Ellijay Area Activities & Attractions

Ellijay, the “Apple Capital” of Georgia, is famous for its apple and peach orchards. Visitors can enjoy activities like fruit picking, petting farm animals, hay rides, and freshly fried apple pies. The area boasts crystal-clear rivers, Carters Lake (the deepest man-made lake east of the Mississippi), Lake Blue Ridge, and pristine mountainsides. The Cartacay, Ellijay, and Coosawattee Rivers flow through the county offering opportunities for tubing, canoeing, kayaking, boating, and world-class trout fishing.

Historic downtown Ellijay features antique shops, boutiques, and eateries. Ellijay is also known as the “Mountain Biking Capital of Georgia,” offering numerous trails for biking and hiking. Other activities include horseback riding, golfing at Whitepath Golf Course (named after a Cherokee chief), and exploring the Bigfoot Museum.

Visitors can enjoy hiking, mountain biking, golfing, picking fresh produce, and visiting local wineries, breweries, a cider house, and distilleries. The Chattahoochee National Forest and the Cohutta Wilderness area offer extensive hiking trails with waterfalls and panoramic views. Amicalola Falls, a 729-foot waterfall, is a 35-minute drive from downtown Ellijay and near the Appalachian Trail. Springer Mountain, within the Chattahoochee National Forest, marks the southern entrance of the Appalachian Trail.