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Hi Ho To The Blue Ridge Mountains We Go

We don’t typically relate the word “Alpine” with the Blue Ridge Mountains of north Georgia, but the town of Helen is a small slice of the Bavarian Alps that found its way into this region of Dixie. In addition to the hiking trails and whitewater rafting you would presume to come across in this part of the southern Appalachians, there is a three month Oktoberfest that lasts from the late summer until the midpoint of fall every year, a traditional Bavarian Christmas Alpenlights celebration, and yet an additional transplanted Germanic tradition, das volksmarch. The best place to take part in Oktoberfest is from one of the various cabin rentals in the vicinity, or a deluxe room in one of Helen’s fine European themed inns.

Originally inhabited by Cherokee Indians, the region was the site of a gold discovery in 1828. For over seventy years, prospectors and industrial mining companies worked deposits that rivaled those in the Rockies and the Sierras. The gold fields were mostly dredged out by 1900, but the lumber industry moved in shortly after. With the installation of the railroad, the town of Helen was founded in 1913. The timber trade was short lived. By 1931, the trees were cut down and by 1960, all that remained was a string of cement block houses. The town’s revitalization started in the early 1970s as it begun to reinvent itself in the Bavarian style, inspired by an artist who had served with the U.S. Army in Germany. Today, Helen is one of the top vacation destination resorts in the region.

The Chattahoochie River provides recreational opportunities for whitewater rafting and inner tubing, while the adjoining mountains offer hikers a chance to get out into nature and the different woodland species up close and personal. Mountain cabins that include hot tubs are accessible for romantic getaways, and the town itself is residence to numerous specialty shops and four star restaurants, including an authentic Bavarian Hofbrau Haus, featuring the unique food of Germany’s southern region. German and northern Italian cuisine should also be tried at The Troll, one of Helen’s more flavorful eateries.

Easily available family outdoor activities include golf, mountain biking, fishing and horseback riding. In fact, there is almost no better method to tour this portion of the Blue Ridge than from the back of a horse. Check out Chattahoochie Backcountry Treks and Sunburst Stables for more information.

For hikers, one of the most spectacular sights is Anna Ruby Falls, one of the four waterfalls in the immediate area inside Unicoi State Park. The falls are slightly over 800 yards from an improved public access area, and are in fact two separate falls with the bigger of the two topping out at over 150 feet high.

Of course, just because you are out in and among nature does not suggest you have to rough it. North Georgia bed and breakfasts have all the comforts of home including cable TV and wireless internet access. The owners of these accomodations are more than pleased to impart the unique history of the region as well as suggest other interesting site seeing tours and delicious neighborhood bistros.