Georgia · Hiking

Hike Inn Lodge

Hike Inn LodgePhoto: Bas van Oorschot, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
11.0 mi
round trip
2,370 ft
climb
3,385 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–May, Aug–Nov
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 7 h ago

Is Hike Inn Lodge open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests. It doesn't name Hike Inn Lodge, 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.

Hike Inn Lodge is a hard hike in the Blue Ridge Ranger District of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, within Amicalola Falls State Park in north Georgia. The State Department of Natural Resources manages the land, and the route is an out-and-back of about 11 miles with a total elevation gain of 2,370 feet, from a starting point around 2,680 feet to a high point of 3,385 feet. The climb is steady, and the steepest stretch comes at about 4.1 miles, where the grade reaches 22%. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Blairsville show October highs around 70°F with lows near 43°F, and May highs around 76°F. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the high ground run cooler. The trip takes about five hours. The route is on natural surface, and bikes and horses are not allowed. Several other trails start close by, including the Creek Trail at half a mile and the Appalachian Approach Trail - Georgia at under a mile. Cochran Falls, a climbing area, is about 1.7 miles away, and Amicalola Creek offers canoeing about 4 miles off.

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

    Best time to visit Hike Inn Lodge

    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, 25.9 mi away at 1,949 ft. The station sits about 1,400 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

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Creek TrailPhoto: Bas van Oorschot, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Creek Trail

Next door

1.02-mile out-and-back trail in Georgia with 813 ft elevation gain.

Appalachian Approach Trail - GeorgiaPhoto: StephenGA, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)

Appalachian Approach Trail - Georgia

~2 min drive

A 15.48-mile point-to-point approach to Georgia's Appalachian Trail with mountain scenery.

Anderson CreekPhoto: Thomson20192, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)

Anderson Creek

~5 min drive

6.58-mile out-and-back trail in Georgia with 2,085 ft elevation gain.

Appalachian TrailPhoto: Thomson20192, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)

Appalachian Trail

~6 min drive

120-mile point-to-point section of the iconic Appalachian Trail through Georgia mountains.

Spring TrailPhoto: Bas van Oorschot, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Spring Trail

~1 min drive

0.62-mile out-and-back hike in Georgia with 221 ft of elevation gain

Fdr-872 Jones Creek Dam TrailPhoto: jsnyng, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Fdr-872 Jones Creek Dam Trail

~10 min drive

6.30-mile out-and-back hike to Jones Creek Dam in Georgia

JAKE/BULL CONNECTOR TRAILPhoto: jsnyng, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

JAKE/BULL CONNECTOR TRAIL

~10 min drive

6.96-mile out-and-back trail in Georgia with 1,309 ft elevation gain

Mountain Laural Loop TrailPhoto: Bas van Oorschot, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mountain Laural Loop Trail

~1 min drive

1.16-mile out-and-back hike in Georgia with 629 ft elevation gain/loss.

Jake Mountain TrailPhoto: jsnyng, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Jake Mountain Trail

~11 min drive

4.00-mile out-and-back hike in Georgia with 801 ft gain

HIKE

Anderson Creek

~4 min drive

5.52-mile out-and-back trail in Georgia with 1,161 ft elevation gain