Primitive Campsite 1
Campground
Expert is a short, easy hike in Cloudland Canyon State Park in northwest Georgia, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. The nearest town is Ascalon, about 1.6 miles away. The route is an out-and-back of about a mile, with a total climb of 209 feet from the start at 1,814 feet to a high point of 1,875 feet. The steepest stretch comes early, at about 0.11 miles in, with an 8% grade. The trail is short and gentle, so it works well as a quick stop or a warm-up before longer hikes in the park. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show May highs around 74°F and October highs around 67°F, with September and October seeing the fewest wet days of the year. Several other hikes sit within half a mile, including Barkeater, Great Eastern Trail - Lookout Mountain and Can't Hardly. Paddlers can find Sitton Gulch Creek about 2.7 miles away.
Primitive Campsite 1
Campground
Canyon Grill
Restaurant
If it rainsPub. by Cline Photo Co., Chattanooga. Tenn. "Tichnor Quality Views," Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. Made Only by Tichnor Bros.,..., Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsOchs Memorial Museum
Museum
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Pub. by Cline Photo Co., Chattanooga. Tenn. "Tichnor Quality Views," Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. Made Only by Tichnor Bros.,..., Public domain (commons)
More in Red BankBest months: March–November. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
46° / 29°
11 wet
Feb
49° / 31°
11 wet
Mar
58° / 39°
11 wet
Apr
68° / 47°
11 wet
May
74° / 57°
11 wet
Jun
81° / 65°
11 wet
Jul
84° / 67°
11 wet
Aug
82° / 67°
10 wet
Sep
78° / 61°
8 wet
Oct
67° / 51°
9 wet
Nov
57° / 40°
9 wet
Dec
48° / 32°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lookout Mtn-Point Park, TN, 13.8 mi away at 2,110 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Photo: The_Gut, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Bear Creek Backcountry Trail
~2 min drive
9.06-mile out-and-back hike in Georgia with 2,137 ft elevation gain.
Overlook Trail
~3 min drive
Short out-and-back trail to a scenic Georgia overlook.
Pocket Loop Trail
~18 min drive
8.37-mile loop in Georgia with 1,787 ft elevation gain and loss.
Sitton's Gulch Trail
~3 min drive
3.88-mile out-and-back trail in Georgia with 1,590 ft elevation gain.
Photo: The_Gut, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Meadowlands Trail
~3 min drive
1.12-mile out-and-back trail in Georgia with 234 ft elevation gain
Photo: The_Gut, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)West Rim Loop Trail
~3 min drive
3.41-mile out-and-back trail in Georgia with 997 ft gain.
Cloudland Canyon
~3 min drive
1.56-mile point-to-point trail in Georgia with 128 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
Barkeater
Next door
2.86-mile out-and-back trail in Georgia with 566 ft elevation gain.
Photo: The_Gut, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Two-Mile Backcountry Trail
~3 min drive
1.80-mile loop in Georgia with 243 ft elevation gain.
HIKE
John Smartt Trail
~18 min drive
1.84-mile out-and-back trail in Georgia with 1,583 ft gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors