Afoot and Afield: Atlanta. MARCUS WOOLF

From the ridge summit, the path goes left, and a series of switchbacks winds down the western slope of the ridge. As you drop, the forest becomes a tangle of vines and underbrush.

      The trail again follows an old road at 3.5 miles and you’ll reach a Y intersection (Waypoint 3). Bear right to descend more switchbacks through an area with heaps of blown-down trees. A little farther on, look west in winter to see Taylor Ridge.

      At 5.3 miles, the trail crosses FSR 250, and this marks your second passage over the Tennessee Valley Divide line (Waypoint 4). This is also the alternate parking area. Take the narrow dirt path down to the East Chickamauga Creek drainage and prepare to hop the narrow stream a handful of times. The last mile of the hike is a rolling tour of hills and ravines lavished with hickory, white oak, and tulip trees. At 5.5 miles, you’ll cross Ponder Branch, which may just be a trickle here, and continue across the power line break to complete a loop. Turn right to go west to the parking area.

      WAYPOINTS

      1. N34º 42.748' W85º 9.746'

      2. N34º 43.400' W85º 8.786'

      3. N34º 43.918' W85º 8.656'

      4. N34º 43.387' W85º 9.844'

      12 Rocktown Trail

      Distance 2 miles, out-and-back

      Hiking Time 1 hour

      Difficulty Easy

      Elevation +/–15'

      Trail Use Climbing and good for kids

      Best Times Year-round (winter is best for climbing)

      Agency Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division

      Recommended Maps USGS 7.5-minute Cedar Grove and Lafayette or visit drtopo.com for a downloadable PDF of the bouldering problems.

      HIGHLIGHTS The Rocktown Trail leads to a sprawling jumble of rock formations that offer some of the finest bouldering in the Southeast, with problems that range in difficulty from V0 to V8. Even those who don’t climb will find Rocktown fascinating, because it seems as if you’re walking through a village ruin where ancients lived among houses of sandstone. Heightening the effect are narrow alleys with steep walls that snake between boulders some 30 feet high. The hike to the Rocktown boulder field is brief but pleasant, with ferns and hardwoods surrounding the path. Once you reach the boulders, you’ll find that the rocks have eroded in curious ways—some with scooped-out, round pockets, others with vertical furrows that make the rock face appear like rows of bones. The lower portions of some boulders have eroded more quickly than their tops, so some appear to be balanced precariously, defying gravity by not toppling. In the Rocktown labyrinth, you will also find arêtes and an overhanging roof.

      DIRECTIONS From Atlanta, take I-75 north to the exit for GA 136 (Exit 320) toward Resaca/Lafayette. Take GA 136 west 26.8 miles to E. Villanow St./GA 193. Take GA 193 west, and in Lafayette take GA 193 north 2.8 miles. Turn left onto Chamberlain Road at the CROCKFORD-PIGEON MOUNTAIN WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA sign. Travel 3.4 miles on Chamberlain Road and turn right onto Rocky Lane at a WMA sign. Go 3.5 miles, passing a DNR check-in station, and at the next road intersection, turn right. Travel another 1.3 miles and turn left onto Rocktown Road. Take this 0.6 mile until it ends at the parking area.

      FACILITIES/TRAILHEAD There are no facilities at the parking area for Rocktown. The nearest camping area is Sawmill Lake. To get there, go to the junction of Rocky Lane and Rocktown Road, continue on Rocky Lane (about a quarter mile), and turn onto the first road on the right. There are no facilities at Sawmill Lake and no water source other than the lake itself.

      NOTE(S) A Georgia Outdoor Recreational Pass (GORP) is required for Rocktown Trail. To get a pass, visit georgiawildlife.com, call 800-366-2661, or visit a license agent. (Find an agent at georgiawildlife.com/LicenseAgents.) Cost for GORP pass: Individual 3-Day, $3.50; Individual Annual, $19; Small Group 3-Day, $10; Small Group Annual, $35. Transaction fee: $2.50 for online, $3 for license vendor, and $5 by phone. The Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area, including Rocktown, is closed to nonhunters all day during firearm deer-hunting season. For exact dates, visit eregulations.com/georgia/hunting/region-1.

      The strange stone “buildings” of Rocktown

      At the north end of the gravel parking area, enter the trail (Waypoint 1). Soon you will cross a branch of Allen Creek and take an easy, pleasant walk over fairly flat ground populated with Virginia pines, oaks, and hickory trees. The forest is fairly open with ferns, as well as stands of mountain laurels, lining the path. At 0.5 mile (Waypoint 2), you’ll soon pass between two rock formations. Keep going, because the main area known as Rocktown is a half mile ahead.

      At 1 mile, you’ll reach the first stone formations in the main Rocktown collection (Waypoint 3). The sandstone and conglomerate stones display a variety of colors, from dull grays to shades of red and brown. The rust color in some of the stones hints at the fact that iron ore was once mined in the surrounding area.

      Continue ahead to further explore the many “streets,” or trails, that wind among the stones. Those interested in climbing should download the Rocktown map at drtopo.com, which includes sketches of the various rock formations and identifies the locations of many bouldering problems, such as the Scoop (V3), Croc Block (V5), Bermuda Triangle (V7), and the Orb (V8). The topo provides unofficial names for many problems as well as difficulty ratings.

      WAYPOINTS

      1. N34º 39.537' W85º 23.382'

      2. N34º 39.243' W85º 23.359'

      3. N34º 38.957' W85º 23.441'

      13 Pocket Recreation Area

      Distance 2.6 miles, main loop

      Hiking Time 1 hour

      Difficulty Easy

      Elevation +150'/–120'

      Trail Use Leashed dogs

      Best Times Spring and fall

      Agency U.S. Forest Service, Conasauga Ranger District

      Recommended Map USGS 7.5-minute Sugar Valley

      HIGHLIGHTS On a topographic map, Mill Mountain and Horn Mountain appear as two long spines that connect to form a U. Their steep slopes wrap around an area of low land, known as the Pocket. The Pocket Loop Trail heads through forest where spring-fed streams and other rivulets support a rich variety of trees and wildflowers. In the lower forest, American beech and sycamore trees thrive in the moist soil, while surrounding hills are thick with white oaks, hickory trees, and shortleaf and loblolly pines. In spring you’ll also see dogwoods in bloom. The paths here are easy, and the campground is pleasant, making it a good place to combine overnight camping with a relaxing walk. A real gem here is the Aquatic Viewing Area, a wetland about a half mile into the hike. Set in a broad clearing, it allows excellent views for birding.

      DIRECTIONS Take I-75 north to Resaca. Take GA 136 west 15 miles. East of Villanow, turn south onto Pocket Road and travel 7 miles to the entrance of the Pocket Recreation Area. Go 0.3 mile on the one-way loop road to a parking area on the right.

      FACILITIES/TRAILHEAD Restrooms (with handicapped facilities), water sources, and picnic tables are available in the camping area. You can hike year-round, though the campground, with 27 sites, is closed from November 1 through April 1.

      Begin