Map National Geographic Trails Illustrated Springer and Cohutta Mountains Chattahoochee National Forest
HIGHLIGHTS Isolated in the wilderness for days on end, the men who logged the Cohutta in the 1900s felt as if they were stuck doing time. And this is how the trail known as Penitentiary Branch received its name. But for modern-day travelers, this trail on the east side of the Cohutta Wilderness can be liberating as it provides fairly easy access to the banks of the beautiful Jacks River. Though the trail drops about 1,400 feet to the bank of the river, the descent stretches more than 5.9 miles, so the going isn’t too tough. When the days stretch long in the warmer months, you could soak in the rushing waters or try to reel in a trout, and still have time for the walk back to the car. And if you’re seeking a night out in the forest, a wide campsite with room for several people lies beneath hemlocks along the riverbank.
DIRECTIONS From Atlanta, take I-75 north to I-575/GA 5. Travel north on I-575/GA Highway 5 to East Ellijay, and then continue north on GA 5/US 76 to Blue Ridge. At the intersection near Walmart and The Home Depot, turn left and travel north on GA 5 for 3.7 miles. Turn left onto Old State Route 2 and drive 10.5 miles to Watson Gap. Turn right onto Forest Service Road 22 and go 3.3 miles to the parking area for the Dally Gap and Jacks River Trailhead.
FACILITIES/TRAILHEAD There are no facilities at the Dally Gap Trailhead for Hemp Top. On the Penitentiary Trail, water is available at the Penitentiary Branch stream and of course at Jacks River. Be sure to treat water from all streams and the river. Camping is allowed anywhere in the wilderness area; during your trek down Penitentiary Branch you will see a couple of small clearings, though the flat area along Jacks River provides enough room for several people. This is bear territory, so hang your food at night, and before you hike, give your itinerary to a friend or ranger, especially if you hike solo.
Penitentiary Branch is an interior trail in the wilderness that you can reach via the Hemp Top Trail, as detailed below, or the Jacks River Trail. To reach the Penitentiary Trail from the Hemp Top Trail, begin at the Dally Gap parking area on the eastern side of the Cohutta Wilderness. This is the location of trailheads for the Hemp Top and Jacks River trails. Hemp Top is the trail to the right (Waypoint 1). Pass the metal gate and ascend gradually, traveling north through hemlocks, pines, and hardwoods.
Travel on the Hemp Top Trail for 2.2 miles to a Y intersection (Waypoint 2). Bear left to descend on the Penitentiary Branch Trail. At first, you may feel hemmed in as Virginia pines and hemlock trees form green walls on each side of the path. But the 3-mile mark brings slight views of Hickory Ridge to the west. You may detect the pungent odor of galax, a heart-shaped evergreen plant that thrives in shaded forest.
At 3.6 miles, a small opening used as a campsite lies to the right, just before the trail drops briefly and crosses a drainage. The views to the west come and go as you move deeper into the ravine, and at 5 miles you’ll hear the first whispers of Jacks River. After another 0.3 mile, the forest opens as high-rise hemlocks dominate the land to your right.
Cross the shallow Penitentiary Branch stream at 5.5 miles, and turn to the northwest to hike parallel with the water. Less than a half mile farther, the trail ends beside Jacks River on a shaded plot of flat ground with wide-open spaces (Waypoint 3). To return to Dally Gap, retrace your steps to the Hemp Top Trail, or you can cross the river to return on the Jacks River Trail (Trip 5).
WAYPOINTS
1. N34º 56.013' W84º 31.139'
2. N34º 57.257' W84º 31.369'
3. N34º 57.417' W84º 33.079'
5 COHUTTA WILDERNESS: Jacks River Trail
Distance 14.2 miles, out-and-back (or 12.7-mile loop if returning via Penitentiary Branch Trail)
Hiking Time 4–5 hours
Difficulty Easy to moderate
Elevation +/–1,140' (+2,690'/–1,850' if returning via Penitentiary Branch)
Trail Use Backpacking
Best Times Spring, summer, and fall
Agency Chattahoochee National Forest, Conasauga Ranger District
Recommended Map National Geographic Trails Illustrated Springer and Cohutta Mountains Chattahoochee National Forest
HIGHLIGHTS A massive amount of timber was pulled from the Cohutta Wilderness in the 1900s, with four logging camps employing 300 to 400 men. The effort grew so intense that when logging began along Jacks River in 1929, a railway was built to carry out the lumber. By the late 1930s, the tracks were removed, and now all that remains are a few stone supports and scattered scraps of wood and metal. What thrives now is the popular Jacks River Trail, which follows the old rail bed through magnificent forest of hemlocks, oaks, hickories, and ferns. The trip outlined below includes 7.1 miles of the Jacks River Trail, though the path totals 16.7 miles on its journey across the wilderness. This can certainly be done as a long day hike, but ample areas for camping lie along the way.
DIRECTIONS From Atlanta, take I-75 north to I-575/GA 5. Travel north on I-575/GA Highway 5 to East Ellijay, and then continue north on GA 5/US 76 to Blue Ridge. At the intersection near Walmart and The Home Depot, turn left and travel north on GA 5 for 3.7 miles. Turn left onto Old State Route 2 and drive 10.5 miles to Watson Gap. Turn right onto Forest Service Road 22 and go 3.3 miles to the parking area for the Dally Gap and Jacks River Trailhead.
FACILITIES/TRAILHEAD There are no facilities at the Dally Gap Trailhead for the Jacks River Trail. Water is plentiful, but be sure to treat water from all streams and the river. Camping is allowed anywhere in the wilderness area, and along the way you’ll find attractive spots for camping beside the river and in stands of hemlocks. This is bear territory, so hang your food at night, and give your itinerary to a friend or ranger, especially if you hike solo.
Dally Gap is the trailhead for the Jacks River Trail and Hemp Top Trail. The Jacks River Trail is to the left (Waypoint 1). Follow the wide, shaded path that drops easily through hemlocks, hardwoods, and mountain laurel, which blooms white in spring. The path, with green blazes, runs parallel to the Bear Branch stream, out of view but still a thrumming, distant white noise. At 1.9 miles, Bear Branch flows into Jacks River, which you’ll skirt, moving northwest, rolling through low-hanging rhododendrons.
Jacks River begins as a burbling stream and gradually swells as the water cuts through steeper terrain and flows into a ravine. After walking a couple of miles on the trail, you can begin to look for wide areas of flat ground along the riverbank to serve as campsites. At 2.3 miles (Waypoint 2), the trail crosses Jacks River—it’s wise to use a trekking pole for balance here, because the rocks in the stream are very slick.
At 2.7 miles (Waypoint 3), look right for an excellent camping spot in the shade of hemlocks. With space for two or three tents, this wide clear section of the bank lies above a large pool; yards downstream, a cascade is just the right size for a water back massage.
Jacks River
As you continue, you’ll ascend to traverse the bluff above the stream, then make a short, steep descent to a second river crossing at 2.9 miles. Compared with the previous
