Running Trails in North Georgia

Flat riverside miles, state park dirt and a mountain road climb near Helen

By The Explore Helen Editorial Team Updated October 8, 2026 Fees, hours and race dates checked with Georgia State Parks and organizers

The short answer

For an easy run in Helen, take the flat, paved mile along the river to Hardman Farm. For dirt, Unicoi State Park has a 2.5-mile lake loop and a 6-mile round-trip trail to Helen (ParkPass $10 a day). The big race is the Hogpen Hillclimb 18K on January 16, 2027, a climb of more than 2,500 feet from downtown Helen to Hogpen Gap.

Helen is a good place to run because the options are so different within a few miles: a flat, paved mile along the river, rolling country roads in the Nacoochee Valley, rhododendron-lined dirt in the state parks, and one famously brutal climb up the mountain road to Hogpen Gap. Pick the one that fits your legs, then use the table below to find it.

Downtown Helen sits at about 1,440 feet and the ridgelines around it top 3,000 feet, so even a short run usually includes a hill.

Where to run near Helen

Running routes near Helen with surface, distance and notes
Route	Surface	Distance	Notes
Helen to Hardman Heritage Trail	Paved, flat	About 1 mile each way (2 round trip)	Follows the Chattahoochee River between Helen and Hardman Farm. Free, accessible, with boardwalk sections. See the trail guide.
Unicoi Lake Trail	Easy dirt loop	2.5-mile loop	Circles Unicoi Lake; the park suggests it for fall leaves. $10 ParkPass. See the lake loop guide.
Unicoi/Helen Trail	Dirt, rolling	About 3 miles each way (6 round trip)	Foot traffic only. Trailheads at the far end of the lodge's level 3 lot. See the Helen to Unicoi guide.
Smithgall Woods	Park trails	Laurel Ridge loop 1.6 miles	Register at the visitor center. 7 AM to dark; ParkPass required; stay on the trails. 61 Tsalaki Trail.
Nacoochee Valley roads	Paved country roads	Your choice of loop	Rolling farmland roads out of Nacoochee Village. Shoulders vary and traffic picks up on weekends, so go early.
Richard Russell Scenic Highway to Hogpen Gap	Paved mountain road	About 11 miles (18K) up to Hogpen Gap	A sustained climb past 3,400 feet. Narrow shoulders; a race course, not a casual run.

Distances for park trails come from Georgia State Parks; the Hogpen distance is the race's published 18K. Parking at state parks needs the $10 daily ParkPass.

Trail running in the state parks

Unicoi State Park is the easiest place to get on dirt, about 10 minutes from downtown. The park is open 7 AM to 10 PM, and its hiking trails range from a one-third-mile nature trail to the 6-mile round-trip Unicoi/Helen Trail. The ParkPass is $10 per vehicle per day. Mountain bikers use separate bike-only trails, so keep an ear out at the crossings.

Smithgall Woods is quieter. Every visitor registers at the visitor center, the park is open 7 AM to dark, and conservation rules keep you on marked trails. The park also closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Road running in the valley

For a longer run without much traffic, head out of Nacoochee Village on the quieter roads of the Sautee Nacoochee Valley. The scenery is pasture and ridgeline, and Habersham Winery is right there for a post-run stop. These are working country roads, so run facing traffic and go early on weekends.

Races

Running races in the Helen area
Race	When	Details
Hogpen Hillclimb 18K and 5K	Saturday, January 16, 2027 (48th year)	Starts at the River Pavilion in downtown Helen. The 18K climbs more than 2,500 feet up the Richard Russell Scenic Highway to Hogpen Gap; the 5K starts and finishes in town. Benefits Habitat for Humanity of Northeast Georgia.
Helen Holiday Trail Race	January 16, 2027, 8 AM	10K, 25K and 50K trail distances at Unicoi State Park, put on by Run Bum.

The Hogpen is a January race and the weather can run from cold rain to snow. Hogpen Gap itself sits at about 3,461 feet.

Tips for runners

Go early on weekends

Downtown and the valley roads get busy with visitors. Mornings are cooler and quieter.

Respect the hills

A town at 1,440 feet with 3,000-foot ridges means short runs gain a lot of elevation. Walk the steep parts.

Carry water

Park trails don't have fountains along the way, and cell service is patchy in the hollows.

Know the rules

Smithgall Woods requires registration, and the Unicoi hiking trails are foot traffic only. See the Unicoi guide.

Running questions

What is the best easy run in Helen?

The Helen to Hardman Heritage Trail, a flat paved path of about a mile each way along the Chattahoochee River. It's free and accessible.

Where can I trail run near Helen?

Unicoi State Park has a 2.5-mile lake loop and the 3-mile (each way) Unicoi/Helen Trail; Smithgall Woods has trails too. Both need the $10 daily ParkPass for parking.