Just east of Dalton, Route 52 begins to take a serious climb toward Fort Mountain. Topping out at 2848 feet, this Georgia state park offers a variety of amenities including a 17 acre lake, cottages and campsites.
   The name, Fort Mountain, originates from a mysterious wall, a jumble of non-native rocks which are spread out in an 885 foot arc near the summit. This collection of boulders has baffled southeastern archaeologists for centuries, leading to various theories and speculation. One of the most intriguing ideas dates back to the early 1800s when the old Cherokee, Chief Oconostota, indicated the fortification was built hundreds of years ago by white people, called Welsh. According to legend, Madoc left his kingdom in Europe and sailed across the Atlantic, making landfall at Mobile Bay in the late 1100s. On Modac’s return trip to Europe he gathered colonists with the idea of a return to the New World. Their departure was the last that was ever seen of the expedition. The legend was so prevalent in the 1800s that Lewis and Clark were ordered to look for Welsh Indians or any Welsh speaking peoples.
    Current theories set the date of the wall to 500 CE, and suggest it was built for religious purposes. Angled to capture both morning and evening sun, the wall’s position fits well with the Native American’s practice of worshiping the sun.
   A loop trail leads through the tree canopy, with both branches advancing toward the summit. The summit trail weaves around huge boulders and passes an overlook, a 30s vintage stone tower constructed by the CCC, and on to the Fort Mountain wall. Fort Mountain State Park offers a tempting variety of hiking trails, interesting Georgia history, family-oriented picnicking, swimming, miniature golf, and boat rentals.

     Area Map