Brasstown Bald

 

Brasstown Bald in the fall as seen from the parking area near the summit. Photo by me, October 2013.

Fall begins today so in the spirit of the coming cooler weather, brilliant colors and more time spent in the mountains I thought today would be a good day to write about Georgia's highest mountain, Brasstown Bald.

Brasstown Bald is an interesting name for a mountain. You wouldn't generally think of brass when you think of mountains and how it came to be called that name in English was a mistake. Prior to being settled by Europeans this area was already inhabited by the Cherokee tribe and they referred to the area as "place of fresh green." The word sounded like the English word for "brass" and so a misunderstanding lead to the unique name. The "bald" is commonly used to describe an area on a mountain with a view of three hundred and sixty degrees.

The road leading up the parking area at the gift shop/office. Photo by me, April 2014.

To get to the top of the mountain there are two ways: you can drive to near the summit and then take a shuttle operated by the U.S. Forest Service from the gift shop and office (cost $5 per person for a round trip ride) or you can hike to the top via two different trails from two different directions.

 

A large inflatable Smokey The Bear welcomes you to the parking area. Photo by me, October 2013.

I have never hiked to the top of Brasstown, though I would like to do that one day, and have on my visits driven to the gift shop and taken the shuttle.

The geographical background on Brasstown Bald is that it is part of the Appalachian Mountain chain that extends from North Georgia into southeastern Canada. Brasstown rises to 4,784 feet above sea level in elevation. It is located in far northeastern Georgia and straddles both Union and Towns counties. The next highest mountain in the state is Rabun Bald at 4,696 feet above sea level in Rabun County.

 

The visitor's center at the summit. Photo by me, October 2013.

 

Once you arrive at the top of the mountain either by shuttle or by foot you are dropped off at the visitor's center which contains a museum and observation tower.

Quilts and bears, oh my! Photo by me, October 2013.

 

Photo by me, October 2013.

 

Photo by me, October 2013.

Stuffed bears, Georgia has a sizeable population of live ones, on display along with some beautiful quilts in the museum.

 

Photo by me, October 2013.

There is even a train on display. This is a replica of the steam locomotive train the Climax that was used in the mountains in the logging industry. You can learn more about this train here. 

A suspicious looking forest firefighter. Photo by me, October 2013.

He's harmless. Photo by me, October 2013.

These two displays were great with the animatronics. They look crazy and might even scare your kids when they begin talking, moving and those eyes they have.

To be isolated atop the highest mountain in the state, the museum is quite good and filled with historical items and informational displays about the mountain and the area. This would be the highest museum in the state. They also show a short film about the mountain and it is interesting to see how harsh the weather can get this high into the sky.

But of course the main reason to visit Brasstown Bald is for the view.

 

Photo by me, October 2013.

 

Photo by me, October 2013.

Photo by me, October 2013.

Photo by me, October 2013.

Photo by me, October 2013.

For a first time visitor, I recommend going to Brasstown Bald in the fall when the leaves are at peak typically during the month of October, but this can vary from year to year. Brasstown is an interesting attraction any season, but expect the largest crowds during the fall. You will find it much less busy during the winter when the trees are bare and the landscape is mostly gray but visibility is often the best on a crisp winter day. During the summer it is a nice way to escape the summer heat but visibility may be limited by the haze. In spring it is a good way to see two seasons at once when the valleys below are turning green from the new spring leaves while the mountain tops are still locked in winter hibernation.

In winter and the early spring it is advisable to check the weather conditions atop the mountain before planning a visit. Snow and ice is more common than one might think and you can find the mountain road closed at the base or that the shuttle is not in service to the summit from the gift shop. I speak from experience, I have been up to the mountain in the second week of April only to find that the shuttle was not running due to ice and snow. You can of course always still make the hike to the top as the trails are never closed.

 

Ice and snow cover the mountain laurel and trees at one end of the parking area. Photo by me, April 2014.

Snow and rain fall on the distant mountain tops. Photo by me, April 2014.

 

The summit of Brasstown Bald hidden the clouds and snow as seen from the parking area. Photo by me, April 2014.

This is how it looked in the second week of April 2014 when the shuttle was not running. It was completely deserted and the top of the mountain was shrouded in the clouds. The wind that day was howling and it would have been a rough day atop the mountain if I had decided to hike up beyond the parking area near the summit, which I didn't.

I hope you have a great fall enjoying the leaves, the cooler weather and hitting the trails.

Link to the official U.S. Forest Service page for Brasstown Bald. Streaming web cam from the top facing north.
Streaming web cam from the top facing south.