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Description of the Trail

The hike on the Arkaquah Trail from Arrow Rock to Brasstown Bald is one of the more challenging hikes in North Georgia. Running a shuttle between both ends of the trail is a good idea. It's only about 5.5 miles, but hiking a round-trip (11 miles) would be a lot for one day, especially on this trail. It's a tough 5.5 miles to the parking lot at Brasstown Bald. From there you can add a short, but relatively steep hike to the Observation Tower at the top of the mountain. If you're really tired out, you can ride the shuttle to the top. (Just don't let your hiking friends see you riding a shuttle - you'll never live it down.) ;-)

The hike from Arrow Rock begins with a fairly steep 1.7 mile section that doesn't give you a break. Unless you're in really good shape, you'll be stopping regularly for air and water. It flattens out for a little while after that, and there are some nice spots to stop for lunch and pictures around the two-mile mark. The rest of the trail goes up and down, with a more gradual, but nonetheless noticeable increase in elevation.