Anderson Creek Lifestyle
Private cottage sites and community green space offer families and friends an unparalleled opportunity to explore a diverse southern Appalachian landscape over 1,200 acres and the boundless expanse of the Chattahoochee Forest next door.
Whether you choose to relax beside a mountain stream, putter in your garden, hop on your bike, lace up your hiking boots or saddle your horse to take to the trails, Anderson Creek Retreat offers an exceptional outdoor lifestyle as an antidote to life in the twenty-first century.
Fishing
Anderson Creek, a primary trout stream known for a hardy brown and rainbow trout population, offers owners exclusive access for catch-and-release fly fishing. Anderson Lake boasts a healthy population of bass and bream. Nearby trout waters include the Cartecay River, Noontootla Creek, Toccoa River, Coopers Creek, Jacks River and the Conasauga River in the Cohutta Wilderness. Purists who fancy a bamboo rod should check out Bill Oyster’s masterpieces and weeklong workshops where they will build their own: http://www.oysterbamboo.com.
Noontootla Creek Farms http://ncfga.net/ offers guides for trophy trout fishing on the Noontootla River. The Cohutta Fishing Company provides guides for trout fishing on private sections of the Cartecay River https://cohuttafishingco.com/guides/freshwater.
Hiking
With more than 1,200 acres at Anderson Creek Retreat and another 750,000 acres of National Forest next door, property owners have endless woods and trails to wander. The Appalachian Trail is an eight mile hike from Anderson Creek Retreat along the high ridge at our National Forest boundary. The Benton Mackaye Trail, named for the forester and planner who in 1921 proposed building a trail along the Appalachian mountain ridges from Maine to Georgia, is just three miles from Anderson Creek Retreat.
Horseback Riding
Property owners enjoy the use of our five-stall barn with more than 10 acres of pasture and access to more than twelve miles of private trails. The Anderson Creek Retreat trail system includes high mountain ridges, hardwood coves, pastures and meadows and creeks valleys. In addition, the Chattahoochee National Forest, the Cohutta Wilderness and Rich Mountain Wilderness offer trails.
Biking
Gilmer County is known as the “Moab of the East.” National mountain biking events are held annually in the Cohutta Wilderness and the nearby Aska Trails Area. Anderson Creek Retreat’s extensive single-track trails and old logging and wagon roads challenge bikers of any skill level.
These are three popular trails near Anderson Creek Retreat:
Bear Creek Trail: 6.7 miles in length. This double-loop trail follows scenic Bear Creek through hemlock-cove hardwood forests and passes by the Gennett Poplar, an immense, old-growth yellow poplar tree. The 2-mile round trip to the “Big Poplar” makes a great family outing. Sections of the trail are narrow, steep, and the path crosses several streams. Mainly single-track loop trail for intermediate to advanced riders. Some doubletrack. Great downhills and Whoop-de-doos. 2 mile dual track lead in to 4 mile single track loop with cross trails. There is no charge to use this popular trail. Note: Hikers and campers use this area.
Amicalola Falls State Park in Dawsonville – Bike Trail: 16 miles of singletrack that loops. Good for intermediate level. Extremely easy to get lost so please get a map.
Aska Trail System – Bike Trail: Enjoy 17 scenic miles of recreational US forest trails for bicyclists and hikers. Trails range in length from 1.0 mile to 5.1 miles and range in difficulty from easy to strenuous. The system utilizes hand dug tread way and old logging roads. These trails include Long Branch 2.5-mile loop, Flat Creek 5-mile loop, Green Mountain Trail, and Stanley Gap Trail. The area is accessed from Aska Road parking area at Deep Gap and from Stanley Gap and Shady Falls Road. A mixture of single track and former logging roads with elevations changes of 1,700 feet are encountered. These trails offer gentle to moderate hiking grades but are challenging. Trail is free and open all year.
For more information on mountain biking see The Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA)
Road bikers enjoy riding the scenic and challenging 77 mile loop known as Six Gaps: http://sixgap.com/
Gilmer County Mountain Bike Trail Map: http://www.cartecaybikes.com/trails-maps/
Whitewater Rivers
Whitewater adventure seekers can choose from rivers in three states, including the Ocoee River – site of the 1996 Olympic whitewater events – and the popular Nantahala River, with Class III rapids. Whitewater rivers nearby are the Cartecay River, the Toccoa River, Amicalola Creek and the Etowah River.
Useful links for whitewater experiences:
Etowah and Chestatee Rivers: (www.canoegeorgia.com)
Toccoa River: http://www.jonrontro.com/
Ocoee River (Site of the1996 Olympics): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toccoa/Ocoee_River
Cartecay River: http://www.cartecayriverexperience.com/
Nantahala Center: Nantahala Outdoor Center: http://noc.com/
Music, Crafts and Mountain Culture
The Southern Appalachians are known for their Scotch-Irish heritage and a distinct culture that is still evident in the fiddlers, pickers, craftsmen and artists that call the mountains home. Take classes from experienced artists at the John C. Campbell Folk School or The Penland School of Crafts or begin your own collection of Appalachian crafts while browsing shops in nearby Ellijay, Blue Ridge and Dahlonega featuring works from the artists of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. Traditional music performances and festivals are year round. For more information, checkout the resources of The Blue Ridge Art Association and the Gilmer Arts and Heritage Association.
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