From the lodge

A whole region of mornings, all within an hour.

Trackrock Valley sits at the meeting point of Helen, Hiawassee, and Blue Ridge — which is to say, you can sleep in, eat a slow breakfast on the porch, and still be standing on top of Georgia by lunch.

15 minutes away

Vogel State Park & Blood Mountain

One of Georgia's oldest state parks, the lake loop, and the trailhead for Blood Mountain on the Appalachian Trail.

25 minutes

Downtown Helen

A storybook Bavarian village on the Chattahoochee. Tubing in summer, Oktoberfest in fall, lights in winter.

15 minutes

Lake Chatuge, Hiawassee

Quiet kayaking water, lakeside sunset dinners, and the path up to Bell Mountain's spray-painted summit.

From the porch

Brasstown Bald

Georgia's highest peak — and on a clear day, four states at once. Twenty minutes from the lodge driveway.

All over the valley

Waterfall mornings

Helton Creek, Trahlyta, DeSoto, Anna Ruby, Long Creek. A different falls for every morning of a long weekend.

133 miles of pavement

The Georgia Gauntlet

Our favorite motorcycle and roadster loop — Wolf Pen Gap, Suches, and the best twisties in the South.

A favor

Leave the planning to the Hollow.

On arrival you'll find a hand-marked area guide — Bill & Sarah's list of the quiet trailheads, the locals' breakfast spot, the back road to the best overlook, and which waterfall is worth the drive after a rain.