Rabun Bald: A Hike You Earn on Foot
A forested climb to Georgia's second-highest summit and a tower with a 100-mile view
The short answer
Rabun Bald is the hike to pick when you want Georgia's big views without Brasstown Bald's gift shop and shuttle. At 4,696 feet it's the state's second-highest peak, and the only way up is on foot. A wooden observation deck tops an old fire tower base on the summit, and on a clear day the view runs more than 100 miles across the Blue Ridge.
The mountain sits in Rabun County, just southeast of Sky Valley, on the Eastern Continental Divide inside the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. It's roughly a 90-minute drive from Helen, so make a day of it.
Rabun Bald at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Summit elevation | 4,696 feet, second-highest in Georgia (Brasstown Bald is 4,784) |
| Shortest route | From Beegum Gap, about 3 to 4 miles round trip depending on the source. Steep, with roughly 1,000 feet of climbing, and the rest is switchbacks. |
| Longer route | The Rabun Bald Trail is about 5.8 miles round trip |
| Trail | The route joins the Bartram Trail, a 37-mile path across northeast Georgia |
| Parking | Small gravel pull-offs at Beegum Gap, room for only a handful of cars. Arrive early on fall weekends. |
| Difficulty | Moderate to strenuous because of the sustained climb |
| Drive from Helen | About 90 minutes (roughly 47 miles) |
Mileage and climbing vary between trail listings and GPS tracks; confirm current directions, road conditions and any closures with the Forest Service before you drive the gravel road.
The hike
From Beegum Gap a steep access trail climbs through hardwoods to meet the Bartram Trail, then follows it up the ridge. The final stretch is a quick run of switchbacks through rhododendron and mountain laurel thickets that close in overhead, and then the trees open and you're at the base of the tower. Late spring and early summer bring flame azaleas and laurel blooms. October is for the leaf color.
The wooden platform on top was added by a Youth Conservation Corps crew after the Forest Service retired the tower in the early 1970s. Climb it for the 360-degree view, and bring a jacket; it's windy and noticeably cooler than the trailhead.
The Bartram Trail
The path is part of the Bartram Trail, which honors the naturalist William Bartram, who traveled through the Southeast in the 1770s and wrote about the region's plants, animals and Native peoples in his book Travels.
Before you go
Start early
Parking is tiny and the gravel road is slow. Leave with plenty of daylight.
Bring layers and water
The summit is open and breezy, and there's no water on the trail.
Download your directions
Cell service is poor on the forest roads. Save an offline map before you leave Helen.
Pair it with a drive
Brasstown Bald is the contrast: a paved summit with a visitor center. See the Brasstown Bald guide, or head to Black Rock Mountain for road-side overlooks.
Rabun Bald questions
How high is Rabun Bald?
4,696 feet, the second-highest point in Georgia after Brasstown Bald at 4,784 feet.
How long is the Rabun Bald hike?
From Beegum Gap it's roughly 3 to 4 miles round trip, depending on the route and the GPS. The Rabun Bald Trail is about 5.8 miles round trip.
Can you drive to the top?
No. The summit is reachable only on foot, which is why it stays quieter than Brasstown Bald.
Is there a tower at the top?
Yes. A wooden observation platform sits on the old fire tower base. The Youth Conservation Corps built it after the Forest Service stopped using the tower in the early 1970s.
Related Imagery from Around Helen
