Blood Mountain
Encyclopedia
Blood Mountain is the highest peak on the Georgia
section of the Appalachian Trail
and the sixth-tallest mountain in Georgia, with an elevation of 4458 feet (1,359 m). It is located on the border of Lumpkin County
with Union County
and is within the boundaries of the Chattahoochee National Forest and the Blood Mountain Wilderness
. There are several waterfalls, hiking
trails and other recreational areas in the vicinity.
and Creek
began to compete for resources and fought a battle on the mountain near Slaughter Gap. The Creek lost, ceding Blood Mountain to the Cherokee, who considered it a holy place. Archaeological evidence has been discovered that tends to back the story of the battle, but the date of the battle and its participants are still hotly disputed.
There are various theories on the origin of the mountain's name. Some believe that the name of the mountain comes from a bloody battle between the Cherokee and Creek Indians. Others believe that the name is based on the color of the lichen
and Catawba rhododendron
growing near the rocky summit.
The mountain drew media attention in January 2008 when 24-year-old hiker Meredith Emerson
went missing from a nearby trail. Her body was later recovered some distance away. Authorities arrested Gary Hilton on charges of murdering Emerson. On January 31 Hilton pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison
.
This peak has scenic views from the large rock formations that top the mountain. There is a hiker's shelter at the top of the mountain maintained by the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club
, and at the bottom of the eastern side of the mountain is a hostel
and store (at Neel Gap, where the Appalachian Trail intersects U.S. Highway 19/129
) at the Walasi-Yi Interpretive Center
. The summit shelter is a two-room stone cabin which was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps
in 1934 and is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places
, but is not currently on it. The Walasi-Yi Center started out as log cabin constructed in the early 20th century by a logging company. It was renovated and expanded by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933-38 into a larger stone building. The Center now houses a store; its breezeway is the only place the Appalachian Trail passes through a man-made structure.
There is a short (2 mile) but steep (1,800 foot elevation gain) approach trail to the top of the mountain from a parking area to the immediate north of the Walasi-Yi Center. This hike affords spectacular views as one approaches the summit but the final 1.5 miles (2.4 km), past the Flatrock Gap intersection with the Byron Reece Trail, is fraught with switchback
s. It is perhaps the most hiked segment of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. Another approach is from the other side at Lake Winfield Scott
via the Slaughter Creek Trail. This approach, which is easier to hike, has excellent campsites and abundant sources of treatable water.
Adjacent to the mountain are several boulderfields and stands of northern hardwoods and large buckeyes
. Portions of the area were previously logged and now sport fast-growing tulip poplar
.
Near Blood Mountain are DeSoto Falls
Scenic Recreation Area and campground, Vogel State Park
and Sosebee Cove Scenic Area. All are accessible from Blood Mountain by trail and road.
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
section of the Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
and the sixth-tallest mountain in Georgia, with an elevation of 4458 feet (1,359 m). It is located on the border of Lumpkin County
Lumpkin County, Georgia
Lumpkin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 29,966. Its county seat is Dahlonega.- History :...
with Union County
Union County, Georgia
Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 17,289. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 20,968. The county seat is Blairsville.Its Sole commissioner is Lamar Paris, who has served since 2001....
and is within the boundaries of the Chattahoochee National Forest and the Blood Mountain Wilderness
Blood Mountain Wilderness
The Blood Mountain Wilderness was designated in 1991 and currently consists of . The Wilderness is located within the borders of the Chattahoochee National Forest in Lumpkin County and Union County, Georgia. The Wilderness is managed by the United States Forest Service and is part of the National...
. There are several waterfalls, hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trails and other recreational areas in the vicinity.
History
Two Indian tribes resided in North Georgia in the 16th century. By the late 17th century the CherokeeCherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
and Creek
Creek people
The Muscogee , also known as the Creek or Creeks, are a Native American people traditionally from the southeastern United States. Mvskoke is their name in traditional spelling. The modern Muscogee live primarily in Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida...
began to compete for resources and fought a battle on the mountain near Slaughter Gap. The Creek lost, ceding Blood Mountain to the Cherokee, who considered it a holy place. Archaeological evidence has been discovered that tends to back the story of the battle, but the date of the battle and its participants are still hotly disputed.
There are various theories on the origin of the mountain's name. Some believe that the name of the mountain comes from a bloody battle between the Cherokee and Creek Indians. Others believe that the name is based on the color of the lichen
Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
and Catawba rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
growing near the rocky summit.
The mountain drew media attention in January 2008 when 24-year-old hiker Meredith Emerson
Meredith Emerson
Meredith Emerson was a 24-year-old woman who was last seen alive hiking with her dog on Blood Mountain in northern Georgia on New Year's Day 2008. Witnesses claimed to have seen her with an older man on the Spur Trail connecting the Appalachian Trail with the Byron Herbert Reece Parking Lot...
went missing from a nearby trail. Her body was later recovered some distance away. Authorities arrested Gary Hilton on charges of murdering Emerson. On January 31 Hilton pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
.
Hiking and Recreation
Georgia Appalachian Trail Club
The Georgia Appalachian Trail Club, Inc. is a non-profit organization that was organized in 1930 in Dahlonega, GA. Its membership consists of individual volunteers who share a love for the Appalachian Trail ....
, and at the bottom of the eastern side of the mountain is a hostel
Hostel
Hostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, although private rooms may also be available...
and store (at Neel Gap, where the Appalachian Trail intersects U.S. Highway 19/129
U.S. Route 129
U.S. Route 129 is an offshoot route of U.S. Route 29, which it intersects near Athens, Georgia. US 129 currently runs for 582 miles from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Chiefland, Florida, at U.S. Route 19 and U.S. Route 98. It passes through the states of Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida...
) at the Walasi-Yi Interpretive Center
Walasi-Yi Interpretive Center
The Walasi-Yi Interpretive Center is a small stone building located along US 19/129 at Neels Gap, Georgia, United States, on the eastern side of Blood Mountain. It is notable as the only place where the 2,175-mile-long Appalachian Trail passes through a man-made structure...
. The summit shelter is a two-room stone cabin which was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
in 1934 and is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, but is not currently on it. The Walasi-Yi Center started out as log cabin constructed in the early 20th century by a logging company. It was renovated and expanded by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933-38 into a larger stone building. The Center now houses a store; its breezeway is the only place the Appalachian Trail passes through a man-made structure.
There is a short (2 mile) but steep (1,800 foot elevation gain) approach trail to the top of the mountain from a parking area to the immediate north of the Walasi-Yi Center. This hike affords spectacular views as one approaches the summit but the final 1.5 miles (2.4 km), past the Flatrock Gap intersection with the Byron Reece Trail, is fraught with switchback
Hairpin turn
A hairpin turn , named for its resemblance to a hairpin/bobby pin, is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn almost 180° to continue on the road. Such turns in ramps and trails may be called switchbacks in American English, by analogy...
s. It is perhaps the most hiked segment of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. Another approach is from the other side at Lake Winfield Scott
Lake Winfield Scott
Lake Winfield Scott is an mountain pond located south of Blairsville, Georgia in Union County. The lake, which is owned and managed by the U.S. Forest Service, is the source of Cooper Creek. It is the centerpiece of the Forest Service's Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area, a park which features...
via the Slaughter Creek Trail. This approach, which is easier to hike, has excellent campsites and abundant sources of treatable water.
Adjacent to the mountain are several boulderfields and stands of northern hardwoods and large buckeyes
Aesculus
The genus Aesculus comprises 13-19 species of woody trees and shrubs native to the temperate northern hemisphere, with 6 species native to North America and 7-13 species native to Eurasia; there are also several hybrids. Species are deciduous or evergreen...
. Portions of the area were previously logged and now sport fast-growing tulip poplar
Liriodendron tulipifera
Liriodendron tulipifera, commonly known as the tulip tree, American tulip tree, tuliptree, tulip poplar or yellow poplar, is the Western Hemisphere representative of the two-species genus Liriodendron, and the tallest eastern hardwood...
.
Near Blood Mountain are DeSoto Falls
DeSoto Falls (Georgia)
The DeSoto Falls of Georgia are located in Lumpkin County, Georgia along Frogtown Creek. There are actually three waterfalls on Frogtown Creek, called Upper DeSoto Falls, Middle Desoto Falls and Lower DeSoto Falls. The upper waterfall drops , the middle waterfall drops and the lower waterfall...
Scenic Recreation Area and campground, Vogel State Park
Vogel State Park
Vogel State Park is a or 94 hectares state park located at the base of Blood Mountain in the Chattahoochee National Forest. It became one of the first two parks in Georgia when it founded a state park system in 1931. Much of the park was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the...
and Sosebee Cove Scenic Area. All are accessible from Blood Mountain by trail and road.