Black Rock Mountain State Park Trail Map 3085 Black Rock Mountain Parkway Mountain City, Georgia 30562 Park: 706-746-2141 Emergency: 706-746-2818 Reservations: 1-800-864-7275 Park Boundary ds Trail West Fork ork rail Fork Trail East Fork N. Johnson Ave. www.GeorgiaStateParks.org Wolffork Valley Wolffork Valley Road Taylor's Chapel Road Black Rock Lake Trail Elev. 2241 Creek Ridge Site #4 Lookoff Mountain Site #2 Park Boundary Laurel Ridge Site #3 Lookoff Mountain Elev. 3162 Park Boundary West Edmonds T James E. Edmonds Backcountry Trail Camping by Permit Only Marsen Knob Elev. 3205 Taylor's Chapel Road Edmonds Lookoff Mtn. Dr. To Germany Valley Eastern Continental Divide Black Rock Mtn. Elev. 3640 Edmon N. Germany Mtn. Rd. Edmonds Trail East F Fern Cove Site #1 James E. Edmonds Backcountry Trail Camping by Permit Only Taylor Gap Elev. 2607 PARK GATE (Opens 7 am-10 pm) Cross St. Private Property Down Home Lane Foxfire Museum & Heritage Center Cross St. Foxfire Lane Park Boundary Tennessee Rock Trail Tennessee Rock Overlook Private Property Cowee Overlook Nantahala Overlook Ada-hi Falls Trail CLaonweee Springhouse/Ada-hi Falls Trail Trading HickoLryanCeove Blue Post & Ridge Amphitheater Overlook Walk-In Tent Camping Foxfire Trail Forest Mgmt. Rd. Black Rock Overlook Elev. 3446 Park Boundary From Black Rock Mountain: Dillard 4 mi Scaly Mtn., NC 10 mi Franklin, NC 20 mi Highlands, NC 18 mi Cherokee, NC 50 mi Gatlinburg, TN 80 mi 441 Eastern Continental Divide Black Rock Mtn. Pkwy. Mountain City Elev. 2165 Road leading to the park. 441 Park Boundary Black Rock Mtn. Pkwy. N. Main St./Old C Park Boundary Cottages 1 - 10 Pioneer Rd. Camp Tsatu-gi Park Boundary layton Rd. 441 From Black Rock Mountain: Clayton 3 mi Chattooga River 12 mi Tallulah Gorge 15 mi Hiawassee 31 mi Helen 37 mi Atlanta 105 mi 0 SCALE 1/4 mile 1/2 mile Since trails may be closed for maintenance or inclement weather, check with the rangers at the Park Visitor Center to ensure availability. Criminal trespass charges and search & rescue costs can be charged to parties guilty of negligence or failure to get user permits. LEGEND Hiking Trails Tennessee Rock Trail / 2.2-mile loop Ada-hi Falls Trail / .25-mile one-way Springhouse/Ada-hi Falls Trail / .6-mile one-way Visitor Center Connector Trail / .25-mile one-way James E. Edmonds Backcountry Trail / 7.2-mile loop Camping by Permit Only Black Rock Lake Trail / .85-mile loop Symbols Paved Road Gravel Road Forest Management Road Picnic Area Overlook Cottages Pioneer Camping Area RV & Tent Camping Park Visitor Center Picnic Shelter Playground 2009 BLACK ROCK MOUNTAIN STATE PARK Black Rock Mountain State Park, named for its sheer cliffs of dark-colored biotite gneiss, encompasses some of the most outstanding country in Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains. Located astride the Eastern Continental Divide at an altitude of 3,640 feet, Black Rock Mountain is the highest state park in Georgia. Numberous scenic overlooks provide spectacular 80-mile vistas of the Southern Appalachians, and several hiking trails lead visitors past colorful wildflowers, sparkling streams, small waterfalls and lush forests. TRAIL SAFETY & ETIQUETTE Tell someone your itinerary and expected return time. Be prepared for unexpected weather changes by dressing inlayers and carrying rain gear. Take a map, water, snacks, first aid kit, flashlight and whistle. Three short blasts on a whistle are known as a call for help. Do not stray from trails. If you become lost, stay in one location and wait for help. This will make it easier for rescuers to find you. Don't count on cell phones to work in the wilderness, but if they do, be able to give details about your location. Invest in good hiking socks such as those found at sporting goods stores. Avoid blisters by carrying "moleskin" and applying it as soon as you feel a hot spot on your feet. Available in the foot care section of drug stores, moleskin is like felt that sticks to your skin. Be prepared for unexpected rain and wind which can lead to hypothermia. Always carry quality rain gear and turn back in bad weather. If you become wet or cold, it is important to get dry and warm as quickly as possible. Dress in layers and avoid cotton. Luckily, today's hikers can choose from numerous fabrics that wick moisture, dry quickly or conserve heat. Many experienced hikers wear a lightweight shirt that wicks moisture, while carrying a fleece pullover and rain jacket. Pack out all trash. Keep pets on a leash. Do not pick flowers or disturb wildlife. Protect the landscape by staying on trails. Do not shortcut switchbacks. This practice is dangerous and can create major erosiion problems. Stay together. Don't allow hikers, especially children, to run ahead or lag behind. James E. Edmonds Trail (Backcountry) Lookout Mountain 3200 (Elevation: 3162 ft.) 3000 2800 2600 2400 0 1 2 3 4 7.2-Mile Loop Avg. Travel Time: 4 Hours Foot Travel Only Compacted Natural Soil Surface Avg. Grade: 10% Max: 25%/250LF Min. Width: 18 inches Avg. X-slope: 10% Max: 30%/200LF Backcountry Camping by Permit Only. Camping allowed on four designated campsites. See map for locations. Advance reservations required. Call 1-800-864-7275. The 7.2-mile James E. Edmonds Backcountry Trail, named in honor of one of the park's first rangers, offers both day hiking and backcountry camping. This trail is quite steep in a number of places and is rated as "moderate to strenuous." In laurel-filled coves, the trail follows cascading streams with small waterfalls. In the northernmost section of the park, the trail climbs to the summit of Lookout Mountain and offers a stunning vista of Wolffork Valley and surrounding mountain ranges. Black Rock Lake Trail .85-Mile Loop Avg. Travel Time: Half Hour Foot Travel Only Compacted Natural Soil Surface / Gravel / Bark Avg. Grade: 5% Max: 10% Min. Width: 60 inches The loop around scenic Black Rock Lake is the newest segment in the park's trail system. The 17-acre lake is unspoiled by development and is rimmed by forests of white pine and yellow poplar. The gently rolling .85-mile loop is rated "easy" and is perfectly suited for beginners. Wooden bridges cross Taylor Creek and Greasy Creek, the two cascading streams that feed Black Rock Lake, and an 80-foot bridge spans Cricket Cove on the lake's southwest corner. A wheel-chair-accessible pier adjacent Turtle Rock and a 160-foot wooden boardwalk allow anglers a chance to fish for bass, bream, catfish, yellow perch and rainbow trout. In addition, several tables along shady Taylor Creek offer the perfect location for a creek-side picnic. 3500 3450 3400 3350 3300 3250 5 6 7 0 Grade X-slope Width Obstacles may include uneven surfaces, exposed rock and tree roots, fallen trees and/or limbs, steps, long steep grades, loose stones and leaf litter, softness, mud, icing or other slick conditions when wet, poisonous plants, heat and cold in season, insects, snakes and wild animals including bears. Ada-hi Falls Trail .25-Mile Loop Avg. Travel Time: Half Hour Foot Travel Only Compacted Natural Soil Surface Avg. Grade: 25% Max: 58%/30LF Min. Width: 36 inches Avg. X-slope: 10% Max: 10%/300LF The Ada-hi Falls Trail provides a delightful but challenging walk into an outstanding example of a moist, north-slope Appalachian cove. The trail features mature hardwoods, lichen-covered rocks, a variety of ferns and wildflowers, and a dense thicket of rhododendron. At the trail's end is the observation platform for noisy Ada-hi Falls, a small cascade typical of those found at the higher elevations throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains. NOTE: During dry weather, water flow is often reduced to a trickle. CLIMATE DATA FOR BLACK ROCK MOUNTAIN Avg. Avg. Avg. Month High Low Mean Precip. Record High Record Low Jan 44F 30F 37F 6.41 in Feb 47F 32F 39F 6.40 in Mar 54F 37F 45F 7.07 in Apr 63F 45F 54F 5.14 in May 70F 53F 61F 4.97 in Jun 74F 59F 66F 7.29 in Jul 77F 63F 70F 6.73 in Aug 75F 62F 68F 5.91 in Sep 70F 57F 63F 6.50 in Oct 64F 47F 55F 4.84 in Nov 53F 39F 46F 5.91 in Dec 45F 31F 38F 5.55 in 68F (2002) 73F (1996) 80F (2007) 84F (2001) 84F (1996) 86F (2006) 89F (1993) 88F (2008) 83F (1999) 78F (2007) 74F (2005) 70F (2007) -20F (1985) -4F (1991) 3F (1996) 16F (2007) 30F (1992) 40F (1985) 46F (1979) 48F (1986) 35F (1990) 25F (1989) 8F (1979) -4F (1985) Tennessee Rock Trail Black Rock Mountain (Summit Elevation: 3640 ft.) 1 2 2.2-Mile Loop Avg. Travel Time: One and a Half Hour Foot Travel Only Compacted Natural Soil Surface Avg. Grade: 10% Max: 25%/200LF Min. Width: 18 inches Avg. X-slope: 10% Max: 25%/50LF The yellow-blazed 2.2-mile Tennessee Rock Trail, winding its way through some of the highest and lushest forests, is the park's most popular hiking trail. Rated by experienced hikers as "easy to moderate," the trail offers most visitors a perfect opportunity to get better acquainted with the area's rich woodlands and vistas, that on clear days span over 80 miles into the neighboring states of both North and South Carolina, as well as Tennessee. Tennessee Rock Trail Interpretive Information Hikers wanting to learn more about the special forest ecology of the Southern Appalachians may wish to purchase a copy of "An Interpretive Guide to the Tennessee Rock Tail," available for a small fee at the visitor center and campground trading post. The text in this 32-page illustrated booklet corresponds to 25 numbered posts located along the trail. In addition to information about the park's natural history, the trail guide features interesting facts about early pioneer and North American life, as well as facinating information about Appalachian geology, geography and climate. The guide serves as an excellent introduction to Black Rock Mountain State Park and the surrounding mountain region. Hikers using the guide will quickly learn that there's a lot more to be found along the trail than just trees. For instance, hikers will discover an Appalachian boulderfield, an actual remnant of the great ice age which ended more than 10,000 years ago. Hikers will also walk a quarter-mile area along the Blue Ridge Mountain backbone, following the Eastern Continental Divide. This great ridge separates rainfall flowing eastward toward the Savannah River and the Atlantic Ocean from rainfall trending westward toward the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. And when the weather is clear, hikers on the Tennessee Rock Trail can see Georgia's Brasstown Bald and Clingman's Dome in Tennesee.