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Stephens County
County Profile:
Nestled among the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in northeast Georgia is Toccoa, the County
seat of Stephens County. When the Cherokee Indians discovered it, they called it "Toccoah" meaning
beautiful, and gave it special significance and reverence. Today, "beautiful" is still evident when
experiencing the magnificent natural wonders, historic attractions, recreational activities, and the
way of life found throughout Toccoa-Stephens County. Situated just 90 miles north of Atlanta and 65
miles northwest of Greenville, South Carolina, Toccoa-Stephens County is the perfect retreat to get
away from it all.
Cities & Towns:
Toccoa, Martin, Eastanolle, Cornelia, Clarksville
Area Attractions:
Mt. Currahee
Currahee Mountain is the last mountain in the Blue Ridge chain of mountains. Currahee is a Cherokee
Indian name that translates to "Stands alone." From almost any road leading into Stephens County, the
mountain can be seen as it "stands alone" above the horizon. Currahee rises in a conical form to a
height of 900 feet and has a total elevation of 1740 feet. In the east, it sinks to the level of the
valley, but on the western side it blends with a ridge that unites it with the Allegheny chain of
mountains. The mountain is located within the Chattahoochee National Forest and Lake Russell Wildlife
Management Area where wild game roam through the forest protected by the State and Federal Game
Commissions. There are numerous mines dug by Indians and early settlers where rubies, garnets,
silver, and some gold were found. Many of the caves were used as a refuge by Cherokee Indians who
didn't want to follow the Trail of Tears and later by people who didn't want to be recruited to
fight during the Civil War. The two most famous caves are "The Ron's Den" on the west side and
"The Silver Mine" on the east side of Currahee.
There is a trail up the front of the mountain that is not designated in the U.S. Forest Trail System,
which means it is not maintained by the U.S. Forest Service and is not marked. Eagle Scouts have adopted
this trail as a project and have cleared the path. To get there, take 123 West from Toccoa. Turn left
onto Hwy. 184 South (Homer Road) past the State Patrol Station. Go 9/10 mile and park at the voting
station on the right. (It's a small white cinderblock building with two front doors and a porch. A
sign on the front gable says "Currahee GMD 402".) The moderate hike starts gently across a power line
clearing and makes a steep ascent up the mountain. The forest types are shortleaf pines and mixed
hardwoods, such as oak, hickory and sweet gum. As you reach midway, the number of large rock formations
increases and trees wrap their roots picturesquely around them. Close to the top is a giant rock
overhang that provides a panoramic view of rolling hills and the beginning of the mountain range.
Adventurous souls rappel and hang glide from this perch. Birds fly by at eye level. If you carry a
daypack, this is a great place to spread out a blanket, have a picnic and relax. Following the trail
further up takes you to the fence surrounding the communications towers next to the maintenance
building. On the very peak of the mountain is where the old ranger tower used to be. If you follow
the dirt/gravel road a few yards down the other side of the mountain, there is a graffiti covered
rock that also provides a nice view, but it doesn't compare with the one at the rock overhang.
If you'd rather not hike that far and your car (and driver) can handle rough terrain, drive to the
top and hike down to the jutting rock overlook. The dirt/gravel Currahee Mountain Road is passable,
but travel is slow and dicey near the top. You need to be especially careful choosing your path if
your car has a low chassis. Take Hwy. 123 North from Toccoa, turn left onto National Forest Road #62
directly before Ayersville Road at the Milliken plant. Look for a large brown sign that says "Lake
Russell Wildlife Management Area, Chattahoochee National Forest".
Yonah Dam
Completed in 1925, is the lowest step in the staircase of six power developments down which the waters
of the Tallulah, Chattooga, and Tugalo rivers are led in their plunge from the Blue Ridge Mountain
heights toward the Atlantic Coastal plain. Yonah's storage lake (approximately 320 acres of surface
area and 150,000,000 cubic feet capacity) is impounded by a cyclopean dam 900 feet long and 75 feet
high with a direct plunge from surface to waterwheel of 75 feet. It has three 12,500 horsepower
waterwheels. Power is developed at a voltage of 6,600 and is stepped up to 110,000 volts for transmission
to the 81 cities and towns in the company's territory.
To get there: Follow Prather Bridge Road (Highway 184) until it becomes Yonah Dam Road and follow
it out to the dam.
Yonah Dam Road is a great place to ride a bicycle. The road is relatively flat and it's an easy ride
next to the Tugalo River. The temperature drops 10 degrees because of the proximity to the flowing
river that is fed by Lake Yonah, which in turn is fed by colder mountain lakes and streams. Riding
from the picnic area near the dam to Prather Bridge Road, you pass several historic houses.
Camping
Some of the more popular primitive camping areas open to the public are in the Lake Russell Wildlife
Management Area and in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Call the U.S. Forest Service at 770-297-3000
for more information.
Toccoa RV Park and Campground (706-886-2654) offers full hook-ups, laundry room, bathrooms, phone hook-ups,
and sewer dump stations. There is also a pavilion and nature walk. From Hwy 17 out of Toccoa, turn left on
Oak Valley Road and follow the signs. The park is 3.2 miles on the right.
Georgia Baptist Conference Center has a 19-site campground complete with water and electrical hookups,
a bathhouse and laundry room. Call 706-886-3133.
Hunting
Almost one sixth of Stephens County is part of the Chattahoochee National Forest and the National
Wildlife Reserve. This is a woodsman's paradise. Wildlife includes: deer, turkey, feral hogs, fox,
bobcat, raccoon, opossum, and doves. Hunting is permitted in season. For more information, contact the
Department of Natural Resources at 770-535-5700.
Fishing, Boating, Skiing, Swimming
Toccoa is fortunate to have two lakes along her borders, Yonah Lake and Lake Hartwell. Both were built
primarily for electric power and both use the waters of the Tugalo River, which divides Georgia from
South Carolina. Lake Louise is owned by the Georgia Baptist Conference Center-Toccoa and is also
available for public use. There are five watersheds in Stephens County that are excellent for trout
fishing: the Middle Fork Broad River, upstream from NRCS flood control structure No. 44 (seasonal);
Little Toccoa Creek, North Fork Broad River, upstream from NRCS flood control structure No. 1 (year
round); Panther Creek (year round); and Toccoa Creek, upstream from Toccoa Falls (year round).
Fisherpeople reel in black crappie, largemouth bass, striped bass, hybrid bass and channel catfish
from local lakes.
In Stephens County, there are four public recreation areas that have accessible ramps for entering boats
into Lake Hartwell: Stephens County Recreation Area, Spring Branch, Jenkins Ferry, Bruce Creek, and
Holcomb Access. There are also boat ramps at Walker Creek on the Tugaloo River and at Yonah Lake.
Golf
The Pines (706-886-1915) is a nine-hole course operated by the City of Toccoa and is approximately
3 miles north of Toccoa on Alt. 17. Turn right on Black Mountain Road and you'll see the well-maintained
course on the left.
The Currahee Club Golf Course Designed by Jim Fazio creator of over 40 courses around the world,
this course just feels like it belongs here, working with the natural contours of the land to create a
7540-yard, 18 hole masterpiece. Currahee Club is a Country Club Community and is located at One Currahee
Club Way in Toccoa, GA. For more information call 706-827-1000 or 888-560-2582.
www.curraheeclub.com
Bicycling
The northern part of the county has more varied terrain than the southern portion, due to the
proximity to the mountain ranges. The U.S. Forest Service maintains several dirt/gravel roads in Stephens
County that serve as access for recreation use. Bicycle riding on these roads varies from strenuous to
easy. The U.S. Forest Service Road #62 up Currahee Mountain is a challenging one-way ride. Black Mountain
Road is both scenic and strenuous after the pavement runs out and you're biking on dirt. There are several
paved loops through the countryside on secondary roads. You could incorporate a bike ride into a tour of
the Martin Historic District. These 26 structures were placed on the National Register of Historic Sites
on July 7, 1995. The town of Martin is 12 miles south of Toccoa on Highway 17.
All Terrain Vehicle Trails
Off road vehicles, including two, three and four-wheel vehicles, can enjoy 17 miles of trails in the
Locust Stake ATV Area near the north fork of the Broad River west of Toccoa. From Hwy. 123 out of Toccoa,
make a right turn at Jeanette Jamieson Intersection onto Hwy. 17/365. Travel 4.1 miles and turn right on
Red Rock Road shortly after you see the Habersham County sign. (A brown National Forest sign says "ATV
Trails" and points to the right.) To your immediate right is Locust Stake Road, which winds back into
Stephens County. Designated trails in this area range from easy to highly difficult. Users are encouraged
to stay on the signed trails to prevent damage to the area. Locust Stake Road is a county road and all
state and local motor vehicle laws apply.
Utilities:
ALLTEL
Jeff Whitlock
P O Box 400
Cornelia, Ga. 30531
(706) 776-4222
Georgia Power Co.
Cam Parker
206 Collins Road
Toccoa, Ga. 30577
(706) 282-4700
Hart EMC
Butch Payne
Highway 123 E.
Toccoa, Ga. 30577
(706) 886-4831
Toccoa Natural Gas
Alan Yearwood
203 N. Alexander St.
Toccoa, Ga. 30577
(706) 886-8451
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