Central High Country

Map of Historic High Country. Counties in the Central High Country are in green.

The Central High Country is a sub-region of Georgia's Historic High Country region. The Central High Country consists of 7 counties north of Atlanta. The southern most counties are quickly growing as the metro Atlanta area expands while the northern counties are well suited for outdoor activities and tourism. Several of the towns hold a variety of annual festivals. Lake Lanier and Lake Allatoona also provide amply opportunity for water sports and recreation. The largest city in this region is Gainesville while Ellijay and Dahlonega offer many opportunities for tourists.

Cities

• 1 Dahlonega
• 2 Dawsonville
• 3 Ellijay
• 4 Gainesville

Other destinations

• Amicalola Falls
• Chattahoochee National Forest

Get in

The major freeways that enter Central High Country are I-575, I-985 and Georgia 400.

See

Daffodil field in Gibbs Gardens

• 1 Amicalola Falls State Park, 418 Amicalola Falls State Park Rd, ☏ +1 706 265-4703. 7AM - 10PM. These cascading falls are the highest falls (729') east of the Mississippi River. The surrounding park offers lots of hiking trails, including one leading to the top of the waterfall. Another trail connects this park to Springer Mountain, the southern terminus for the Appalachian Trail. 
• Atlanta Falcons Training Camp, 4400 Falcon Pkwy, Flowery Branch, ☏ +1 770-965-3115. Watch the Atlanta Falcons practice in Flowery Branch. Only a limited number of practices are opened to the public each preseason. Check the Atlanta Falcons website to see times and dates. 
• 2 Canton Theatre. An old theater in the downtown area of Canton, built in 1911. 
• 3 Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site, 1 Public Square, Dahlonega. A museum commemorates the Dahlonega Gold Rush, the first gold rush in the United States. 
• 4 Dawson Forest. A 10,130-acre (41.0-km²) public-use forest located in Dawson County, Georgia, southwest of Dawsonville. The site was home to the Georgia Nuclear Aircraft Laboratory (GNAL) during the 1960s. 
• 5 Georgia National Cemetery, 1080 Scott Hudgens Drive Canton, ☏ +1 770-479-9300. M-F 8AM to 4:30PM, closed federal holidays. A United States National Cemetery near Canton. 
• 6 Gibbs Gardens, 1987 Gibbs Drive, Ball Ground, ☏ +1 770-893-1881. A 229-acre garden in northern Cherokee County. 

Do

View from Springer Mountain

Hikes

• 1 Appalachian Approach Trail. An 8.4-mile trail that goes from Amicalola Falls State Park to the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain. 
• Fall Branch Falls. A waterfall on the Benton MacKaye trail in Gilmer County. 
• 2 Eagle's Rest on Mount Oglethorpe, ☏ +1 404-444-2877. A park with hiking trails and views of Pickens County on top of Mount Oglethorpe, the original southern terminus to the Appalachian Trail. 
• 3 Sawnee Mountain Preserve. Hike up to the Indian Seats to get a view of the North Georgia Mountains 
• 4 Sharp Top Mountain, 76 Camp Hope Rd, Jasper, ☏ +1 706-692-5635. Hike on a steep, one-mile trail that goes to the top of Sharp Top Mountain near Jasper. The trail is located inside Sharptop Cove, a private Young Life camp. Please call Sharptop Cove’s offices for permission to hike the mountain. 
• 5 Springer Mountain. Start the journey on the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain 

Hunting and fishing

• 6 Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area, ☏ +1 770-535-5700. In addition to housing an abandoned nuclear laboratory, Dawson Forest is also open to hunting and horseback riding. 
• Pine Log Wildlife Management Area (near the town of White and Pine Log Mountain), ☏ +1 706 295-6041. Even though it's mainly used for hunting, visitors are allowed to explore the area by foot. 

Lakes

• 7 Carters Lake. Reservoir near Ellijay. Activities allowed include camping, fishing, picnicking, boating, mountain biking and hunting. 
• 8 Lake Lanier. Large reservoir near Gainesville. Activities include fishing, boating and picnicking. There is also a water park named LanierWorld, located on Lake Lanier islands. 

Buy

• North Georgia Premium Outlets. Outlet mall near Dawsonville. 

Drink

• Sharp Mountain Vineyards, 110 Rathgeb Trl, Jasper, ☏ +1 770 735-1210. Vineyard near Jasper that offers a view of Sharp Mountain. 
• Three Sisters Vineyards, ​439 Vineyard Way, Dahlonega, ☏ +1 706 865-9463. Vineyard near Dahlonega that offers a view of Three Sisters mountain. 

Go next

• Northwest High Country
• West High Country
• Northeast High Country
• East High Country