Any of you guys live up or near the area? My wife wants to go away for a few days and she’d like to see some foliage. I don’t feel like flying to New York or New England.
Appreciate any info
More specifically, northern Georgia, Alabama etc…
Blue Ridge, GA
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Yes…an area near and dear to my heart! If you want the tourist trap experience, try Helen Ga, a Bavarian themed mountain town. The Chattahoochee River flows right through the middle of town. Upstream does contain some trout, though most trout fishing in the 'Hooch is stockers.
As @DBStoots so eloquently stated, Blue Ridge, Ga is a great destination. There’s lots of trout fishing nearby, and plenty of things to do around town. If you get the chance, go by Bill Oysters rod shop. Bill is a bamboo artist and his rods have graced the pages of many magazines
Another favorite of mine and my wife’s is Dahlonega, Ga. Nice ride up from Gainesville Ga and you can go on to Dawsonville (if you are a NASCAR fan, you’ll know).
Going more toward western North Carolina, Clayton, Ga is a good starting place, and you can go several different directions.
North Carolina has destinations like Dillsboro, Franklin, and Cherokee. Some are more tourist friendly, others are quieter and more laid back.
@Vinny You mentioned seeing foliage. Much of the higher elevation foliage is either peak right now or slightly past peak. There are really no wrong ways to go. Just pick out a town and go, there will be plenty to see along the way.
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Upper East Tennessee at the North Carolina border. Think Bald Mountain, Boone NC, Roan Mtn. Nolichuki river good trout fishing and the small creeks have wild brookies. This is real Appalachia. Great apple country too. All kinds of varieties. Get off the trail and enjoy.
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Appreciate it guys. I’ll start looking tomorrow, perhaps next weekend we can take a ride to see some color. As much as I love where we are I do miss the fall on LI. I miss deer hunting and standing in the surf/rocks throwing flies at Stripers. Mostly, being with my grandchildren.
Thanks again.
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Follow what @fishnpreacher said. North GA is just getting prime right now with this past weeks cold front. So the mountains of North Carolina are peaked. Hiawasee ,Ga is a nice quiet place on lake Chatuge. Or you can head into Franklin,NC and be at the Smokies in about 30-45 minutes. There are areas closer to the smokies to stay, but I imagine they are fully booked with all the leaf lookers.
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Fishnpreacher gave solid places. I’ll add Sylva, NC is one of my go tos in NC, cool little town with some places to drink and a fly shop. I’d recommend taking a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway if you never have, lots of mountain and valley views with numerous places to stop and look. Cataloochee Valley in NC is another nice area to check out where there’s typically numerous Elk in portions.
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Nothing much to add, except drive the parkway or the cherahola parkway(spell ck that one) if you go into Carolina. Otherwise I second Blue Ridge/Helen. I’ve spent time in both. As well as many of the NC areas. Blue ridge we rented a cabin on the river and could literally fish off the porch, just watch the damn release times. Helen is certainly more touristy trap but is still a neat little town. @fishnpreacher really nailed it though. Great advice there. If you detour through my area reach out. Be glad to take you on the water or grab lunch.
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Spent a good bit of time in the Waynesville/ Maggie Valley area. Nice drives on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
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We used to own a cabin in McCaysville, GA on Fightingtown Creek. That’s a tributary to the Toccoa River. The creek is all private land, so you can’t fish it without permission. McCaysville is a nice little town, just up the road from Blue Ridge. There is a scenic railroad that runs between the two towns. McCaysville is home to a rather unique store, McCaysville Drug & Gun. It doesn’t amount to much, but the store name gets high marks.
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Blowing Rock NC
a great town with lots to do
killer chow good pubs
super5
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we owned a cabin on Little Fightingtown Creek in
cashes valley for many years,right on the
edge of the Cohutta Wilderness .Way before the boom in
downtain Blue Ridge
super5
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Cataloochee valley is closed until APR 2026, no access unless obo. The cool road that approaches it from the east over the mountain is open, can’t go south once in the valley. You can ride north or come in from north and west. The main drag where the elk hang out is closed for repairs.
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We have a cabin on the way to Cataloochee and it was open as of a few months ago via Cove Creek Road off I-40 at the Maggie Valley exit. You can get to Cataloochee Creek and the wildlife viewing area in the valley. Walked right up on a cow elk last time I fished the creek. Many of the trails and other roads are closed though.
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