Georgia 4000 Challenge Peaks
Peak Selection Criteria
- The summit must be at least 4,000 feet in elevation
- The summit must have 120 feet of clean prominence. This means there must be at least 120 feet from the key saddle (lowest point) connecting the intermediate summit to a higher summit. Clean prominence of 120 feet could mean as much as 200 feet of actual prominence if the summit is 40 feet higher than the last closed contour line and the saddle is 40 feet lower than the last closed contour line.
- No specific isolation criteria was used. However, each peak is at least a half mile distant from the summit of the nearest qualifying peak.
- The result is the list of 32 peaks below. The source for prominence is US Topo which is an extract of the National Map by the USGS with the Georgia update of 2014.
Name |
Elevation |
Land Area |
Trail(s) |
Notes |
Brasstown Bald |
4784 |
Brasstown Wilderness |
Paved walking trail from parking lot |
NatGeo incorrectly shows 4668 elevation |
Rabun Bald |
4696 |
Warwoman WMA |
Bartram (FS164), Rabun Bald (FS211) |
Old stone tower with wooden viewing platform on top |
Dicks Knob |
4643 |
S Nantahala Wilderness |
Bushwhack |
Nearby Little Bald is just north in NC and is over 5040 ft. USGS TopoQuest and USGS US Topo does not show 4640 line (elev may be overstated) |
Hightower Bald |
4588 |
S Nantahala Wilderness |
Bushwhack |
Montgomery Corner - small deviation in GA/NC border. Many sources list elev of 4568 |
Unnamed - Wolfpen Ridge (south) |
4561 |
Brasstown Wilderness |
Jacks Knob Trail (FS45) |
NatGeo incorrectly shows 4668 elevation, summit is just off of trail. Clean prominence of 200 |
Blood Mountain |
4458 |
Blood Mtn Wilderness |
AT |
Stone shelter on top. Vogel State Park shows 4458 |
Tray Mountain |
4430 |
Tray Mtn Wilderness |
AT |
Trail crosses peak |
Grassy Ridge |
4406 |
S Nantahala Wilderness |
Near old Grassy Ridge Trail |
Short bushwhack |
Slaughter Mountain |
4338 |
Blood Mtn Wilderness |
Near Duncan Ridge (FS4), Coosa Backcountry (FS111) |
Short bushwhack (nearby trail is both Duncan Ridge (4) and Coosa Backcountry (111)) |
Chimneytop Mountain (Arkaquah) |
4303 |
Brasstown Wilderness |
Arkaquah (FS29) |
Clean prominence of 120ft add 23ft from summit to last elev line = 143. Short path to summit from trail |
Double Spring Knob |
4276 |
Swallow Creek WMA |
Near AT |
Short bushwhack. USGS TopoQuest shows 4280 line |
Coosa Bald |
4271 |
Cooper Creek WMA |
Duncan Ridge (FS4) |
Trail crosses peak. USGS TopoQuest shows 4280 line. Vogel State Park shows 4271 |
Eagle Mountain |
4259 |
S Nantahala Wilderness |
Bushwhack |
Old trail from Bell Gap |
Flint Knob |
4240 |
Chattahoochee NF |
Bushwhack from old trail near Alex Gap |
No actual summit elev measured and 120ft clean prominence. NW half of mountain is private land |
Brier Creek Bald |
4163 |
Swallow Creek WMA |
Near AT & Near FS road 698 |
Short bushwhack |
Rich Knob |
4152 |
S Nantahala Wilderness |
Near AT |
Short bushwhack from GA/NC border on AT |
Cowpen Mountain |
4151 |
Cohutta Wilderness |
Near East Cowpen Trail (FS30) |
Short bushwhack |
Sassafras Knob |
4121 |
S Nantahala Wilderness |
Bushwhack |
Access the area from Egypt Gap |
Flat Top |
4114 |
Warwoman WMA |
Near Bartram (FS164) |
Short bushwhack |
Unnamed - Locust Ridge |
4108 |
Brasstown Wilderness |
Near Arkaquah Trail (FS29) |
Clean prominence of 120ft add 28ft from summit to last elev line = 148. May also be called Blue Bluff. Short bushwhack |
Alex Mountain |
4080 |
Chattahoochee NF |
Road walk on Bayberry Lane or Wild Bird Way |
NE half of mountain is private land |
Big Bald Mountain |
4076 |
Rich Mtn Wilderness |
Near FS road 338 |
Bushwhack. USGS TopoQuest shows 4075 - NatGeo likely raised this after the 1988 North American Vertical Datum adjustment |
Mayapple Knob |
4054 |
S Nantahala Wilderness |
Bushwhack |
Very remote. Faint path connects with Sassafras and Rattlesnake |
Double Knob (South Peak) |
4040 |
Brasstown Wilderness |
Near Wagon Train Trail (FS44) |
Long and difficult bushwhack. US Topo notes 4000 contour line only while USGS TopoQuest shows 4040 at South Peak |
Horsetrough Mountain |
4040 |
Mark Trail Wilderness |
AT access |
Long bushwhack |
Rich Mountain |
4040 |
Rich Mtn Wilderness |
Near FS road 338 |
Bushwhack, old tower foundation on top |
Rocky Mountain |
4017 |
Swallow Creek WMA |
AT |
Summit just off trail in camping area |
Bald Mountain |
4005 |
Cohutta Wilderness |
Tearbritches Trail (FS9) |
Little Bald Mtn overlook and Grassy Mtn tower are good nearby hikes |
Blue Mountain |
4000 |
Mark Trail Wilderness |
AT |
Trail crosses peak |
Rattlesnake Knob |
4000 |
S Nantahala Wilderness |
Bushwhack |
NatGeo incorrectly shows 3960 elevation |
Spaniards Knob |
4000 |
Mark Trail Wilderness |
AT access |
Long bushwhack, double summit with neither clearly higher (hike both) |
Tickanetley Bald |
4000 |
Rich Mtn Wilderness |
Near FS road 338 |
Old trail from FS road 338 just west of Rich Mtn |
Other High Areas
- Chimney Top (North on Wolfpen Ridge - elev 4117). Clean prominence of only 80ft add 37ft from summit to last elev line = 117. Does not qualify.
- Little Bald Mtn (4400 elev) north of Brasstown Bald. No actual summit elev measured and 80ft clean prominence. Does not qualify.
- Unnamed summit (4400 elev) between Flint Knob and Rabun Bald. No actual summit elev measured and 80ft clean prominence. Does not qualify.
- Rocky Mtn and other Brasstown adjoining ridges
- Shooting Creek Bald near Hightower Bald