Rec and Sports

Folklore of the Northeast Georgia Mountains

If you’re seeking a vacation destination that spoils you with current amenities while satisfying your craving for traditional hospitality, a trip to the mountains in northeast Georgia is a must. The area is rich with history and mystery, a combination sure to inspire your imagination.

You can start off on your adventure in Sautee, located on the old Unicoi Trail, now identified simply as Georgia Highway 17. This was an area one time inhabited by the Cherokee and Chickasaw tribes. These tribes were great rivals and often made war upon eachother, but there were a few times when they operated under an uneasy truce. During one such time, a band of Chickasaw warriors were said to have crossed over Cherokee land, which the Cherokees were disposed to permit as long as the Chickasaws stayed on the Unicoi Trail and did not wander about.

The Chickasaws stopped to rest under a great white oak tree, and some prying Cherokees crept up to observe the Chickasaws. Keeping to the words of the ceasefire, the Chickasaws did not leave their spot on the trail, but one Cherokee maiden approached closer than the others. Her name was Nacoochie, and she was the daughter of the Cherokee Chief. Her attention was riveted upon one particular Chickasaw warrior. His name was Sautee, and he was also the son of a chief. Their eyes met, and their future was sealed.

That night, as legend has it, Nacoochie snuck away from her father’s lodging to meet Sautee under the white oak tree. They fled to Yonah Mountain where they proclaimed their love for one another. But Nacoochie’s father was furious, and he tracked the young lovers to the top of the mountain. The Cherokee chief had Sautee thrown from the high cliffs of Yonah Mountain while Nacoochie looked on. Overcome by grief, Nacoochie threw herself over the precipice after her one true love, and they died together in eachother’s arms.

Realizing the error he had made in his anger, Nacoochie’s father named the area after the two of them, and now the Sautee and Nacoochie Valleys memorialize the legend.

Today, the area is a wonderland of beautiful resorts, natural treasures, and attractive villages. Sautee boasts a thriving cultural community with museums, theaters, art galleries and much more. It is an Official Historic District and has been dubbed as one of the “100 Best Small Arts Towns in America.”

Nearby Alpine Helen is an additional must-see destination. The beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains offer a wide range of outdoor activities such as swimming, rafting, hiking, biking and camping.

The town of Alpine Helen is a tourist attraction all by itself. When gold strikes ran dry and miners left for richer prospects in the mid 1960’s, Helen recreated itself in the tradition of a Bavarian Alpine village, complete with old-world store fronts and cobbled streets. Today Alpine Helen is home to over 200 shops, restaurants, art galleries, craft stores, and much more.

For your next holiday, plan to visit northeast Georgia. The romance and nostalgia of this unique area will enchant you.

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