Bell Mountain Park and Historical Site doesn’t require a hike, but the views will make you think you’ve traversed the wild forests and mountains of Towns County.
Here’s what you need to know about not-really-hiking Bell Mountain in Hiawassee, Georgia.
THE NON-HIKE
When we shared our hike on Instagram a few weeks ago, the biggest question we got was, “How far is the hike?”
Good news! There is no hike!
When you drive here to this area in Hiawassee, you’ll park in the parking lot and step only a few hundred feet to the observation deck. Easy-peasy.
If you’re up for it, you can climb the stairs to the second, upper observation deck, taking you higher than 3400 ft above sea level. Here, you’ll find 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains and Lake Chatuge.
The day we visited (pictured above) was a little rainy – but even with overcast weather, the view was sensational.
THE HISTORY OF BELL MOUNTAIN
The Hal Herrin Estate donated the 18-acre Bell Mountain Summit to Towns County in 2016.
The history actually goes back farther than that. In the 1960s, a group of men from NC bought the mountain and pillaged it for minerals. That’s when Hal Herrin stepped in and purchased the acreage to preserve it.
It wasn’t until it was gifted to Towns County that the road was paved and parking lots were created, making it accessible to more people.
THE GRAFFITI
You can’t read an article about Bell Mountain without hearing about the graffiti rocks. It’s been there awhile – for the past few years the area is covered in cameras to prevent further vandalism.
Everyone seems to say, “I hate the graffiti.” I’m the first to agree that I wish it wasn’t there, and I’m glad it’s no longer happening. But my beliefs lead me to view the area differently: If you can’t change something, you must accept it.
I can’t change what happened in the past (and it’s not feasible to remove it) so I choose to look at it with an artistic eye, and try and enjoy the juxtaposition of the graffiti agains the majesty of Lake Chatuge.
OTHER PLACES WORTH A STOP NEARBY
After you’ve visited Bell Mountain, there are plenty of other great things to do nearby. Here are some of our favorites!
- Hike or take the shuttle to Brasstown Bald.
- Visit Vogel State Park.
- “Hike” the Appalachian Trail by shopping at Mountain Crossings, home to the only covered portion of the AT.
- Enjoy one of our favorite family hikes — Blood Mountain.
- Go tubing down the Chattahoochee in Helen, GA.
- Explore Blairsville, GA.
MORE INFORMATION FOR YOUR TRIP TO GEORGIA
- YOUR GEORGIA VACATION
- HELEN: Helen GA: 37+ Best Things To Do for Alpine Fun
- NORTH GA MTNS: North Georgia Mountains: 120+ Amazing Ways To Have Fun
- CAMPGROUNDS: 39+ of the Best Campgrounds in North Ga
- RAVEN CLIFF FALLS: Raven Cliff Falls Georgia: Hike This Gorgeous Trail in Helen
WHERE TO STAY NEAR BELL MOUNTAIN
Follow us here: Facebook | X | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | MSN | TripAdvisor | Flipboard | NewsBreak
All articles belong to 365 Atlanta Family LLC, and all photos belong to us as well, unless otherwise noted. It’s all copyrighted. Please don’t repost anything elsewhere without asking me first. All rights reserved. This site uses cookies to enhance your experience.
We make no guarantees of any price listed on our site. We are not responsible for content on external web sites linked from ours, including linked resources, an external blog post, any partner site, hotel property sites, or affiliate sites. We only write about places we love in an attempt to help you in your adventures, but we can’t guarantee you will love them, too.
Posts may contain affiliate links at no cost to you. Several of our trips are also compensated by the respective tourism boards for the city or state we are visiting, restaurants, attractions or brands. This never impacts how we share the destination with you – opinions are always our own and we pride ourselves on that. We do not sell links or accept unsolicited guest posts under any circumstances. Don’t even ask.
United States Copyright, 365 Atlanta Family, LLC
View our Privacy Policy | Subscribe to our Newsletter | Contact Site Owner | View Terms & Conditions | About Us