Georgia · Hiking · Cohutta Wilderness

Rough Ridge

4.8 mi
round trip
3,029 ft
climb
2,984 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–May, Aug–Nov
best months

Is Rough Ridge open right now?

Closure in the area

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

Rough Ridge is a 4.8-mile out-and-back hike in the Cohutta Wilderness, part of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests in north Georgia. The trail crosses into the Cohutta Wildlife Management Area and the Conasauga Ranger District, and the land is managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. The route rises from about 1,625 feet to a high point of 2,984 feet, with a total elevation gain of 3,029 feet over the course of the trip. The climb is steepest around the 1.3-mile mark, where the grade reaches about 24 percent. The trail is natural-surface and does not allow bikes. The most comfortable months for a visit are typically May and September, when typical averages from a nearby weather station run from highs of 76°F to 80°F and lows of 50°F to 55°F. That station sits well below the ridge, so temperatures on the high ground run cooler. The hike takes about three hours to complete. Sugar Cove is less than a mile away, and the Jacks River offers river fishing about a mile off. Cottonwood Patch Campground and Jacks River Fields Campground are both within about six miles.

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

    Best time to visit Rough Ridge

    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, 35.6 mi away at 1,949 ft. The station sits about 1,000 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

    • Rough Ridge Trail 12 closed (Cohutta Wilderness)

      Conasauga Ranger District · Order dated July 14, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026, no lift recorded · Forest Service