Approximate hike length: 3.4 miles.
Activities: hiking
Facilities: none
Fees: none
Closest town: Suches, Georgia
For more information:
Panther Creek Trail
A moderately difficult to strenuous, blue-blazed trail, very popular and
scenic, passing a high waterfall. Pather Creek Falls. This trail has some very rugged, rocky
sections.
Directions:
From Ellijay
Southern trail head
From the Ellijay Square, travel
west on GA 52 for 9.5 miles to FS 18. There is a sign for Lake Conasauga
Recreation Area; turn right. After 1.3 miles the pavement ends. At the
fork, bear left over a one-lane bridge. At 3.5 miles turn sharply to
the right onto FS 68. At 4.5 miles is a good picnic area, and at 5.7
miles is Holly Creek Checking Station. At 6 miles is a three-way junction
with FS 64. At the FS 68/FS 64 three-way intersection, At the three-way
junction, take FS 64 right for 4.4 miles to the East Cowpen parking
lot. Trail is 2.3 miles from East Cowpen's southern trail head.
From Betty gap and Conasauga River Trail
From the FS 68/FS 64 three-way
junction, turn right onto FS 64 and travel 1.4 miles to the Conasauga
River Trail sign and parking area at Betty gap. Trail is 4.9 miles from
Betty Gap.
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.
