According to the U.S. Forest Service’s Facebook Page, Anna Ruby Falls is now open, BUT with limited hours of operation. The site will be open from Thursday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is also a set capacity of 40 vehicles for the parking lot. Once that amount has been reached, cars will be turned around at the gate until the number of vehicles in the parking lot decreases.
The Forest Service anticipates that Brasstown Bald may open soon once routine maintenance issues can be addressed. The trails and the observation deck are currently open. See the bottom of this page, or click HERE for a list of recreation areas that are currently open and which are closed.
May 22nd, 2020
(Gainesville)- Although recreation opportunities are available this Memorial holiday weekend with the reopening of additional trails and recreation areas, some facilities and services remain limited on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests.
Visitors should know what to expect before leaving home: Restrooms and vault toilets are closed and there are no trash services available. While work continues opening trails and roads, staffing may remain limited to encourage safe distancing. This may also cause a delay in rescue operations. It is not recommended that visitors engage in risky recreation activities at this time.
Visitors to our National Forests are urged to take the precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For tips from the CDC on preventing illnesses like the coronavirus, go to: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention.html.
The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests are coordinating with federal, state and county officials to reopen areas once it can be accomplished safely. Campgrounds, visitor centers, picnic pavilions, restrooms, and other developed recreation sites remain closed due to continued limitations on gatherings and the limited availability of cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment.
Forest Service staff are examining each site to ensure operations comply with current public health guidance. Additional recreation sites including some campgrounds are expected to reopen in June.
For updated information on temporary closures on the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, visit: www.fs.usda.gov/recmain/conf/recreation. The latest information about recreation sites is also available on Facebook and Twitter at @ChattOconeeNF.
Dicks Creek Gap ● Hogpen Gap ● Neels Gap ● Springer Mountain ● Tesnatee Gap ● Unicoi Gap ● Woody Gap
Trails and associated trailheads providing access to the Appalachian Trail:
Andrews Cove Trail ● Segments of the Benton MacKaye Trail (from Fall Branch Falls to Springer Mountain) ● Byron Herbert Reece Memorial Trail ● Duncan Ridge Trail ● Dockery Lake Trail ● Freeman Trail ● Jacks Knob Trail ● Jarrard Gap Trail ● Logan Turnpike Trail ● Long Creek Falls Trail ● Slaughter Creek Trail ● Springer Mountain Trail.
Campgrounds/Camping Areas
Lake Winfield Scott Campground ● Morganton Point Campground ● Mulky Campground ● Padena Rd. Dispersed Camping Area ● Fruitkoff Dispersed Camping Area ● Dispersed Camping at Jake and Bull Mountain Trail System
Recreation Areas
Deep Hole Recreation Area (Toccoa River Canoe Trail open) ● Toccoa River Sandy Bottoms Recreation Area (Toccoa River Canoe Trail open) ● Dockery Lake Recreation Area ● Frank Gross Recreation Area ● DeSoto Falls Recreation Area (no camping, day use area and trails open) ● Lake Chatuge Recreation Area ● Cooper Creek Recreation Area ● Helton Creek Falls Recreation Area
Trails
**High Shoal Falls Trail closed due to bridge failure ● Aska Trail System ● Benton MacKaye Trail in Georgia ● Duncan Ridge Trail ● Coosa Backcountry Trail ● Byron Herbert Reece Trail ● Springer Mountain Trailhead ● Woody Gap Trailhead ● Sea Creek Falls Trail ● Bull Mountain Trail System
Forest Service Roads
FSR 34 Dicks/Waters Creek Camping Corridor ● FSR 42 Dispersed Camping Corridor ● FSR 58 Noontootla Rd. Dispersed Camping ● FSR 28-2 Nimblewill Rd. Dispersed Camping ● FSR 69 Rock Creek Rd. Dispersed Camping ● Indian Grave Gap Road (Forest Service Road #283) ● Swinging Bridge Road (Forest Service Road #816)
Campgrounds/Camping Areas
Andrews Cove Campground ● Low Gap Campground ● Sarah’s Creek Campground ● West Fork Campground ● Willis Knob Horse Campground ● Wildcat Creek Campground #1 Lower (walk-in primitive camping allowed, no restrooms or trash service) ● Wildcat Creek Campground #2 Upper (walk-in primitive camping allowed, no restrooms or trash service)
Recreation Areas
Anna Ruby Falls Recreation Area ● Lake Russell Recreation Area ● Panther Creek Recreation Area ● Dukes Creek Falls Recreation Area
Trails
Smith Creek Trail ● Raven Cliffs Trailhead ● Mount Yonah Trail Head ● Hemlock Falls Hiking Trailhead ● Minnehaha Falls Trail and Trailhead ● Angel Falls Trailhead ● Frady Branch Equestrian and Bike Trail System (no restrooms or trash service)
Forest Service Roads
White Oak Gap Road (Forest Service Road #244)
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Campgrounds/Camping Areas
Jacks River Fields Campground (vault toilet open) ● Cottonwood Patch Campground and Day Use (vault toilet open)
Recreation Areas
John’s Mountain Overlook
Trails
Keown Falls Trail and Trailhead ● Dry Creek Equestrian Trail System (vault toilet closed) ● Iron Mountain Trail Pinhoti Trail in Georgia 136 Trailhead (vault toilet open)
Shooting Ranges
Chestnut Mountain Shooting Range (vault toilet closed) ● Sumac Creek Shooting Range (vault toilet closed)
Shooting Ranges
Cedar Creek Shooting Range
Recreation Areas
Dyar Pasture Recreation Area ● Redlands Recreation Area ● Wise Creek Canoe Launch
