Stone Mountain Covered Bridge

THE BRIDGE TO THE BORDELLO map
From Stone Mountai...

There are some 16 covered bridges still in existence in the State of Georgia. The majority of them are in the general vicinity of Atlanta (That is within about two and a half hours of us). I want to go visit them all (map), and will eventually, but the one I am most familiar with is what is known now as the Stone Mountain Covered Bridge.



This covered bridge was brought to this point in 1964, after being purchased by the Stone Mountain Park group for a nominal fee of $1. Today, spans a road to bring you to the Indian Island picnic area across a portion of the Stone Mountain Lake. It is also one of the attractions on the Stone Mountain Loop Trail. If you drive instead of walk, you may drive across it, but it is not in public usage like the Concord Covered Bridge.



It was built in 1892 in Clarke County near Athens to span the Oconee River. The builder was Washington W. King, who was the son of the freed slave and noted bridge builder Horace King (also here).
Washington is also responsible for the grand bridge at Watson Mill State Park near Comer and the Euharlee Creek Bridge near Cartersville. It is built with a very interesting lattice structure and spans 151 feet. It is now most commonly known as the Stone Mountain Bridge but has had other names. It was called the College Avenue Bridge because of its location on College Avenue and its proximity to the University of Georgia. It was called the Oconee River Bridge because it spanned the Oconee River. But most interestingly it was called Effie’s Bridge after a nearby bordello. I don’t quite understand why we don’t use that one today, it’s much more colorful.



It was decommissioned in 1964 because it was deemed unsafe for public transportation. But because of its ties to Georgia’s history and a need for salvation it was moved to its current location. I assume some necessary repairs were made to allow the minimal traffic it conveys today. I know that it was shortened from its original length by about 30 feet (to its current 151 feet) upon its arrival at Stone Mountain.



Stone Mountain is one of my favorite places in the Atlanta Area and it consistently takes top honors as the top attraction in the area. If you want to drive across the bridge you will have to pay for parking ($8 day use, $35 annual pass, I have always found this annual pass well worth the money.)

High Shoals Scenic Area

LOW TIDE AT HIGH SHOALS MAP
“Hardwood
From High Shoals

If your looking for a nice little jaunt of a walk in the woods and you happen to be in the Helen, Georgia area, I’d like to suggest the High Shoals Trail (Scroll Down to Find) in the designated High Shoals Scenic Area, situated about 10 miles North of Helen up 17/75 (the Unicoi Turnpike). If you want something simple, yet pretty, the sort of place just about any age can enjoy, this is the place for you.

To get there you have to make a very sharp right turn (coming from Helen) on to Indian Grave Gap Road. The turn is marked with an appropriate sign. You then drive up this dirt road about a mile and a half until you see a small parking area on the left. You do actually cross a small stream while in your car, so traveling during the more rainy times may require more of an off road vehicle (we got there in a Nissan Sedan, for the record) There is no fee for parking, so the value is built right in.

The trail meanders downward over 1.2 miles actually losing an elevation of just over 300 feet. I’ve seen this path marked as moderately strenuous by some authorities, but I don’t believe it, unless you count the short steep sections by the falls or the fact that you climb 300 feet up as you are leaving. Along the way, you will walk through a dense and picturesque hardwood forest, across some small bridges, through hemlock, laurel, and other vegetation (I’m no expert on these). There is actually a series of five waterfalls; three are smaller and unnamed, but the two larger, Blue Hole Falls and High Shoals Falls, have observation decks.

We went in late fall of 2007 after the near record breaking drought so Blue Hole (the first and smaller) was more majestic [what Blue Hole Falls could look like]. The second falls is High Shoals Falls that cascades about 100 feet[what High Shoals Falls could look like], but as you can see from the pictures, it was pretty dried up at our time of visit. I’ve seen Blue Hole listed on the Swimming Holes of Georgia website, so I guess you could bring your swim gear, but there are also signs say to keep out of certain areas.

These photos demonstrate why we always think of waterfalls after rain. The way these falls could look is quite stunning. However, there is a bit of a catch-22 here. If it rains a lot to create fantastic cascades, you may not be able to reach it by car. When you can reach it by car, unfortunately the show will be diminished a bit. Don’t let me dissuade you though. In spite of the humble offerings, all members of my party had a very enjoyable time at High Shoals. My guess is you will too.

I put these photos up not so much to astonish and amaze, but rather to chronicle the effects of the Great Atlanta Drought of 2007. Maybe, it will bring home the need for better public water conservation policy and personal water conservation responsibility.

Trail Essentials
Approximate Time: 1-1.5 hours
Approximate Distance: 2.4 miles
Trail Surface: Compact Soil, Rocks
Features: Cascades, Riverside Walk, River Views, Waterfalls, Shoals
Overall Rating: B
Scenic Quality: B+
Athleticism: B-
Solitude: B
Value: B
Parking: Free
Hours of Operation: Open Year Round, Sunlight Hours
Facilities: None
Maps: At Trailhead, Blue Blazed Path
County: Towns

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THE GREAT OUTDOORS
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Jump to the Other Points of Interest Section
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Stone Mountain Mountaintop Trail, Stone Mountain, Georgia

Stone Mountain Mountaintop




Roswell Mill (Vickery Creek), Roswell, Georgia

Roswell Dam




Fort Mountain, Murray County, Georgia

Fort Mountain Wall



Providence Canyon, near Lumpkin, Stewart County, Georgia

Providence Canyon



Allatoona Pass, Cartersville, Georgia

Allatoona Pass



Chattahoochee - East Palisades, Atlanta, Georgia

Palisades East



Panola Mountain, Rockdale & Henry Counties (near Stockbridge), Georgia

Panola Mountain



Rocky Face Mountain, Dalton, Georgia

Rocky Face Mountain




Sweetwater Creek State Park, Lithia Springs, Georgia

Sweetwater Creek



Tallulah Gorge, Habersham County, Georgia

Tallulah Gorge & Falls



Brasstown Bald, Towns County, Georgia

Brasstown Bald



Yonah Mountain, White County, Georgia

Yonah Mountain




Skulls Shoals, near Maxey, Greene County, Georgia

Scull (or Skull) Shoals



Currahee Mountain, Stephens County, Georgia

Currahee Mountain



Blood Mountain, Union County, Georgia

Blood Mountain




High Falls State Park, Monroe County, Georgia

High Falls State Park

Raven Cliffs Falls, near Helen, Georgia

Raven Cliffs Falls



Minnehaha Falls, Rabun County, Georgia

Minnehaha Falls




Sawnee Mountain, Cumming, Forsyth County, Georgia

Sawnee Mountain


Helton Creek Falls, Union County, Georgia

Helton Creek Falls




DeSoto Falls, Lumpkin County, Georgia

Alt Name for Photo



Cloudland Canyon, Dade County, Georgia

Cloudland Canyon



Edge of the World Rapids, Dawson County, Georgia

Edge of the World Rapids



Elachee Nature Center, Gainesville, Georgia

Elachee Nature Center



Panther Creek Falls, Rabun County, Georgia

Panther Creek Falls



Heritage Park Trail, Mableton, Georgia

Concord Woolen Mill Ruins



Amicalola Falls, Dawsonville, Georgia

Amicalola Falls

Red Top Mountain, Bartow County, near Cartersville, Georgia

Red Top Mountain





Sope Creek (Marietta Paper Mill), Cobb Co., Georgia

Sope Creek (Marietta Paper Mill)

East Juliette Dam, Jones County, Georgia

East Juliette Dam





Fort Yargo, Barrow County, Georgia

Old Fort Yargo



Rocky Mountain, White County, Georgia

Rocky Mountain




Tray Mountain, Towns County, Georgia

Tray Mountain



PATH: Arabia Mountain Trail, DeKalb County, Georgia

PATH: Arabia Mountain Bike Trail



Chattahoochee - Gold Branch Unit, Marietta, Georgia

Gold Branch



Arabia Mountain, Conyers, Georgia

Arabia Mountain



Little Mulberry Park, Dacula, Georgia

Little Mulberry Park



Alcovy Mill Waterfall, Lawrenceville, Georgia

Alcovy Mill Waterfall



Watson Mill Covered Bridge State Park, Madison County, Georgia

Watson Mill Covered Bridge State Park



Autrey Mill Nature Preserve, Johns Creek, Fulton County, Georgia

Autrey Mill Nature Preserve



Freeman‘s Mill Park, Gwinnett County, Georgia

Freeman‘s Mill Park



Yellow River Park, Stone Mountain, Georgia

Yellow River



CNWR – Settles Bridge, Suwanee, Gwinnett County, Georgia

 Settles Bridge – Chattahoochee Wildlife Nature Preserve




Suwanee Greenway, Suwanee, Georgia

Suwanee Greenway



Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center
, Buford, Gwinnett County, Georgia


Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center



High Shoals Scenic Area, White County, Georgia

High Shoals Scenic Area



Ivy Creek Greenway, Buford, Gwinnett County, Georgia

Alt Name for Photo




Cochran Shoals, Cobb County, Georgia

Cochran Shoals



Lake Hartwell, Hartwell, Georgia

Lake Hartwell




HERITAGE & HISTORY
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The Architecture of I.M. Pei, Atlanta, GA & Marietta, GA

I. M. Pei Architecture



The Lynching Site of Leo Frank, Marietta, GA

Leo Frank Historical Marker

Andersonville Civil War Prison, Macon County, Georgia

Andersonville Civil War Prison





Kennesaw Mountain & Battlefield, Marietta, Georgia

Kennesaw Mountain









New Echota, Cherokee Nation Capital, near Calhoun, Georgia

New Echota




Etowah Mounds, near Cartersville, Bartow County, Georgia

Etowah Mounds




Rock Eagle Effigy Mound, Eatonton, Georgia

Rock Eagle Effigy Mound












McDaniel Farm Park, Duluth, Georgia

McDaniel Farm

Euharlee Covered Bridge, Euharlee, Bartow County, Georgia

Euharlee Creek Covered Bridge












Pine Mountain, FDR State Park, Harris County, Georgia

Pine Mountain












Flatiron Building, Downtown Atlanta, Georgia

Flatiron Building




Dr. Martin Luther King Historic Sites, Sweet Auburn, Downtown Atlanta, Georgia

Sweet Auburn (MLK)

Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, Atlanta, Georgia

Jimmy Carter Presidential Library












Tullie Smith Farm, Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia

Tullie Smith House




FDR's Little White House, Warm Springs, Georgia

Little White House (FDR)









Elisha Winn House, Dacula, Gwinnett County, Georgia

Elisha Winn House


Auraria, Lumpkin County, Georgia

Auraria, Georgia












Wynne-Russell House, Lilburn, Georgia

Wynne-Russell House




Post Name, City or County, Georgia

Madison, Georgia












Historic Buford, Gwinnett County, Georgia

Historic Buford, Georgia




Atlanta History Center, Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta History Center












Elder‘s Mill Covered Bridge, Watkinsville, Oconee County, Georgia

Elder‘s Mill Covered Bridge












Georgia State Capitol Building, Downtown Atlanta, Georgia

Georgia Capitol Building




Historic Westville, Lumpkin, Stewart County, Georgia

Historic Westville




Anna Ruby Falls, White County (near Helen), Georgia

Anna Ruby Falls










OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST
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Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Lilburn, Georgia

Lilburn Mandir




Georgia Guidestones, Elbert County, Georgia

Georgia Guidestones










The Sunset on Stone Mountain, DeKalb County, Georgia

Stone Mountain Sunset




Fort Peace (The Castle), Ansley Park, Atlanta, Georgia

The Castle or Fort Peace




Ponce DeLeon Park's Magnolia, Atlanta, Georgia

Ponce De Leon Park

Stovall Mill Covered Bridge, Sautee, White County, Georgia

Stovall Mill Covered Bridge









Cave Spring, Floyd County, Georgia

Cave Spring, Georgia




Toccoa Falls, Toccoa Falls College, Toccoa, Stephens County, Georgia

Toccoa Falls




Stone Mountain Covered Bridge, Stone Mountain, Georgia

Stone Mountain Covered Bridge

Concord Covered Bridge, Smyrna, Georgia

Concord Covered Bridge




Pumpkinvine Creek Trestle, Near Dallas, Paulding County, Georgia

Pumpkinvine Creek Trestle




The Inman's Swan House, Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia

Swan House




Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Near Conyers, Georgia

Monastery of the Holy Spirit




Tony, the Songman of Stone Mountain, DeKalb County, Georgia


Tony (Songman of Stone Mountain)




Georgia Supreme Cricket League, Burnett Park, College Park, Georgia

GA Supreme Cricket League





MAJOR ATTRACTIONS
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Alpine Helen, White County, Georgia

Alpine Helen




The Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, Georgia

The Georgia Aquarium









ZooAtlanta, Grant Park, Atlanta, Georgia

ZooAtlanta”




Atlanta Braves Baseball, Turner Field, Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta Braves Baseball




Snow Mountain, Stone Mountain, Georgia

Snow Mountain at Stone Mountain









Gwinnett County Fair, Lawrenceville, Georgia

Gwinnett County Fair




Atlanta Thrashers Hockey, Phillips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta Thrashers Hockey




Food & Leisure
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A Bit Further Away
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Cumberland Island, St. Marys, Georgia

Cumberland Island











click any picture for complete posting
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The Varsity, Atlanta, Georgia

The Varsity


Mercier Orchards, Blue Ridge, Fannin County, Georgia

Mercier Orchards













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