Hickory Ridge Trail
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Approximate hike length: 3.6 miles.
Activities: hiking
Facilities: none
Fees: none
Closest town: Chatsworth Georgia
A moderately difficult to strenuous, yellow-blazed, interior trail to Jacks River and Jacks River Falls where the trail ends and then it is only a 0.6 mile hike downstream to the Jacks River Falls.
The easiest access is to hike 2.6 miles down East Cowpen Trail from its northern trailhead at FS 51. The trail ends at Jacks River Trail
The trail is of moderate difficulty from East Cowpen Trail to Jacks River Trail; the return trip is more strenuous.
Directions:
Northern trail head from Chatsworth Georgia
From Chatsworth take US 411 north 13.2 miles to Cisco community and intersection with Old Highway 2 (also known as FS 16). At .7 mile pass County Road 169 on the right. The pavement ends at 1 mile. Take the right fork at the Y intersection at 1.6 miles. (County Road 210 bears left.) At 3.2 miles, FS 17 comes in from the right, FS 16 goes left. Follow FS 16 just across the Tennessee state line to the northwestern trail head of the Jacks River Trail. (Note that FS 51 branches to the right just after crossing the river.) After crossing the Conasauga River, turn right on FS 51. Travel 4.8 miles to the trail heads of Rice Camp and East Cowpen. Hickory Creek Trail starts about 140 yards along East Cowpen Trail. Walk 2.6 miles to the junction with Hickory Ridge Trail.
Some roads are closed depending on weather conditions, so it is recommended that one call the Cohutta Ranger District of the U.S. Forest Service at (706) 695-6737 in advance of a trip to check road conditions.