Come to the Hills of Habersham. Only an hour and twenty minutes north of Atlanta, you’ll find a place of such grace and beauty that very few areas can compare to. Once Cherokee Indian territory their legacy lives on in the names of local rivers, valleys and mountains …Chattahoochee, Soque, Yonah, Sautee and Nacoochee.
Getting close to nature is easily done in Habersham County. The Appalachian Trail passes through the county’s northern border. Lake Russell, a U.S. Forest Service recreation area is also located in Habersham. You won’t want to miss the view of Lake Russell from atop Tower Mountain in Cornelia. Whatever the season, this view has an intrigue all its own.
Habersham County has various towns and communities, each very individual in personality. Clarkesville is Habersham’s county seat. This quaint city has managed to preserve its village appeal with a collection of shops and restaurants in the downtown area. Some of the beautiful older homes have been converted to bed and breakfast inns.
Other incorporated towns in the county include Baldwin, Mt. Airy, and Alto.
RABUN COUNTY
Rabun County sits to the extreme northeast of Atlanta, about 80 miles. The county seat is Clayton. Here you find spectacular mountain views, rich cultural, historic and environmental resources that offer a lifestyle difficult to compare. Numerous small businesses, retail businesses, and large national organizations find Rabun County rich in opportunity. The four seasons of outdoor opportunities have attracted rustic resorts, large conference centers and owners of second homes to take advantage of the appealing lifestyle.
Lake Burton, Lake Rabun and Lake Seed offer good choices for fishing, boating, camping, picnicking, and water sports. Foxfire Museum and Heritage Center offers a glimpse of the past culture and way of life of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Take a walking tour through 20+ authentic log cabins, tool sheds, replica chapel, grist mill and visit with the village weaver.
Tallulah Gorge, known as the south’s Grand Canyon, located in Tallulah Falls. Carved through quartzite rock by the Tallulah River the Gorge is a vast chasm two miles long and nearly 1,000 feet deep. The Gorge was once crossed on tightrope by circus patriarch Karl Wallenda. The longest of Tallulah’s three falls plunges 700 feet to the canyon floor.