Georgia · Hiking

Yellow Mountain

6.3 mi
round trip
2,349 ft
climb
3,018 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Mar–May, Aug–Nov
best months

Is Yellow Mountain open right now?

Closure in the area

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

Yellow Mountain is a hard hike in the Blue Ridge Ranger District of the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests in north Georgia, about 6.3 miles from the start. The land is managed by the State Department of Natural Resources, and the route also passes through the Coopers Creek Wildlife Management Area. The trail is an out-and-back with a steady climb. It starts at about 2,733 feet and reaches a high point of 3,018 feet, with a total gain of 2,349 feet for the round trip. The steepest stretch comes at about 2.6 miles in, where the grade reaches 19%. Bikes and horses are not allowed, and the surface is natural. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Blairsville show May highs around 76°F and October highs around 70°F, though that station sits roughly 1,000 feet lower than the summit, so temperatures on top run cooler. Shope Gap and the Mill Shoals Trail are both within about a mile. Cooper Creek Campground is 1.8 miles away, and the Toccoa River offers paddling about 5 miles off.

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 Yellow Mountain

    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, 8.1 mi away at 1,949 ft. The station sits about 1,100 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

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~8 min drive

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

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