USGS Map
Jacks Gap

Latitude/Longitude
34 52 20N/083 48 36W 

Description
Chattahooche National Forest, Towns/Union County border in north near Tennesse border. 10 miles due east of Blairsville and 10 miles southwest of Hiawasse 

Contact Information:
Blairsville Ranger Office
1881 Highway 515
Blairsville, GA 30512
(706) 745-6928

Additional information::

Brasstown Bald Visitors Information Center
(706) 896-2556 

Heritage Association Bookstore (706) 896-3471
 
 

 
Trip Reports/Photos


Posters

Opinionated Book Reviews

 

Brasstown is unique among the state highpoints in the southern Appalachians in that it actually stands out and is instantly recognizable from a distance (even poor Mt. Mitchell, NC, the East's highest is obscured by nearby comparably high peaks). Brasstown rises up from Lake Chatuge and Hiwassee to dominate the skyline. Its tourist tower makes it easy to identify. Further, being a "bald" means that there is actually a panorama unobstructed by trees (although down the hill a ways is Georgia's only rain forest!).

The rising from the Lake is particularly poignant in that the mountain is the ending spot of a Cherokee version of Noah and the flood. The flood killed everyone except those who arrived there in a Great Canoe.
Folks these days in northern Georgia are concerned that the high country is being bought up by Florida real estate speculators.
Georgia celebrates its highpoint in peculiar and grand ways. 
A sprahwling tower complex sits on the summit. However, access to the fancy glass enclosed tower is severely restricted.

Inside the summit museum automatons tell the story of the mountain. One robot represents Ranger Kingfish Arthur Woody, a legendary local from the early 1900's who helped establish the management of wildlife in the area. The other automaton is a contemporary ranger. It's your guess as what sex that creature is.

The other thing peculiar about the summit is that the USGS marker -- the bread and butter talisman for highpointers -- is locked behind a door. The rangers will unlock it. On this day when lots of highpointers were coming over from a Convention, the rangers were kept busy.
Brasstown seems an appropriate name for the summit of an area with a confusion shaped the local mining history.

Northern Georgia was the site of a "the Gold Rush of 1829" centered near Brasstown at Blairsville. At its peak, more than 300 ounces of gold a day was coming out of the area. Limited mining continues to this day (as do nearby tourist meccas offering chances to hunt for rubies). There is enough gold in them thar hills that the residents were able to sheath the state capitol dome in Atlanta in 1959 with Georgia gold.
The Gold Rush had the unfortunate effect of the forced removal of the Cherokee to Oklahoma in the "Trail of Tears" in which thousands died.
Against this background, the mountain was misnamed by the whites who confused "Brasstown" comes from white's confusion over the name. The Cherokee called it itse-yi ("place of fresh green") while the whites thought they were saying untsaiyi ("brass").

We approached the summit after bagging South Carolina's Sassafras Mountain (about two hours summit to summit) and then following U.S. 76, crossing the Chattooga River (the "Deliverance" river). This area is highly concentrated with dramatic waterfalls and national scenic rivers.
Just west of Hiwassee, we headed south on State Highway 75 before taking State Highway 180 spur to the paved parking area where it cost $2 to park. A gift shop offered all kinds of Brasstown Bald T-shirts and even Brasstown Bald brand bar-b-que. 

Signs warned folks to be careful with bears. Another signed noted that it was a half mile climb with a 500 foot vertical ascent to the summit. For $2 you could take the van shuttle. The trail was steep enough to be interesting but switchbacked enough to make it into a mini super highway. The folks behind us pushed up a baby carriage.
The summit also sports a registration book. There were no obvious hikers at the summit. The mountain is a side trip on the Appalachian Trail.

The automaton representing legendary ranger Arthur Woody who made Brasstown Bald into the monument it is, gives a tour at the summit.