43.387' W85º 9.844'
12 Rocktown Trail
Distance 2 miles, out-and-back
Hiking Time 1 hour
Difficulty Easy
Elevation +/–15'
Trail Use Climbing and good for kids
Best Times Year-round (winter is best for climbing)
Agency Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division
Recommended Maps USGS 7.5-minute Cedar Grove and Lafayette or visit drtopo.com for a downloadable PDF of the bouldering problems.
HIGHLIGHTS The Rocktown Trail leads to a sprawling jumble of rock formations that offer some of the finest bouldering in the Southeast, with problems that range in difficulty from V0 to V8. Even those who don’t climb will find Rocktown fascinating, because it seems as if you’re walking through a village ruin where ancients lived among houses of sandstone. Heightening the effect are narrow alleys with steep walls that snake between boulders some 30 feet high. The hike to the Rocktown boulder field is brief but pleasant, with ferns and hardwoods surrounding the path. Once you reach the boulders, you’ll find that the rocks have eroded in curious ways—some with scooped-out, round pockets, others with vertical furrows that make the rock face appear like rows of bones. The lower portions of some boulders have eroded more quickly than their tops, so some appear to be balanced precariously, defying gravity by not toppling. In the Rocktown labyrinth, you will also find arêtes and an overhanging roof.
DIRECTIONS From Atlanta, take I-75 north to the exit for GA 136 (Exit 320) toward Resaca/Lafayette. Take GA 136 west 26.8 miles to E. Villanow St./GA 193. Take GA 193 west, and in Lafayette take GA 193 north 2.8 miles. Turn left onto Chamberlain Road at the CROCKFORD-PIGEON MOUNTAIN WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA sign. Travel 3.4 miles on Chamberlain Road and turn right onto Rocky Lane at a WMA sign. Go 3.5 miles, passing a DNR check-in station, and at the next road intersection, turn right. Travel another 1.3 miles and turn left onto Rocktown Road. Take this 0.6 mile until it ends at the parking area.
FACILITIES/TRAILHEAD There are no facilities at the parking area for Rocktown. The nearest camping area is Sawmill Lake. To get there, go to the junction of Rocky Lane and Rocktown Road, continue on Rocky Lane (about a quarter mile), and turn onto the first road on the right. There are no facilities at Sawmill Lake and no water source other than the lake itself.
NOTE(S) A Georgia Outdoor Recreational Pass (GORP) is required for Rocktown Trail. To get a pass, visit georgiawildlife.com, call 800-366-2661, or visit a license agent. (Find an agent at georgiawildlife.com/LicenseAgents.) Cost for GORP pass: Individual 3-Day, $3.50; Individual Annual, $19; Small Group 3-Day, $10; Small Group Annual, $35. Transaction fee: $2.50 for online, $3 for license vendor, and $5 by phone. The Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area, including Rocktown, is closed to nonhunters all day during firearm deer-hunting season. For exact dates, visit eregulations.com/georgia/hunting/region-1.
The strange stone “buildings” of Rocktown
At the north end of the gravel parking area, enter the trail (Waypoint 1). Soon you will cross a branch of Allen Creek and take an easy, pleasant walk over fairly flat ground populated with Virginia pines, oaks, and hickory trees. The forest is fairly open with ferns, as well as stands of mountain laurels, lining the path. At 0.5 mile (Waypoint 2), you’ll soon pass between two rock formations. Keep going, because the main area known as Rocktown is a half mile ahead.
At 1 mile, you’ll reach the first stone formations in the main Rocktown collection (Waypoint 3). The sandstone and conglomerate stones display a variety of colors, from dull grays to shades of red and brown. The rust color in some of the stones hints at the fact that iron ore was once mined in the surrounding area.
Continue ahead to further explore the many “streets,” or trails, that wind among the stones. Those interested in climbing should download the Rocktown map at drtopo.com, which includes sketches of the various rock formations and identifies the locations of many bouldering problems, such as the Scoop (V3), Croc Block (V5), Bermuda Triangle (V7), and the Orb (V8). The topo provides unofficial names for many problems as well as difficulty ratings.
WAYPOINTS
1. N34º 39.537' W85º 23.382'
2. N34º 39.243' W85º 23.359'
3. N34º 38.957' W85º 23.441'
13 Pocket Recreation Area
Distance 2.6 miles, main loop
Hiking Time 1 hour
Difficulty Easy
Elevation +150'/–120'
Trail Use Leashed dogs
Best Times Spring and fall
Agency U.S. Forest Service, Conasauga Ranger District
Recommended Map USGS 7.5-minute Sugar Valley
HIGHLIGHTS On a topographic map, Mill Mountain and Horn Mountain appear as two long spines that connect to form a U. Their steep slopes wrap around an area of low land, known as the Pocket. The Pocket Loop Trail heads through forest where spring-fed streams and other rivulets support a rich variety of trees and wildflowers. In the lower forest, American beech and sycamore trees thrive in the moist soil, while surrounding hills are thick with white oaks, hickory trees, and shortleaf and loblolly pines. In spring you’ll also see dogwoods in bloom. The paths here are easy, and the campground is pleasant, making it a good place to combine overnight camping with a relaxing walk. A real gem here is the Aquatic Viewing Area, a wetland about a half mile into the hike. Set in a broad clearing, it allows excellent views for birding.
DIRECTIONS Take I-75 north to Resaca. Take GA 136 west 15 miles. East of Villanow, turn south onto Pocket Road and travel 7 miles to the entrance of the Pocket Recreation Area. Go 0.3 mile on the one-way loop road to a parking area on the right.
FACILITIES/TRAILHEAD Restrooms (with handicapped facilities), water sources, and picnic tables are available in the camping area. You can hike year-round, though the campground, with 27 sites, is closed from November 1 through April 1.
Begin at the southeast end of the paved parking area and enter the path marked with green blazes (Waypoint 1). Walk south to take a footbridge across a creek and pass the sign for the Pocket Loop Trail.
Walk a little more than 500 feet to reach the beginning of the loop (Waypoint 2). Turn left to follow the trail marked with green blazes. This dirt path crawling with roots and moss takes you through oak and beech trees, which are called out on an interpretive sign near the beginning of the loop. The downed trees in the dense forest ahead are
