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Fannin County personifies Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountain experience. You will relax and enjoy the splendor of our natural beauty while delighting in the many recreational activities available in the unspoiled mountain beauty.
Blue Ridge has many activities for all ages; whether you are looking for peace of mind, a romantic getway or a little excitement, it’s all here! Visitors and residents enjoy day hiking to nearby waterfalls, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, trout fishing, golfing, shopping or just spending the day watching the sun reflect off the clean, aqua blue waters of Lake Blue Ridge or the crystal clear Toccoa River.
You can stay for a day, a weekend, a month or a lifetime; regardless the memories you create in Blue Ridge will be yours forever. Our cozy mountain cabins with vistas of pristine valleys and ridge tops will delight you. Spend the day exploring indigenous mountain art in the various galleries or browse the many antique shops for old treasures to make your own. Taste local homemade pies and jams from the area’s orchard farms. Sample local wines at area vineyards or enjoy a take in a performance by the local community theater. You can even catch a movie at a genuine drive in movie theater, in business since 1955. Did you know Fannin County also serves as a haven for gorillas between zoos and a kangaroo conservation center? There is a lot to discover about the Blue Ridge area!
While you are here, you must enjoy a train ride along the beautiful Toccoa River from Blue Ridge to McCaysville. The Scenic Blue Ridge Railway journey allows you to experience the multitude of views that Blue Ridge offers with the changing seasons. You will see wildflowers and mountain laurel in the spring, rhododendrons blooming in the summer, bursts of color in the fall foliage display and of course there will be lots of children riding with Santa and his elves during the holiday season.
Blue Ridge weather is absolutely superb! Warm days and cool nights during the summer provide a welcome respite from hot cities and tropical climes. In the winter, highs are in the 50s and temperatures may drop below freezing at night. Snow blankets the mountains three or four times during the year. Fannin county has a sheltered and comfortable hometown feel with a population of 22,580.
Cherokee Indians were the first settlers in the area now known as Blue Ridge and they controlled the area until the first white settlements appeared in 1790. Unlike the remainder of Georgia, Blue Ridge’s first settlers came from the North, not the East. They traveled across the rugged Appalachian Mountains and then followed the Tennessee River south the fertile, wide valley that separates the Cohutta and Blue Ridge Mountains. Fannin county was formed in 1854 from parts of Union and Gilmer counties. Morganton served as the first county seat and the county was named for Col. James Fannin, a Texas War for Independence hero.
The town of Blue Ridge was once considered an elite health resort because of the pure mineral waters that abound. Blue Ridge was founded in 1886 with the arrival of the railroad which boosted Blue Ridge to the center of commerce in Fannin county. With this new status, Blue Ridge became the county seat in 1895. Historic Main Street now features shops, galleries and restaurants with rockers and benches along the way to relax and enjoy the sights.
Blue Ridge is surrounded by natural beauty and scenic water views. Waterfalls like Long Creek, Fall Branch, Sear Creek and Jack’s River Falls are a short hike from the Benton MacKaye / Appalachian Trail or the Aska Road trails. The clean and clear aqua waters of Lake Blue Ridge make it Georgia’s most picturesque mountain lake. The 3,920 acre lake and shoreline features over 90 national forest campsites, several boat ramps, a full service marina and public swimming and picnic areas. 80 percent of Lake Blue Ridge shoreline is within the bounds of the Chattahoochee National Forest, managed by the USDA Forest Service.
Rafters, canoers and kayakers all travel to the Ocoee Whitewater Center located in the Ocoee River Gorge to brave the whitewater. This site hosted the 1996 Olympic Games and was built for the Olympic kayak competition.
After a satisfying day spent outside, relax in front of the fire or watch a dazzling sunset over the lake and plan your next escape to Blue Ridge!
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