Bull Mountain

Bull Mountain is a hard out-and-back hike in the Blue Ridge Ranger District of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests in north Georgia. The trail climbs steadily from a low point of about 1,776 feet to a high of 2,479 feet, with a total round-trip gain of about 2,486 feet and a one-way gain of 860 feet. The steepest stretch comes at about 1.8 miles in, where the grade reaches 16%. The trail is 8.3 miles long and is open year-round, with an estimated time of about four hours for the round trip. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is on natural surface. Bikes and horses are both allowed. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. At a nearby weather station in Blairsville, typical averages run to highs near 69°F in April and 70°F in October, with October's wet days fewer than in other months. That station sits about 530 feet lower than the mountain's high point, so temperatures on top run cooler. Ball Mountain Trail and the Appalachian Trail both lie within about a mile and a half. Cochran Falls, a climbing area, is about 2.8 miles away, and Frank Gross campground is about 6.7 miles away.