Georgia Natural Wonder #121 - Woody Gap. 1,122

[Top Row Dawg]

Georgia Natural Wonder #121 - Woody Gap

We bounced all around the waterfalls up in this area and I had a tangent all prepared for this Wonder. But we had a Waterfall to Swamp theme for the last two months so I saved it as a separate GNW. Well here we are, today mainly a parking spot on the Appalachian Trail or a pull off on Highway 60, let's take a closer look.



Woody Gap is a mountain ridge gap in northern Georgia where the Appalachian Trail crosses State Highway 60. Perched at 3,160 ft altitude, the gap affords scenic vistas of Yahoola Valley below. Named in honor of Arthur Woody, the trailhead is open to the public year-round.



Located right off the scenic highway 60 where the Appalachian Trail crosses in the Blue Ridge District, visitors will find this awe-inspiring sight-seeing spot. With panoramic views of the North Georgia Mountains, a restroom facility, access to the Appalachian Trail and multiple areas for picnicking, this location promises to be one you won't forget. Don't forget your camera!



Description: A picturesque mountain ridge gap where the Appalachian Trail crosses GA Hwy. 60, Woody Gap offers breathtaking scenery and recreational opportunities. From an elevation of 3,000 feet, scenic vistas of Yahoola Valley below make this a worthwhile and easily accessible stop on a leisurely drive through the mountains of North Georgia. The harsh ridge top environment is evidenced by wind-stunted and twisted oak trees along the Trail. An easy 1-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail, either north or south, offers scenic vistas and outstanding displays of spring wildflowers. Nearby Chestatee Overlook and Dockery Lake are "must-sees" while in this area.



Viewing Information: Woody Gap has excellent bird-watching opportunities, especially during spring migration. Early morning provides the best opportunity to see and hear numerous breeding songbirds, such as hooded warblers, black and white warblers, black-throated blue warblers, black-throated green warblers, as well as migrants, such as Cape May, blackpoll, and blackburnian warblers on their way to breeding grounds north of Georgia. These and numerous other species can be found on a short walk on the Appalachian Trail. Around the parking area, chestnut-sided warblers and indigo buntings are numerous. Longer walks along the trail may reward wildlife viewers with the drumming or explosive flush of a ruffed grouse. Wild turkeys are residents of this area and the surrounding National Forest, as are black bears and white-tailed deer.



Directions: From Dahlonega, take GA Hwy. 60 north apx. 17 miles. Woody Gap is well marked, with a parking area on the right.



America's First Trail, the Appalachian Trail traverses the eastern Appalachian Mountains from north to south along the eastern ridge. In this section of the Appalachian Trail you descend about 50 feet overall. Woody Gap checks in at 3,160 feet and Neels Gap is 3,109 feet in elevation. In between the two are some of the most scenic views along the trail, and one the trail's busiest intersections.



Leaving Woody Gap going east the AT climbs through a hardwood forest to Steel Trap Knob and Jacobs Knob. Leaving Jacobs Knob the path drops easily into Lunsford Gap. then begins a switch-back climb to the top of Big Cedar Mountain that is moderate to difficult. At 1.1 miles hikers are treated to a spectacular view of the Chattahoochee National Forest from Preacher's Rock near the peak. This is a frequent day hike from Woody Gap and is sometimes known as "Preaching Rock."



Located roughly 1.5 miles from Woody Gap up the great Appalachian Trail (AT) lies an exposed rock with an incredible view. This rock goes by many names but most of the locals know it as “Preacher’s Rock”. It overlooks the valley that runs below Big Cedar Mountain towards the east/southeast. It is a fairly highly trafficked area, especially on exceptionally hot days in the summer thanks in part to it’s cooler 3500ft elevation temperatures. When you first arrive at Woody Gap there is ample parking where the AT crosses Highway 60 just 2 miles south of Suches. Park on the right side of the road across from the Woody Gap sign. An excellent view is available from the parking area on the left for those who don’t wish to hike to the rock.



Once you start up the trail, you will see a sign alerting you that you are entering the Blood Mountain Wilderness.



For the first 3/4 miles, the trail is relatively flat and easy going. It winds through numerous hollows that were carved out by ancient streams and runoff.



After the 3/4 mile mark, the trail turns hard right and heads up Big Cedar Mountain through a series of switchbacks. The grade gets steep in spots, but the trip up the mountain is fairly short with several places with good views, including one exposed rock you can climb onto. Also, along the trail are several large boulders that the more adventurous can climb.



After a quick 1.25 mile hike the trail goes from fully wooded straight out onto Preacher’s Rock. It also goes by Pulpit Rock, so named because it would make an excellent place for a sermon to be delivered to those in the valley below.



This picture was taken on March 18. It showcases the haze so often associated with the Smoky Mountains. On a clear day, the Atlanta skyline is visible from roughly 20 feet down the rock looking to the right and Habersham County lies beyond Mount Yonah towards the left of this shot.

This panorama shows the scope of the view, including the rock on the bottom left. 


If you are adventurous, you can wander down the face of the rock to the next ledge where great photo ops await. But, beware of the steep grade and don’t fall down the face.This is a gorgeous area to visit no matter the season.



I’ve hiked to this spot too many times to count during the past couple of years. It’s a wonderful place to sit down and relax in the sun while getting some one-on-one time with the Creator of it all.



TRD addendum.

Now I must not have made it to Preacher's Rock. Me and my buddy Sean hiked up a side trail to a closer overlook.



It was just a few hundred yards from Woody Gap and was overlooking Highway 60 coming up from Dahlonega.



Looking down to Highway 60.



Excellent boulder outcrop, as there is a whole wall of rocks coming up Highway 60 on your right.



Perched on the Edge with some Heineken.



May not be the Preacher's Rock, but a damn fine side trail from Woody Gap.



My buddy Sean, stuck in a wheelchair now.



Hendrix had a good day with Rosie.



Unnamed overlook short hike from Woody Gap.



Hendrix enjoyed the vista.



Tangent on Arthur Woody

Now we may have touched on Arthur Woody in several other post, but we can't come to his Gap without a full blown tangent, if only as a reminder. In 1895 the last deer in North Georgia was killed, ironically, by Arthur Woody's father in Fannin County. At the time of his birth, much of the Georgia mountains were barren, stripped by lumber companies that found it cheaper to leave the land they stripped than to replant trees.



Woody grew up a farmer's son in Union County, Georgia. Early in his life he joined a Forest Service crew as an axe-man, and in 1915 became a guard in the Service. By this time he was advocating that the federal government increase its purchases of land in the North Georgia mountains. In 1918 the federal government combined these holdings as the Cherokee National Forest, part of which extended into North Georgia. A short time later additional land the government purchased was consolidated with portions of the Cherokee into the Georgia National Forest(later renamed the Chattahoochee National Forest) and Arthur Woody and Roscoe Nicholson became its first Forest Rangers.



Known as "Ranger" or "Kingfish", Woody's exploits are legendary. He would make false bear tracks to catch poachers. When outlaws tried to hide in his forest Woody would track them and bring them in. And he had to use his head to get past the typical bureaucratic snafus that Washington would put in his way.



One frequently told story about the ranger is his method to get a road built from Suches to Wolfpen Gap. Washington said they only had money to improve existing roads, not to build new ones. Woody and some friends cut a path through the forest from the gap to Suches and called it a road. Then "Kingfish" got Washington to begin making improvements on the path until a paved, graded road was built.



The Forest Reserve Act of 1891 set aside land mostly in the West, for conservation. In 1911 the Weeks Act did the same thing for the Southeast. Arthur Woody was a man who did not let his country flavor get in his way. His disdain for his uniform was well known. He often left his shirt open and the top of his trousers unbuttoned(he used suspenders to hold them up). "Ranger" frequently went barefoot. He left North Georgia College after 3 days. However, his vision helped create today's North Georgia mountains. He proposed managing the resources to everyone's benefit. He successfully urged(some would say coerced) the federal government to make significant additional purchases of land in North Georgia. In the midst of the depression the CCC(Civilian Conservation Corps) began to greatly improve the area around Suches thanks to the ranger, and he was responsible for the original proposal for a Visitor's Center at Brasstown Bald.


Ranger Woody still atop Brasstown Bald.

In 1936, the Georgia National forest was reorganized into two districts, the Tallulah District managed by "Nick" Nicholson and the Blue Ridge District manage by Arthur Woody. It was renamed to the Chattahoochee National Forest and Wally Prater supervised the rangers from an office in Gainesville.



Outdoorsmen in Georgia are well familiar with Arthur Woody. He began stocking the creeks of the Chattahoochee National Forest with fish, introducing non-native species such as speckled trout that are favored by fishermen. In 1927 he started restocking deer in the North Georgia mountains with his own money. Purchasing deer from a passing show and rounding up more in the mountains of western North Carolina Woody's neighbors were amazed when they soon saw large bucks leaping over fences again. Woody suffered a serious depression in 1941 when the state of Georgia re-opened hunting season on the deer he had restocked, many of which he still called by name. He died in 1946, according to some never having fully recovered. Locals who knew him and his fondness for these animals say with a chuckle and a sideways shake of the head, "Mr. Woody was kinda funny 'bout them deer."



Sosebee Cove was a favorite stopping point for Arthur Woody on the road he built, now designated Georgia State Highway 180.


Future GNW - Sosebee Cove.

More Woody Gap images









Today's Natural Wonder Gals atop Preacher's Rock.