Georgia · Hiking

Flat Creek Loop

Flat Creek LoopPhoto: Olin Gilbert, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
10.1 mi
loop
785 ft
climb
2,697 ft
high point
Loop
route
Mar–May, Aug–Nov
best months

Is Flat Creek Loop open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests. It doesn't name Flat Creek Loop, so check the source for the area it covers (4 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Flat Creek Loop is a 10.1-mile hike in the Blue Ridge Ranger District of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests in north Georgia, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is rated hard, with a total elevation gain of 785 feet, and it rises from a starting point of about 2,413 feet to a high of 2,697 feet. The steepest stretch comes at about 4.4 miles, where the grade reaches 22 percent. Bikes are allowed on the natural-surface trail, but horses are not. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Blairsville show May highs around 76°F and October highs near 70°F, with September the driest month at about nine wet days. That station sits roughly 750 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the loop run cooler. The Whissenhunt Loop starts just 0.3 miles away, and the Lower Green Mountain (Connecto) and Green Mountain hikes are each about 0.9 miles off. Lake Blue Ridge, about 2.6 miles away, offers fishing.

  • Best time to go · Mar–May, Aug–Nov

    Best time to visit Flat Creek Loop

    Best months: March–May and August–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.

    1. Jan

      49° / 25°

      12 wet

    2. Feb

      53° / 28°

      12 wet

    3. Mar

      60° / 34°

      12 wet

    4. Apr

      69° / 41°

      11 wet

    5. May

      76° / 50°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      82° / 58°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      85° / 62°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      84° / 61°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      80° / 55°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      70° / 43°

      10 wet

    11. Nov

      61° / 33°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      52° / 29°

      12 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Blairsville Exp Stn, GA, 20.4 mi away at 1,949 ft. The station sits about 700 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

    Closures we've recorded since August 2026

    • Spring 2026 Forest-wide Fire Restrictions

      Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests · Order dated April 23, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026 → lifted Oct 13, 2026 · Forest Service

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