Peace in the Mountains: Vogel State Park

Recently, we took a trip to Vogel State Park in the North Georgia Mountains. Vogel is nestled between two beautiful mountain towns, Blairsville to the north and Cleveland to the south.

Since the two towns are so close, there are numerous activities and plenty of restaurants to visit. However, you can also find peace and tranquility by staying in the park. We pulled our camper on this trip, but if you do not camp, have no worries because Vogel State Park has 34 cottages available for lodging.

Details of the Park

Vogel is located on Blood Mountain, which is part of the Blueridge Mountain Chain along the Appalachian Trail. Blood Mountain is the highest summit of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia and one of the most visited state parks by hikers. The surrounding foliage is part of the Chattahoochee National Forest. The park is comprised of 233 acres and the 22-acre Lake Trahlyta.

Vogel opened in 1931, and it is the second oldest state park in Georgia, with the oldest being Indian Springs State Park in Flovilla. One aspect that I love about older parks, whether in Georgia or across the country, is the defined architecture. Many state and national parks were created during the Great Depression (1929-1941) by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC was part of the New Deal under Franklin Roosevelt as a way to stimulate the economy through government projects.

The buildings’ architecture within these parks is a mixture of wood, usually painted dark brown, and stonework. It is fun when our family comes across a state or national park building, and we automatically know that it was built by the hands of the CCC.

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At Lake Trahlyta, there is a designated swim area, kayaking, paddle boating, and fishing. A waterfall flows on the backside of the lake. You can see the waterfall from the road, but you can also hike to it from the Trahlyta Trail. I love the water in Lake Trahlyta because, in the south, lakes are typically brown. However, this far up into the mountains, the water is clear with a beautiful green tint.

A fun fact about Blood Mountain… Vogel State Park sits on the north side of the mountain. Here, rainwater flows into the Tennessee River and reaches the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River. On the south side of the mountain, rainwater runs into the Chattahoochee. The water eventually empties into the Apalachicola River and hits Mexico’s Gulf through Florida.

The park has a CCC museum, mini-golf, geocaching, and bicycle rentals. From Vogel, novice and advanced hikers can enjoy miles of trails. I will give you this warning… like in all mountainous regions, beware of bears. They are active, and even in the midst of winter, you might catch a glimpse of one!

DeSoto Falls

South of Vogel, on Rocky Mountain, is the DeSoto Falls Scenic Area. This area is part of the Chattahoochee National Forest and contains a lower waterfall, a middle waterfall, and a higher waterfall. One of my fondest memories of my childhood is camping with my family at Desoto Falls. I remember walking over fallen trees across the creek and occasionally falling in. The feeling of the smooth stones on my feet and in my hands at DeSoto is something that I have never forgotten.

We returned to the DeSoto Falls on our recent visit, and it is incredible how much the area has not changed. It is only a quarter-mile to hike to the lower falls and three-quarters of a mile to hike to the upper falls.   

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College Planning

Our first college trip for Jackson and Lucy was to the University of Virginia when Jackson was four years old, and Lucy was three. If we are near a college or university, it never hurts to stop by. On our recent trip, we made sure to stop at Truett McConnell University in Cleveland and Young Harris College in Young Harris, just outside of Blairsville. Both institutions are private, four-year colleges. Vogel is a great place to stay while scouting for places for you or your children to attend as it is in between both colleges.  

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Cleveland

Cleveland is a vibrant mountain town that is home to Babyland General and the Cabbage Patch Kids. We have visited Cleveland many times for Lucy to watch the Cabbage Patch babies being born. The town is also home to the North Georgia Zoo. While in Cleveland, we ate at the Soda Fountain Café located within the Cleveland Drug Store. The food and desserts were delicious, and the aura was nostalgic! We enjoyed our burgers, chicken, fries, homemade chips, shakes, and banana split very much!

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Blairsville

Blairsville is a beautiful mountain town that was once home to the purest gold in the United States. The town holds an annual Sorghum Festival, Spring Arts and Crafts Festival, and a Green Bean Festival.  We stopped in for a bite at Jim’s Smokin Que. I don’t know if you have heard of cathead biscuits, the kind that are as big as your face? Well, Jim’s sandwiches are a double cat head in size. They may serve the largest barbeque sandwich that I have ever eaten!

Blairsville is also close to Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia. Due to a recent traumatic experience that we had on the Montezuma Pass in Hereford, Arizona (I will write about this in another post), I cannot bring myself to travel up to the top of Brasstown Bald. However, views from the observatory are apparently stunning.

Things to Know Before You Go

Vogel State Park and its surrounding towns are magnificent. However, there are some definite tips for traveling in the area. We always look at campground websites to make sure that we take the safest route. We have traveled many times where the campground website indicates that common GPS routes are not safe for travel trailers and motorhomes. Some of these roads have low bridge clearances, and some are very curvy and not suited for pulling 30 feet behind an already long truck.

On this trip, I did look at the website, and it did not specify how to get to Vogel, so I didn’t look any further. That was a mistake… we pulled the camper through Suches and Wolf Pen Gap Road. DO NOT DO THIS… look this road up on YouTube if you don’t believe me. There were switchbacks, hairpin turns, and no guardrails. It didn’t take us long to realize that we had made a mistake, and I began praying very hard to get to Vogel. I thank the Lord that we could navigate the road, but it is definitely not the safest. The turns were so sharp that we popped the cotter pins out of our sway bars on our camper. Even in a car, I would use caution.

The alternate route, which we took going home, is down US 129 through Cleveland. This road is no piece of cake either, but it is wider than Wolf Pen Gap. Expect switchbacks, twists, turns, and limited guardrails as well. However, if you are in the passenger’s seat, the views are amazing.

On the morning we were set to leave, I heard pings on the camper roof… it was sleet. We had studied the forecast, and the severe weather was not supposed to arrive until later that day. Needless to say, it was one of the fastest camper hook-ups we have ever completed. It was important to beat the bad weather in order to travel down the mountain with minimal sleet and snow.

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If you are looking for local eats in Cleveland or Blairsville, they are plentiful, However, plan on dining at the restaurants from Tuesday through Saturday. In good, southern fashion, most local restaurants are closed on Sunday and many on Monday. I will never have a qualm with a restaurant that chooses to close its doors on a Sunday, but I also don’t want you to arrive only to be disappointed.

Through the mountains in this area, the cell/LTE signal is one bar, if that. If you plan on doing lots of work that requires the internet, this may not work out so well. However, if your goal is disconnecting from the rat race of life, the low signal can be very accommodating.

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Vogel State Park is an absolute must-see if you are interested in a peaceful getaway. Its beautiful forests, creeks, waterfalls, and lake are definitely something to relish. Like with all good travel, just do your homework before you go.

Have you experienced a lack of cell phone service in a campground? Read on to learn about our favorite cell boosters! Interested in other Georgia State Parks? Check out our adventures at Fort Yargo, Hard Labor, and High Falls!

Do you have a favorite park in your neck of the woods? We would love to hear from you. Please drop us a line in the comment section below!