Georgia · Hiking

Lakeshore

0.6 mi
loop
2,434 ft
high point
Loop
route
Easy
difficulty
Mar–May, Aug–Nov
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is marginal · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 8 h ago

Is Lakeshore open right now?

Closure in the area

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

Lakeshore is a short, easy loop hike in the Blue Ridge Ranger District of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests in north Georgia, within the Chestatee Wildlife Management Area. The State Department of Natural Resources manages the land, and the trail is about 0.6 miles long, with a loop that starts and ends at roughly the same point. The route has a total gain of 305 feet and a total loss of 322 feet, making it a gentle walk with a slight overall descent. The steepest part of the trail, at about 7%, comes roughly halfway through the loop. For timing, late spring and early fall are the most comfortable seasons. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Blairsville show highs around 76°F in July, with August highs near 82°F and lows around 50°F in January. Dockery Lake Rec. Area, a campground about 0.1 mile away, is the closest neighbor. Preacher's Rock Boulders, a climbing area about 1.4 miles off, and the Dockery Lake and Black Mountain Trail hikes, both within a few miles, round out the options.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

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

    Best time to visit Lakeshore

    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, 12.6 mi away at 1,949 ft. 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

Dockery LakePhoto: qvfp, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Dockery Lake

~4 min drive

5-mile out-and-back trail to Dockery Lake in Georgia.

Jarrard GapPhoto: Thomson20192, Public Domain Dedication (CC0) (via Flickr)

Jarrard Gap

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Coosa BackcountryPhoto: TranceMist, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Coosa Backcountry

~9 min drive

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Slaughter CreekPhoto: ChattOconeeNF, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Slaughter Creek

~8 min drive

3.62-mile out-and-back trail in Georgia with 1,183 ft of elevation gain.

Desoto FallsPhoto: Bas van Oorschot, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Desoto Falls

~7 min drive

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Yellow Mountain

~12 min drive

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Byron Herbert ReecePhoto: Pete Seabolt, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Byron Herbert Reece

~9 min drive

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Slaughter Creek TrailPhoto: ChattOconeeNF, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Slaughter Creek Trail

~7 min drive

0.7-mile out-and-back trail in Georgia with 397 ft gain and 3,086 ft max elevation.

Coosa Backcountry TrailPhoto: TranceMist, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Coosa Backcountry Trail

~10 min drive

2.32-mile out-and-back hike in Georgia with 1,182 ft elevation gain