GA-52 · Dahlonega to Fort Mountain

GA-52 across the north Georgia mountains, one way: from Dahlonega the route rides west past the turn to Amicalola Falls, crosses Ellijay and its apple houses, passes the Cohutta Overlook, climbs Fort Mountain and drops down to Chatsworth. It's 63 miles. The descent from Fort Mountain to Chatsworth is the most technical part. In September and October, apple-season weekends bring heavy traffic around Ellijay, and Georgia state parks charge $10 per vehicle per day to park.

GA-52 crosses the north Georgia mountains from east to west. Out of Dahlonega the route passes the turn to Amicalola Falls State Park, whose 729-foot falls are usually listed as the tallest in Georgia; the falls are a detour off the route, and since January 1, 2026 Georgia state parks charge $10 per vehicle per day to park. Farther west the road reaches Ellijay, which calls itself the apple capital of Georgia: the apple houses on GA-52 east of town sell fried pies and cider, and B.J. Reece Orchards ran its 2026 U-pick season from August 29 through October.

Past Ellijay, GA-52 climbs toward Fort Mountain. The Cohutta Overlook has a small pull-off and a short walk up to a stone platform the Forest Service built in the 1960s, and farther on the Fort Mountain Scenic Overlook sits right on the highway. The state park is known for an 855-foot stone wall of unknown origin and a stone fire tower built by the CCC. The descent from Fort Mountain to Chatsworth is the most technical part of the route. It's a one-way ride; apple-season weekends in September and October bring heavy traffic around Ellijay.