June, 2020

A hidden gem named Lake Conasauga Recreation Area sits atop the northeastern Georgia mountains, and is home to a primitive campground, lake, beaver ponds, hiking trails, and supposedly an elusive 30-pound catfish. But getting here is not for the faint of heart. Our drive, which started in Eton, Georgia, after a shopping trip to stock up on supplies for our 8-day adventure, took over two hours, and yet was only 20 miles. Rusty drove the van up steep forest service gravel roads, with deep ruts and hairpin turns, and of course, no guard rails. By the time we reached the campground, my nerves were frazzled, but we were glad we decided to book a long stay here.

Lake Conasauga is Georgia’s highest lake, and the recreation area was created by the CCC in the 1940s. It’s what I like to think of as a legacy property, because generations of families come back here year after year to camp, hike, fish, and swim. Our hikes here included the Lakeshore Loop Trail, Grassy Mountain Tower Trail, and the Songbird Trail.

On top of Grassy Mountain is a fire tower you can climb, with wide open views and a good place to check your messages, as it’s the only dependable place to get a cell signal. At 3,692 feet, Grassy Mountain is a good trek to get your heart pumping, and Rusty climbed it five times! Be careful walking on the summit, though. It’s inundated with huge colonies of fire ants.

There was quite a bit of bear activity at this campground, which is a testament to campers not always safely stowing their food or properly disposing of their trash. One evening, at least two bears came through, climbing up on picnic tables, going from site to site, and causing quite a raucous. Some of the men, unfortunately, started chasing the bears with flashlights and we heard some gunfire. Not smart, legal or safe in a crowded campground. Luckily the bears got away.

We also met two of the Forest Service employees at Lake Conasauga who work hard to keep the campground clean and well-maintained. Super nice folks! An added bonus, there’s a small cabin located within the campground, and the Forest Service is always looking for volunteers to live here during the season and work as camp hosts.