|
The Long Branch Loop Trail, which is a
Fannin County Hiking Trail near the town of
Blue Ridge Georgia, is an easy drive from Murphy, North Carolina in
Cherokee County.
Long Branch Loop Trail
|
| A hiking-mountain
bicycling trail system 17.0 miles in length has been developed on National
Forest lands near Deep Gap on the Aska Road in south central Fannin County.
Trails range in length from 1-5.5 miles and are open to the recreational
public year around. Trails ascend to near 3200 feet, providing vistas of
mountain ridges and descend to shores of beautiful Lake Blue Ridge. They
also pass through coves of mature hardwoods as will as traversing thickets
of laurel and rhododendron. This is one of those trails which crosses or
travels along a mountain streams and provides a range of forested settings
for the visitor.
Long Branch Loop Trail begins at northeast corner of the parking lot.
It is marked with dark green blazes. Trail leaves parking area and enters
onto old logging road. Within 300 yards come to fork in road. Take
right-hand fork and go gradually downhill on road bed. Cross creek and
ascend gently on grassy road. At 0.75 miles note white and dark green
blazed side trail to right. This leads to Green Mountain Trail. Continue
ahead on road bearing down to left. Descend to branch, cross and
immediately ascend on old skidding road. Go to ridge top, turn left and
follow alongside recent timber harvest on old road. After an additional
mile the visitor will be back at the original fork in trail. Turn right,
proceed 300 yards to parking lot.
Directions from Blue Ridge, Georgia:
Travel east (toward Blairsville, GA) on GA Hwy 515,
approx. 0.8 miles past intersection with GA Hwy 5. Turn Right at Windy
Ridge Rd., go 0.2 miles to dead end with Old U.S. 76. Turn left, go 0.2
miles to Aska Road on right. Continue south on Aska Read 5.9miles to Shady
Falls Road. Turn left, proceed 0.2 miles to parking area on left.
|
