Hike and Climb to Yonah Mountain
Cleveland, Georgia
Details
Distance
4.53 miles
Elevation Gain
1417 ft
Route Type
Out-and-Back
Description
Added by Cole Christiansen
Hike to this huge rockface with great visibility and if you time it right, crazy Blueridge sunsets. Mt. Yonah aslo offers a camping and hammocking paradise.
The trail starts at "Mt. Yonah Trailhead" and is 4.4 mile round-trip with elevation of 1,500' to 3,166'. The trail stays below moderate tree coverage until around the halfway point where you will come upon a clearing known as the first LZ (landing zone). The mountain is shared with hikers by Army Rangers in training. They will occasionally conduct training and utilize these LZ's. Along with being a drop down spot for helicopters it's also a great camping spot with a view.
Next you will arrive at the main campground still under the treeline, complete with bathrooms. To get to the main summit you will continue past the campground. The trail opens up onto the mountain's massive rock face, spanning the whole western side. You can stop here or continue to the second LZ. This LZ is much larger and a perfect camping spot. If you prefer to fall asleep with a view of the sunset, though, a couple trees on the western rock face will do the trick. The mountain is fairly unaffected by light pollution and is great for astrophotography and constellation watching.
If climbing, you will take the trail to "The Lowers" from the main campsite or the lower LZ. There are lots of routes on The Lowers, but if you want to climb with a view you can repel or climb the main face.
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Hike and Climb to Yonah Mountain Reviews
The hike and view are fantastic for this area however the crowds are much less desirable... Hence the four stars. If you go on a weekend, it will be busy with ppl and dogs. Lots of folks bring hammocks and chill at the top. Recommend walking around the summit for views in varied directions.
4.0
The hike up Yonah Mountain is one of the best ones in the area. The rocky nature of this mountain offers some clear areas where you will find unblocked vistas of the surrounding mountains and farmland. The westerly views from the summit would be perfect for sunset! As mentioned in the adventure, this seriously would be an epic place to hammock or camp. There are some perfect spots to set up a hammock with great mountain views. As far as the hike itself, it is pretty straight forward. The elevation gain is pretty serious, but completely doable for most people at their own pace. About halfway into it you get a glimpse of the beauty of the mountain from a flat, grassy field. From the field you can start to see the Blue Ridge mountains. Although this view is awesome, trust me, it gets better at the top. So keep trudging your way up the mountain and I promise you will be rewarded.
5.0
I've done this hike 25-30 times and it never gets old, it can be a challenging hike if your legs are new to the trail but it's worth every step to watch a sunset. If you plan on camping be sure to have a canister or a secure bag to put food in, I had a bear encounter on the very top once but nothing serious. Just don't leave food out or you might meet a new friend
5.0
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
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