LOCATION: 405 Vogel State Park Road Blairsville, GA 30512 PH: 706-745-2628 LENGTH: 17 miles TYPE: Loops and partial loops RANKING: Moderate to Difficult ACCESS: 7 am - sundown USAGE: Moderate FEES: $5 parking MAPS: Park Office SURFACE: Compact soil with tree roots and rocky FEATURES: Beautiful mountain views. Creeks and streams. PET FRIENDLY: Yes
Vogel State Park is in the Blue Ridge Mountains at the base of Blood Mountain with an elevation of 2,280 feet. It is in the Chattahoochee National Forest and open year round with beautiful views during all seasons.
We camped here in our Travato van in November 2017 and loved hearing the creek and hiking the trails. Check out our rvhomeontheroad.com site for more information about camping at Vogel State Park.
Trahlyta Lake Trail is an easy 1 mile loop around Lake Trahlyta and can be accessed from picnic shelter #2 or cabin #35. This trail crosses an earthen dam constructed in 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Be sure to take the spur trail off the dam leading to an observation deck below the dam's spillway. The views of Blood Mountain and Slaughter Mountain on this trail are spectacular.
The Bear Hair Gap Trail is a 4.1 mile Partial Loop up and over the lower ridges of Blood Mountain. The trail is green blazed and leaves the park and travels onto the Chattahoochee National Forest which is open to hunting. We found this trail to be rather difficult in places and very rocky with an average grade of 12%. The trail crosses several creeks and is sometimes hard to follow. Turn left when you reach the service road to pick up the Coosa Backcountry Trail.
The Coosa Backcountry Trail is a 12.9 mile partial loop with an average grade of 15%. We connected to the last portion of this trail to descend back to Vogel State Park. We found the trail to be difficult most of the time and slippery in places.
Remember these trails are wild and remote in bear country. Be aware of your surrounding and always have water and snacks. Dress in layers because weather conditions can change rapidly in the mountains.
DIRECTIONS FROM ATLANTA:
I-85 N to I-985 N and continue on GA-52W to Clermont Turn R onto US-129 N Turn L onto Vogel State Park Road
