Places to Sled in the Georgia Mountains

Georgia is often thought of as the home of old south. Southern plantations, Magnolia trees, Augusta Golf Club, Atlanta and peanuts come to mind when thinking about visiting the Peach State. What most people don't realize is that just one hour north of Atlanta lies the southern gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains where some great winter sports can also be found. Although Georgia's only ski resort closed in 2005, the area is still a winter destination for snow tubing, cross-country skiing and sledding.

  1. Sky Valley

    • Sky Valley offers the largest runs in Georgia.

      Sky Valley is the northern most city in Georgia and sits at an elevation of 3,100 feet with an average winter snow fall of just over 2 feet. Sky Valley also had the distinction of being the home of the only ski resort in the state, which closed in 2005. However, a skiers loss is a sledders gain because the 210-foot slope in Sky Valley is open to the public as are several smaller cleared areas for sledding. There are nine hotels within 10 miles of the area including The Dillard House, a mountain resort with an Inn, cottages and cabins.

    Rabun County

    • Located less than an hour away from Sky Valley is Rabun County and its slopes on Cliff Mountain, Screamer Mountain and the nearby trails of Dicks Creek Cove. Rabun County sits inside the Blue Ridge Mountains and with 80 percent of Rabun County being federal and state land, there's ample opportunities to sled along the hundreds of miles of mountain trails. The county houses seven hotels and the Mountain View Inn Resort at Kingwood Country Club in Clayton. Mountain City offers the Foxfire Museum and the Michelin Award winning Stockton House for steaks and seafood.

    Stone Mountain

    • Stone Mountain is long famous for the giant carving of confederate generals including Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, but it is also the home of Snow Mountain, a winter snow park just 16 miles north of Atlanta. A day ticket costs $27, as of the 2011 season, and includes access to the 400-foot Avalanche Alley run. Snow Mountain makes its own snow and is open every weekend from early December to mid March. The area also offers nightly festivities during the holidays.

    Helen

    • A taste of Bavaria can be found in Helen.

      In order to attract tourist, the small town of Helen reinvented itself 35 years ago into a Bavarian Village in the Blue Ridge Mountains. As of 2011, Helen boasts more than 200 Bavarian specialty shops, bakeries and restaurants. Unicoi State Park offers a number of open hills and slopes for winter sledding. Winter festivals include the Christkindlmark in December and a German Mardi Gras in February. Helen has hotels and a number of vacation rentals, but the Alpine Hilltop Haus B&B offers a true Bavarian experience in dining and hospitality. Helen is located at the foot of the Chattahoochee National Forest in northeast Georgia.