Rabun Bald
Adventure Out Romantic Overlooks: Rabun Bald and Sunset Rock By Peter McIntosh
F
ebruary is Valentine’s month which is why every year at this time, I like to visit a romantic location, a beauty spot to share with your special someone. And this year we’re visiting two lovely locations with amazing vistas, one that requires an invigorating hike and one that’s super easy. Our destinations are Rabun Bald and Sunset Rock. Up first is Rabun Bald, Georgia’s second highest mountain, 4,696 feet above sea level and one of the crown jewels of the Southern Appalachians. The hike is about two miles each way. (I would describe this trail as moderate to slightly difficult.) From the trailhead at the end of Kelsey Mountain Road, the trail follows an old logging road, ascending gently on the western side of the mountain. After about one mile the road ends at a clearing that is also an intersection with the Bartram Trail. Passing through some boulders, the trail
16 GML - February 2021
now becomes a true footpath and ascends a bit more steeply. There are a few switchbacks and a couple of spots that may require a little scrambling but this is still a moderate hike. After a mile of upward climbing on the Bartram Trail comes the big payoff. And I do mean big. There is a stone tower at the top of the mountain, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps back in the 1930’s. This was the base of a fire tower but now the tower has been replaced by a wooden platform which provides a stunning 360 degree panoramic view. And the deck boards on the tower run almost true north and south so it’s easy to get your bearings. Just below you to the east is the unspoiled beauty of the Chattooga River watershed. Still looking eastward, the bold granite face of North Carolina’s Whiteside Mountain is a prominent feature as are the other rock walls of the Blue Ridge Escarpment stretching into the distance through Sapphire Valley. Looking to the north you’ll see the saddle shaped Scaly Mountain with the Cowee Mountains off in the distance. Turning to the west now, we see Sky Valley
