Grassy Mountain Tower

Hike around Lake Conasauga, Georgia's highest elevation lake, before trekking up to Grassy Mountain and catching views from the fire tower at the summit. While you can't access the top of the fire tower, you can still climb above the tree line for some of the best views in the area.

Begin at the picnic and day use area at Lake Conasauga. To connect to the Tower Trail you can go either way around the lake, it's almost exactly the same distance either way. This description goes around counter-clockwise. Following the lake shore, hike past the campground, following a gravel road for less than a tenth of a mile before the trail branches off, staying close to the lake.

At two thirds of a mile, turn away from the lake on the signed trail for the Songbird and Tower trails. The Songbird Trail forms a lollipop loop that shares a short section of this hike, so you'll pass two intersections with it on the left, staying right at both. The Songbird Trail also makes for an alternate trailhead or add it for a little extra mileage. After the second intersection, the trail begins to get steeper.

At 2.2 miles the trail ends at a forest service road with no blazes in sight. Continue along the road, staying right to continue to the summit. If you're going downhill, you're going the wrong way. At just over 2.6 miles you reach a clearing at the summit of Grassy Mountain and the fire tower at the top. The top of the tower is blocked off, but you can climb up to a small platform two thirds of the way up. This will get you above the trees, giving you views in all directions.