Yonah Mountain Trail
Ranking: Easy Pie to Moderate
YONAHHHHH! This trail has to be one of my favorites thus far. It is both intense and not at the same time. I will be the first to say if you have asthma, you might want to bring your inhaler. On this hike, there is a decent elevation change as you climb- just something to consider. The first time we chose to hike this trail, I almost had an asthma attack. Luckily we slowed down and it passed but be careful and don’t try to speed through it. After hiking Yonah a few times I will say I enjoy it every single time. It's a great hike that you can get done anywhere from 2-4 hrs depending on the speed of you or your group.
**Side note**-if you are planning on camping nearby- the campground that I highly recommend is called Yonah Mountain Campground. This place is a fantastic campsite that you should visit! The staff is helpful, the lots are nice and normally very level, and the facilities are very clean. In addition, the price is fair for everything it has to offer. If we go hiking in the Cleveland area we always opt to stay at this campground, so I highly recommend it!
Anyways back to the trail! The trail itself is a great workout and around 4.4 miles long. As you can see from the picture, you start at the base of the mountain, obviously. Take a moment to take it all in, it really is a great spot for some hiking. As you ascend the mountain you will see that the trail goes in a zigzag formation. Most of the hike is uphill so remember to pace yourself and be sure not to push too hard too fast or your legs might revolt. Another word of caution goes to the areas where it becomes very rocky and you have to climb over boulders. Watch your step!
About halfway up you will come to an area that is completely flat with a great view and a great spot for a photo opt. I recommend having a quick break in this area of the trail. Its large enough to host several groups of people and is great for a picnic. Moving forward, you will eventually come across a training area for the military peps. Once you hit this area- you are not finished! The first time we were hiking this trail it was extremely foggy and we couldn’t see really anything. Due to all the fog, we thought that the training area was the peak. Loan and behold we discovered a sign that advised us this was not the case.
When we reached the top, like mentioned before, the fog was so intense it looked as if it was a shelf of white we could walk on. It was incredible, since I have never seen anything like it before. It really shows you how high you are from the base below. While chilling at the top, we heard someone yelling and saw that the clouds had moved so we could actually see! Oh my god, the view. If you have an opportunity to see it, go picture crazy which is what we proceeded to do for the next 20 minutes. Once you’ve collected all the snaps and photos you desire it's time to head back down and carry on.
Overall I would rank Yonah one of my all time favorites because it is so enjoyable to complete. Furthermore, I did see quite a few people hiking with their dogs and kids. Kids can definitely hike this trail, dogs- potentially an issue. Like mentioned above, parts of the trail consist of you climbing among boulders, so that is something to consider. But hey, I have seen dogs do it so that is up to you. If you are ever in that area of Georgia, you should go for it!