can reach the main rock face on this trail, it is a hard climb (yes, this is the way I took my hiking group). No, you will keep left and head around a bend on the road bed past a rock face and water hole where you will find what looks like a small ATV road to the right. When I was here in 2013 there wasn’t a little road, but just a path.

Don't take this trail...

...at this sign...

...but there is a view if you do.

Trail goes up...

...past these cool patterns cut into the rock.

This was the path I took out to the main face...

...but now after passing this water...

...there is this wide ATV path up to the main face.

I know some may ask “if you were here before why did you have such a hard time finding the Main Face. Well, in 2013 I really wasn’t sure on how to find the Main Face. So I just continued up the wide path to the summit of the mountain. It was here I learned that there was no view at the summit; it is just a wide bald surrounded by trees. I take it this is the main landing zone for helicopters on the mountain.

The summit of Yonah Mountain, where they land helicopters.

This guy was on the summit

They land these on the summit.

When I was there in the summer of 2013 there was one of those training dummies just sitting near the summit. There were also fire rings and the remains of the base of the old fire tower that once loomed over the mountain. There was some strange emblem on one of the tower pillars. I thought it might be something involved in a ritual, but now it might have something to do with geocaching.

One of the pillars of the old fire tower on the summit...

...I still don't know what this is for?

Anyway, I did find an outcrop that is not the main one. This one gives a great view of Pink Mountain, Yonah’s smaller companion peak, and views toward Sautee-Nacoochee. Now on the summer day I was there the vista from here was hazy to say the least.

View from the other outcrop.

Here is the beardless Wood Booger...

...& good old Pete.

Pink Mountain.

I know I still haven’t answered why it was so hard to find the Main Face again. Well, I came to it coming down the mountain and cheated by following some soldiers, because I thought they might know where to go and they did. But for all the trouble I have had to reach the Main Face, let me tell you, it is worth it. The vista from here is one of the best in Georgia. On my first visit in 2013, while hazy, it was still great, but on my recent visit I will say it was breathtaking. When I first came here it was partly cloudy, with a little rain and temperatures in the 80’s, but last week it was brisk (in the high 30’s) and not a cloud in the sky.

The vista from the Main Face in summer...

...& winter (it was much better)!

Most of the more famous mountains where on display both days like Black, Big Cedar, Blood and Tray Mountains could be spotted both days, but this past week not only was Georgia’s Highest Peak, Brasstown Bald clearly visible, but you could even see Mount Oglethorpe, Sawnee, Stone and Kennesaw Mountains. Oh, and Atlanta could be spotted 73 miles on the horizon. On my second trip I also knew more places to look for, like Helen and I could even spot the Sautee-Nacoochee Indian Mound.

Stone Mountain (63 miles)...

...Sawnee Mountain (38 miles)...

...Atlanta (73 miles)...

...Kennesaw Mountain (69 miles)...

...Mt. Oglethorpe (37 miles) & Three Sister (14 miles)...

...Black Mountain (17 miles) & Big Cedar Mountain (16 miles).

The view of the vista in 2013 was about 15 miles as that is how far...

...Blood Mountain is from Yonah.

Great view in February of Cowrock Mountain (10 miles) & Wildcat Mountain (9 miles)...

...not so much so in August.

In August 2013 Brasstown Bald, at 17 miles, wasn't visible...

...but it was clear on my visit in 2015.

The observation deck on Brasstown Bald.

Rocky Mountain (11 miles)...

...Tray Mountain (11 miles).

Helen, GA (5 miles) & Sautee Nacoochee Indian Mound (3 miles).

The winter view of the parking area.

At the Main Face.

One more look.

This goes to show that there is no season better for scenic vistas than a cold, clear winter day.

While the view was nowhere near as good in 2013 I did get to see the Army Rangers climbing the mountain that day. I will say that was cool and entertaining. Since no one was climbing when I was there last week I got to see where the people who challenge the mountain come up. It probable is a good thing that no one was climbing because there was plenty of ice on the rock face.

Army Rangers climbing the mountain in August 2013.

With the Army not on the mountain I could get a good look...

...at where they come up.

I thought I would give it a go.

Ice on the main face.

Icicles on the mountain.

I need to add here while this rock face is well worth a visit; you need to be careful here. There are no railings, it is just you and the mountain and it is a long way down and people have fallen to there deaths here. I have heard that you can loop around the mountain to the summit from here. I didn’t do it on either day, but maybe the future.

If you remember earlier I mentioned at the Main Army Staging Area that there was a third path to the right, the wooden sign points the way to an area called the Boulder. This trail is about a half-mile out to what the sign says a giant Boulder, it is pretty cool. It is also a spot for climbers, because there were Army Rangers climbing here.

The sign point to...

...the trail to...

...the Boulder.

Climbing ropes on the Boulder.

This next part is to tell you what not to do. After I passed the staging area I started down the mountain and somehow I missed the turn to head back down the trail and I instead headed down Yonah Mountain Road. Maybe I was just admiring the scenery or had lost my Wood Booger mind but I finally, truly realized I had went the wrong way when I reached a sign saying the end of the National Forest and there was a house. Let me clarify I did start to think maybe I was going the wrong way, but I don’t know why I didn’t stop and turn around. Well, I went about half-mile down and now I had to hike that same half-mile back…uphill. Why is it that when you make a wrong turn you always have to go back uphill. Also, I ran out of water and it was hot (I did find a little stream and filter enough water to get me back to the top).

Here is where I should have turned...

...but I didn't...

...it was about here I started to wonder if I had taken a wrong turn...

...here is where I knew it.

There was a great view here...

...Blood Mountain in the distance.

Anyway, I retraced my steps and made it back where I need. So, remember after passing the main staging area just in a few hundred yards you will reach the wood sign, go left, not straight! There is one thing to be said about a tough uphill trail…it is all downhill on the way back, which is the case at Yonah. Overall, I have to say that this trail is more strenuous than moderate. While clocking in at about 5 miles total (six if you go the wrong way) there is a climb of 1,400 feet in the first half of that distance, I call that strenuous. But with the open vista of the Main Face this hike is well worth the effort.

The trail back.

The cool face rock that I missed on my latest visit.

What I call...

...the whale rock.

Back to the lot.

Yonah Mountain Trail Rating:

My Take:

For Difficulty – 4 Stars

For Trail Conditions – 2 ½ Stars

For Views – 5 Stars

For Solitude – 2 ½ Stars

Overall – I went over a lot of this above and while the trail is not too long (at 5 miles out-and-back) for what it lacks in distance it makes up for in elevation gain (1,400 feet). The trail is good in spots, but could use more signage or blazes since there are spots with a number of different paths. Also, it can be a challenge to find the Main Face. Oh, and the "trench" needs some work. The views from the Main Face and secondary outcrops are wonderful. During the week and out of season it is not too busy, but remember it sees crowds on the weekends and the Army Rangers can be on the mountain at any time so call ahead.

Pete’s Take :

For Difficulty – 3 Rabbits Paws

For Trail Conditions – 2 ½ Rabbits Paws

For Views – 5 Rabbits Paws

For Solitude – 2 Rabbits Paws

Overall – This is a good trail but it could be longer. The elevation is nice for a hiker like me, since I have to carry the Lummox it not too bad. I have to say on the trail condition that the Big Baby above has a point. It needs more blazes and that "trench" is tough with 190 pounds on ones back. I will admit the views are great, I can see a number of the other peaks that I have conquered. I will say I like the winter better because there was not lot of people. I can ignore the Army guys because I haven't seen a lot of kids on the mountain which is a plus.