Georgia · Hiking

Toccoa Canoe Trail

Toccoa Canoe TrailPhoto: Lahti213, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
26.9 mi
round trip
1,070 ft
climb
1,979 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–May, Aug–Nov
best months

Is Toccoa Canoe Trail open right now?

Closure in the area

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

Toccoa Canoe Trail is an out-and-back hike of about 27 miles on the Forest Service's Blue Ridge Ranger District of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests in north Georgia. The trail rises to a high point of about 1,980 feet from a starting elevation of about 1,845 feet, with the steepest stretch coming around mile 10 at about 6%. It is rated hard, so plan on a long day with some serious climbing. Early fall is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show October highs around 70°F with lows near 43°F and fewer wet days than in summer. That station sits about 30 feet lower than the trail's highest point, so temperatures up top run slightly cooler. Sandy Bottoms - Toccoa River Campground is just 0.2 miles away, and the Long Branch Loop is about 2.5 miles off. The Benton Mackaye Trail and Lake Blue Ridge, roughly 3.7 and 4.1 miles away, round out the options.

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

    Best time to visit Toccoa Canoe Trail

    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, 17.5 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

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