Brasstown Bald From Blue Ridge, GA: Hours, Fees & Shuttle (2026)

Brasstown Bald is the highest point in Georgia, and it's about an hour's drive from downtown Blue Ridge. Once you're there, you ride a shuttle or walk up a paved trail to an observation deck. Here's what the U.S. Forest Service and Explore Georgia say about hours, fees, the shuttle, and the rules, with each detail linked to its source.

#Brasstown Bald at a glance

#What is Brasstown Bald?

The Forest Service says the Brasstown Bald Visitor Information Center sits on "the highest point in Georgia, rising 4,784 feet above sea level." At the top, it lists:

• picnic areas with views
• a general store with locally made products
• a mountaintop natural science and history museum
• an observation deck with a 360° view that takes in four states (Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina), "and if you're lucky, the skyline of Atlanta!"
• three trailheads just off the parking lot

Explore Georgia adds that the visitor center has exhibits on local culture, geology, and wildlife, and that one of the trails, the Jacks Knob Trail, connects to the Appalachian Trail.

#How far is Brasstown Bald from Blue Ridge?

OSRM routing, checked today, puts the Brasstown Bald parking area about 1 hour and about 40 miles from downtown Blue Ridge, with no traffic. The route heads east on US 76 to Blairsville, then follows the Forest Service's directions.

From Blairsville, the Forest Service says to "take US 19 & 129 south for 8 miles. Turn left (east) onto Georgia 180. Go 9 miles to Georgia Spur 180 and turn left (north). Go 3 miles to the Brasstown Bald parking lot." It gives the address as 2941 Highway Spur 180, Hiawassee, GA 30546, and it warns that there's "no guarantee your GPS unit will calculate a route accurately." For the most accurate GPS directions, it suggests the coordinates of the Highway 180 and Spur 180 intersection: N34.847894, W83.798567.

#What does it cost, and what passes work?

Per the Forest Service:

• Day use: $10 per person 16 and up. That "Includes Shuttle and Visitor Center Access." Children 15 and under get in free.
• After hours: $6 per person 16 and up. The page doesn't say which hours that covers, so ask the visitor center.
• Passes: the America the Beautiful Interagency Pass, plus the Military, Senior, and Access passes and the Golden Passport, are listed in its fee section. "Pass must be presented at the time of payment."
• Annual passes: call the visitor center at (706) 896-4137 about an Annual Pass for $40 per person, or a Friends and Family pass for $50, which lets in the pass holder plus two adults.

#Shuttle or trail: how do you get to the top?

The parking lot isn't at the summit. The Forest Service says the Brasstown Bald Summit Trail, which connects the parking area to the visitor center and viewing platform, "is a 0.6 mile paved foot trail. It is very steep. The shuttle service is provided as an alternative to walking the trail." Explore Georgia calls it a half-mile climb and also suggests the shuttle.

Two shuttle times shape your visit, per the Forest Service:

• There's no shuttle from 12:30 to 1:10 PM. If you arrive around lunch, plan to picnic or wait.
• The last shuttle to the summit leaves at 4:30 PM, and the last return is 5 PM.

If you want to ride up, reach the parking lot well before 4:30 PM, and remember the drive from downtown Blue Ridge is about an hour.

#When is Brasstown Bald closed in 2026?

The Forest Service says, "All facilities are closed the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day." This year, that means:

• Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2026
• Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026 (Thanksgiving)
• Thursday, Dec. 24, 2026 (Christmas Eve)
• Friday, Dec. 25, 2026 (Christmas Day)

If you're spending Thanksgiving weekend in Blue Ridge, it's open again Friday through Sunday. Our Thanksgiving in Blue Ridge guide has what else is open that week.

#What should you know before you go?

• Bring water. The Forest Service says potable water isn't available. It also lists no restroom information for the site.
• Leash the dog. Dogs must be leashed and aren't allowed in the visitor center.
• Check the alerts and fire danger. The Forest Service page shows the forest's current alerts and fire danger status. On Nov. 6, 2026, the fire danger status read "Extreme." It changes, so look the day you go.
• Look at the webcam first. The Forest Service page links two live webcams, one looking south and one looking north, so you can check the view before you make the drive.
• Hunting season. The trails off the parking lot are in the national forest. If you plan to hike beyond the summit, read our tips for hiking during hunting season.

#Is Brasstown Bald worth it in late fall and winter?

The Forest Service page lists one schedule, 7 days a week from 10 AM to 5 PM, with no separate winter hours, and closes only on the four holiday dates above. Explore Georgia says its height makes it among the first places in Georgia to show fall color. For the rest of a cold-weather trip, see our winter guide.

#What can you pair with Brasstown Bald?

• A scenic drive. The Forest Service's Russell-Brasstown National Scenic Byway is a 40-mile loop that includes Highway 180, the road you take to Brasstown Bald. Our scenic drives guide covers it, plus the Chamber's "Suches It Is" loop that lists Brasstown Bald as a side trip.
• Holiday lights in Hiawassee. Mountain Country Christmas in Lights runs Nov. 26 to Dec. 31, 2026, at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds in Hiawassee, 6 to 9 PM, with $10 admission and kids 12 and under free. It's open Thursday to Saturday from Nov. 26 to Dec. 12 and every night from Dec. 17 to 24 (closed Christmas Day), and Dec. 24 and Dec. 26–31 are drive-thru only at $25 per car. No pets, and the fairgrounds says hours "are subject to change without notice" (Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds). Brasstown Bald closes at 5 PM and the lights open at 6, but remember Brasstown Bald is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. It's on our events calendar, and our guide to Christmas lights near Blue Ridge has the night-by-night schedule.
• Anna Ruby Falls near Helen. Our Anna Ruby Falls day trip has the hours, fees, and route from Blue Ridge.

#Where to stay for a Brasstown Bald day trip

The Black Ember is a modern A-frame about 10 minutes from downtown Blue Ridge. Come back to a cedar barrel sauna, a private hot tub, and a wood fire pit with Adirondack chairs. It sleeps up to 5, and it's pet-free and smoke-free.