Georgia · Hiking

Rhododendron Trail

3.4 mi
round trip
1,477 ft
climb
1,719 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–Jun, Aug–Nov
best months

Is Rhododendron Trail open right now?

Closure in the area

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

Rhododendron Trail is a 3.4-mile moderate hike in the Chattooga River Ranger District of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests in north Georgia, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is an out-and-back with a total climb of about 1,477 feet, so the one-way gain is roughly 740 feet. The steepest stretch comes early, at about 0.18 miles in, with a grade of 24 percent. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Cornelia, at a similar elevation, show October highs around 70°F with lows near 49°F, and May highs around 76°F. July is the warmest month, with highs near 86°F. The trail sits close to several other spots. Rhododendron Lake is about 0.3 miles away, and Lake Russell Campground is about 0.8 miles off. The Sourwood and Nancytown Lake Loop hikes are each about 1.5 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

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

    Best time to visit Rhododendron Trail

    Best months: March–June 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° / 30°

      10 wet

    2. Feb

      53° / 33°

      10 wet

    3. Mar

      60° / 39°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      69° / 47°

      10 wet

    5. May

      76° / 55°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      82° / 63°

      10 wet

    7. Jul

      86° / 66°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      84° / 66°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      79° / 60°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      70° / 49°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      60° / 39°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      52° / 34°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Cornelia, GA, 1.5 mi away at 1,470 ft. 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

Broad RiverPhoto: ChattOconeeNF, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)

Broad River

~9 min drive

8.18-mile out-and-back trail on the Broad River in Georgia with 874 ft gain.

Terrora Lake Loop TrailPhoto: pseabolt, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Terrora Lake Loop Trail

~30 min drive

0.54-mile loop around Terrora Lake in Georgia with 193 ft of elevation gain.

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

Stone Place Trail

~30 min drive

4.98-mile out-and-back hike in Georgia with 1,237 ft elevation gain

Mount YonahPhoto: twslivxe26, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Mount Yonah

~26 min drive

2.46-mile out-and-back trail in Georgia with 1,921 ft elevation gain.

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

High Bluff Trail

~30 min drive

2.26-mile out-and-back trail in Georgia with 462 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

Rhododendron Lake

Next door

Rhododendron Lake is a 1.19-mile out-and-back trail in Georgia with 100 ft of elevation gain.

HIKE

Ladyslipper

~4 min drive

10.52-mile out-and-back trail in Georgia with 1,004 ft elevation gain.

Rabun BeachPhoto: KW Baker, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Rabun Beach

~30 min drive

0.52-mile out-and-back trail at Rabun Beach in Georgia with 115 ft gain.

HIKE

Lake Russell Loop

~3 min drive

4.86-mile loop around Lake Russell in Georgia with 1,575 ft elevation gain.

HIKE

Leatherwood Creek

~10 min drive

Creek-side out-and-back hike through Georgia forest with moderate difficulty.

Route details

Distance
3.4 mi round trip
Climbing
About 1,477 ft
Summit
1,825 ft
Difficulty
Moderate
Time
About 1 hour

Season

Season: Year-round.

Questions about this route

How long is the Rhododendron Trail on Chenocetah Mountain?

About 3.4 mi round trip.

How much elevation gain is on the Rhododendron Trail?

About 1,477 ft of climbing round trip.

How hard is the Rhododendron Trail?

It is rated moderate.

How long does the Rhododendron Trail take?

About 1 hour round trip.

When is the best time for the Rhododendron Trail?

Year-round.

Conditions and forecast on Chenocetah Mountain

Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.