Lincoln County Highpoint Trip Report
Graves Mtn
Date: January 12, 2008
Author: Edward Earl
On US-378, 1.5 miles east of the Lincoln/Wilkes county line, I turned south of
Crook Road. Mileposts that increase eastbound from 0.0 at the county line make
it easy to locate this turnoff from either direction. After just 1/4 mile,
Crook Road tops out at point 604 about ½ mile east of the summit of Graves Mountain.
At this point a gravel road not shown on the topo heads uphill toward
Graves Mountain, traversing to the right of the ridge crest. At the beginning
of this road is a sagging, damaged, partly open metal gate with no adverse signage.
I parked at a small turnout on Crook Road near the gravel turnoff.
About 1 minute hiking time up the gravel road is a concrete water tank on the left.
The gravel road gains the saddle about 0.2 mile east of the main summit,
then makes a sharp switchback to the left toward the 750+ summit about 0.3 mile
east of the main summit. At this point, I left the gravel road and hiked up a
much fainter road toward the main summit. A minute later I passed a small sign
whose content I shall discuss only on a private basis. I continued uphill,
sometimes on faint roads and sometimes cross-country through open forest, until
I reached the flat, grassy, mostly-open summit. The highest ground could be any
of several rock slabs that rise above the grass.
Graves Mountain has the distinction of being not only the Lincoln county HP but
also the most isolated point in the state of GA, which is evident in the views
that can be had in most directions.