Mountains are calling and I must go! Yonah Preserve Trails in Cleveland

On hot/humid days in summer we wake up in Atlanta and know that we have to head north to the mountains to cool off. Our family has gone north my entire life so we know places, and one day I will live in the mountains as I am happiest and most fulfilled there. So, we jump in the Subaru with our standard gear (bikes, cooler, chairs, blanket) and head north. This trip we aimed for mountain biking at Yonah Preserve Trails in Cleveland and whatever came after. We know the area and can always wing it and make a great day of it where the mountains fill my views and the temps are cooler.

Serendipity favored us on this trip as we ran into friends on the trail and got to ride together, stumbled upon a fine singer songwriter over coffee with a million dollar view, enjoyed fresh salmon on the menu at dinner, and noticed a flyer for a historic play set at the nearby state park. We did it all and it was a great no-plans sort of day. We came home so fulfilled and relaxed and didn't even leave the house the next day except for a sunset ride on our backyard boardwalk trail.

We started the day actively and got our blood pumping with 6 miles of mtb trails biking with Woody at YPT. The view from the trails across the reservoir is stunning and always worth a stop at the end of the ride. After some chit chat about future trail plans we said ciao to our friend and promised to return. We found a cool iced coffee and a toffee & sea-salt cookie with a view at Jumping Goats Coffee Roasters and enjoyed a singer songwriter Tim O'Donovan wearing a Replacements t-shirt playing in the new patio pavilion. We lounged outside in the adirondack chairs watching birds at the feeder and gazing at Mt. Yonah across the pasture and decided on dinner on the square.

Fresh salmon salad and a brisket sammy with a couple of craft beers at Clyde's Table and Tavern made for a fine local dinner. There we noticed a flyer for a historic play at the state park that night by an author I knew from tourism assignments. Eventbrite said the show was sold out, but I knew the ranger and figured we'd just show up and offer cash for the fundraiser. No worries said the event staff, just park and come as you are, still in bike shorts and sandals. We grabbed our camp chairs (always in the subaru), a blanket and settled in for a play in a tree grove under the stars, supported by Tantrum Brewing. ;-)

Valley Voices, by Emory Jones, chronicles the story of the builders of Hardman Farm (now a state park) and the families that owned it afterwards including Georgia governors. Today when you visit, you can tour the grounds, several out buildings, the home, and learn about life on the Unicoi Turnpike which runs right through the property and is still lined with black walnuts today. At the visitor center and main gate of the Hardman farm be sure to take a stroll along the picturesque 1 mile Helen to Hardman Heritage Trail. It starts at the front driveway and flanks the tree lined Chattahoochee River (yes that one, its the headwaters of the river), ambles thru the forest, with an overlook at rapids, and includes interpretive signage and a RR whistle you can pull to honor the adjacent rail line.

If you want to do more, the trail leads you to downtown Helen right across from the waterpark and you're set to explore. In fact, by parking at Hardman Farm, you've missed all the bottleneck of traffic crawling into Helen and are getting your steps in. Enjoy your day and I hope you go home as satisfied and relaxed as we did. Visit Alpine Helen - White County CVB for ideas on how to recreate. Or follow our itinerary knowing that it allows for a bit of serendipity and we are always game.

Adventurers always, Tracie and Jeff