ROCK CREEK

BLUE RIDGE, GA

RIDE TYPE Mixed Surface	DISTANCE 43.3 Miles	ASCENT 4041 Feet
PAVEMENT 75%	COURSE Loop	TERRAIN Hills, Mountains
GRAVEL 25%	SETTING Rural, Forest	HIGHEST POINT 2312 Feet

The 43 mile Rock Creek route starts in the craft brewery and arts focused town of Blue Ridge and travels to the edge of the Chattahoochee National Forest. Along the way you will climb among million dollar mountaintop homes, meander along rushing creeks and enjoy postcard views of the North Georgia mountains. This mixed surface route is a visual delight with lots of variety and surprises around just about every corner.

Blue Ridge, Georgia is the quintessential Appalachian mountain town. The cool mountain air and often manufactured quaintness lures hordes of tourists from the cities on summer afternoons. Traffic and lack of parking are inevitable but if one arrives early enough, and especially in the off-season, the proximity to national forests and occasionally great food make Blue Ridge a fantastic start location.

With this in mind, the Rock Creek route starts amidst the cafes and art shops and circles the lake which bears the town’s name in a clockwise direction. The opening miles will be shared with a bit of polite traffic as the route rolls over the dam which impounds the Tocoa River and forms the lake. The first gravel is encountered at about mile 7 where the route turns south and meanders past lakeside cabins and through hardwood filled coves.

Old Dial Rd and the Aska steel bridge are familiar to those who have ridden the Tocoa Swinging Bridge route. The bridge is an obvious stopping point and signals an opportunity for calorie rich pecan pie and hot chocolate or sweet tea at the route’s only store.

Gravel begins again at the Gilmer County line and the highest point on the route is reached shortly after at Stanley Gap. Rock Creek Rd continues from the gap with a fast descent leading to a broad valley with outstanding views of peaks to the south. For those who think they have the legs, an optional 8 mile climb to the 4000 foot Rich Mountain summit is indicated on the map. Rock Creek Rd is one of the highlights of the route and is the route’s longest stretch of unpaved roadway. What the gravel lacks in quantity, it more than makes up for in quality.

Patterson Mountain is another highlight of the route. “Cabins” cling precariously to the hillside as grades ramp up repeatedly. Breathtaking views through the trees provide excuses to stop and recover. The visual and physical intensity here should not be underestimated. The climb up Maggie Chapman Rd will test your your fortitude. The mixed-surface descent down Little Bushy Head Rd will test your nerve.

More than just connectors to gravel, the surrounding scenery and rolling terrain make more than 30 miles of pavement on the Rock Creek route worth riding for its own sake. A sizeable chipseal sector is rendered absolutely delightful by wide gravel tires. Ambitious riders can head further into the mountains where there’s as much gravel as anyone could want. Cyclists in the area for vacation will want to bring their bikes and consider putting this route on their list.

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Terms of Use: Use of this route is at your own risk. This route map and associated route descriptions are believed correct at the time of publication but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. You assume all responsibility for 1) checking weather and road conditions, 2) knowing and obeying land use rules and restrictions, 3) knowing and obeying all rules of the road, 4) carrying and using proper safety and navigation equipment and, 5) knowing the limits of your physical ability. SoutheasCyclingRoutes.com, contributors and Timothy Hollingworth are in no way liable for personal injury, damage to personal property, or any other loss to individuals following this route or using information contained in the route map or description.