Rescheduled - Yonah Mountain and Pink Mountain

At 3,166 feet elevation, Yonah may not be among the highest mountains in Georgia, but it's one of the most iconic. Its distinctive shape dominates the surrounding landscape, and its summit offers some of the most spectacular views around, coupled with wind-stunted trees, steep cliffs, and massive granite walls.

Our hike starts at the trailhead gravel parking lot off Chambers Road. We'll hike up through hardwoods and mountain laurel, crossing a creek at 0.3 miles. It gets steeper, with a series of switchbacks starting at 0.5 miles which lead through rocky cliffs and boulders. Climbing up steps at 0.8 miles, we'll encounter a boulderfield at 1.0 miles and will then depart on a less-used side trail which reaches the spine connecting Yonah with its smaller sibling, Pink Mountain. 

Reaching Pink Mountain at mile 2.0, we'll retrace our way back to Yonah and will stop to enjoy mid-mountain long range views from a large grassy knoll at 3.1 miles. Continuing upward we'll encounter a short, steep section of trail which flattens out before merging onto a gravel road at mile 3.4, where we'll turn left and quickly find ourselves at an Army Ranger training camp. Our final 400 feet of elevation gain takes us up a steep but beautiful trail which leads us to the summit at mile 4.0.

Yonah's top crest is large and breathtaking! We’ll enjoy expansive views of quaint pasturelands, nearby mountains, and other sites. The craggy overhangs make great viewpoints. We'll enjoy a leisurely lunch on our mountain perch so we can explore the summit's trails and views from all directions. Afterwards we'll head down the trail to our cars in the parking area. 

IMPORTANT: This is a challenging D4 mountain trek. You'll need recent D4+ or equivalent hiking experience and be comfortable moving at a moderate pace of 2.5 mph, including steep uphill stretches. If you don't have recent D4 or higher hiking experience with the AOC them the Trip Leader will contact you to determine whether this event is right for you.

Click here for Google Maps directions to Mount Yonah Trailhead and parking area.

We will meet at the Mount Yonah Trailhead, located off of Chambers Road just north of Cleveland, GA.