Rocktown, Georgia is the colloquial name for an outcropping of

sandstone Sandstone is a Clastic rock#Sedimentary clastic rocks, clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of grain size, sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate mineral, silicate grains, Cementation (geology), cemented together by another mineral. Sand ...

boulders on the

Appalachian Plateau The Appalachian Plateau is a series of rugged dissected plateaus located on the western side of the Appalachian Mountains. The Appalachian Mountains are a range that run from Nova Scotia in Canada to Alabama in the United States. The Appalachi ...

in northwest

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

. It consists of several acres of large sandstone boulders; the average size is high. Every boulder has its unique features, all with great foot and hand holds, and are very popular with climbers. The area presents challenges for all levels of climbers. There is a one-mile hike from the trailhead to get to the Rocktown area. Most of these boulders are untainted by pollution and graffiti because it is in a remote part of northwest Georgia. However, in recent years as the climbing community has become increasingly aware of the area it has become more common to see trash, human waste, damaged or abandoned climbing gear, and vandalism. Because it is located in a wildlife management area, it is possible to encounter wild animals in this area, including both venomous and non-venomous snakes, bobcats, deer, wild turkeys, and black bears. When climbing and exploring the boulders, caves, and

grottoes Grottoes may refer to: *The plural form of Grotto (disambiguation) * Grottoes, Virginia, a town named for the nearby cave system Grand Caverns {{Disambig ...

, it is common to encounter wasps, yellow-jackets spiders, and even the occasional bat. "Rock Town" refers to the large outcropping approximately one(1) mile from the trailhead. Which opens into a large gallery with 5 main pathways. This area has hundreds of spectacular formations, the entrance to a large cave, and 2 natural springs. The Rocktown trail and area are closed annually during scheduled deer hunts.

Location

Once a preciously guarded secret among locals and a small collection of climbing enthusiasts, Rocktown trail is located on top of Pigeon Mountain in extreme Northwest Georgia. It is part of the Crockford Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area and is administered by the Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division of the State of Georgia. It is northwest of

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

Georgia, and just south of

Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located along the Tennessee River and borders Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the south. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, it is Tennessee ...

. The town closest to the trail is

LaFayette, Georgia LaFayette ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Walker County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 6,888. It was founded as Chattooga. LaFayette is part of the Chattanooga, TN-GA Metropolitan Statistical ...

. To access Crockford Pigeon Mountain WMA, one must possess a hunting or fishing license or a Georgia Lands Pass.

Activities

Although rock climbing is the most popular activity in Rocktown, other activities include hunting,

hiking A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. "Hi ...

bird watching Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device such as binoculars or a telescop ...

and

picnicking A picnic is a meal taken outdoors ( ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event such as preceding a ...

. Camping is prohibited at Rocktown but is permitted in designated areas on certain portions of the wildlife management area.

References

External links

Flatliners SoutheastClimbing.com coverage
{{coord, 34, 39, 32, N, 85, 23, 23, W, region:US-GA, display=title Climbing areas of Georgia (U.S. state) Geography of Walker County, Georgia Tourist attractions in Walker County, Georgia