This 1.6 mile trail includes a 0.9 mile loop trail that circles the top of Fort Mountain, the 0.6 mile red trail which leads to the fire tower and the 0.1 mile blue trail which takes hikers along the enigmatic wall that gives the mountain its name. Access is also allowed to the fire tower at the top of the mountain and a scenic overlook. This overview combines the yellow, red and blue trails into a single loop trail within Fort Mountain State Park.


Wall at Fort MountainMany myths surround the wall that sits on the top of Fort Mountain. To review all the legends, please see Fort Mountain State Park from About North Georgia

Map of Fort Mountain

From the parking lot take the yellow-blazed path heading northwest to hike this trail counter-clockwise. To find this trail, it is to the right of a large marker near the parking lot. The hard packed clay path is rock and root strewn and clings to the mountainside precariously in some places, as a wide road in others. At .2 miles a red blazed path comes off to left, a short-cut to the fire tower built in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps. This turn can be used to visit the fire tower, the observation deck and the wall. Our preferred trail, however, is the North Face Loop (North Stone Tower Trail on map), which can be hiked by continuing straight along the yellow-blazed trail. This rocky path requires careful navigation as it repeatedly nears sharp drops until it turns to climb a set of rock stairs originally built by the CCC and reworked on many occasions.

As you continue around the top of Fort Mountain the West Scenic Overlook is off to the right at a well-marked intersection of three trails. Take the trail to the right down a path that quickly steepens until it turns to rocks that form rudimentary stairs. Finally the drop abates and a wooden scenic lookout extends past the trees on the mountain, allowing a bird's eye view of Chatsworth, more than 2,000 feet below.

Returning from the overlook continue straight and climb to the fire tower at the zenith of Fort Mountain. Climbing the tower is permitted, although tree growth has blocked the views during the summer. Good views can still be seen in the late fall and winter.

From here, follow the red-blazed trail to the wall (it is signed). At a large interpretive sign the blue trail crosses the red trail. Be sure to explore the length of the wall on the blue trail. Look for the 29 pits that extend the length of the wall at regular intervals. Probably built by Woodland Indians there were a number of similar walls in the area including one at the top of Stone Mountain.

The red trail cuts through the center of the wall, and returns to the parking lot. For a longer alternative, use the blue trail to return to the yellow trail and follow this to the parking area.



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