Hiawassee/Lake Chatuge (Towns County)

Towns County, which borders North Carolina in northeast Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains, is the state's 118th county & comprises 167 square miles. Towns County was created from Rabun and Union counties in 1856. Originally inhabited by Cherokee Indians, the county was named for George W. Towns, Georgia governor from 1847 to 1851. The first white settlers, attracted by the promise of free land, arrived after the Indian cessions of 1818 and 1819.

Today travelers are particularly attracted by the area's Appalachian music, arts and crafts, mountains, and rivers. Many are drawn to the annual Georgia Mountain Fair, which has been held in Hiawassee since 1950. The Appalachian Trail crosses the southern and eastern borders of the county which is a big attraction for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. Over half of the county is federal forest land.

Towns County points of interest include: Brasstown Bald, the highest mountain in Georgia, the Chattahoochee National Forest; Beautiful Lake Chatuge, which is a 7,050-acre man-made lake; and Unicoi Gap in the Georgia Blue Ridge and the Fred Hamilton Rhododendron Garden in Hiawassee. Two rivers flow through Towns, the Tallulah (Falls) River, and the Hiwassee River, whose headwaters are on the northern side of Unicoi Gap. Both rivers provide great locations for recreation.