Rabun County Highpoint Trip Report
Rabun Bald (4,680+ ft)
Date: August 3, 2006
Author: Don Desrosiers
I started with Scott Surgent's fine directions but development has made
modifications to some of his numbers.
In the town of Dillard on US 23/441, turn right onto Route 246 toward Sky Valley
and zero odometer. At 4.1 miles turn right onto Old Mud Creek Road (SR 1628)
which will eventually become Bald Mountain Road, presumably when it enters back
into GA. Pass through Sky Valley, the type of place that looks like it would
not welcome anyone on this e-mail list, and at 7.0 miles, turn sharply right
onto Kelsey Mountain Road with USFS sign for Rabun Bald.
Park at the cul-de-sac at 7.2 miles.
At this point there are 6 possibilities. Going clockwise: 1) Kelsey Mountain
Road where you just came in; 2) a driveway with stone pillars; 3) a driveway to
a red house; 4) a jeep road going 130 magnetic with a no outlet sign;
5) a dirt road going 200° magnetic; and 6) signed Joe Bleckley Road.
Obviously, you want #5.
I stayed on the 4wd track and had an easy ascent other than the heat. There are
no views until you reach the stone Bartram Trail sign and by then you are just
about there. Found the reference marker but no BM. Came back the same way.
55 minutes up, 40 minutes down.