Escape from the rat race and retreat to North Georgia’s White County and surrounding areas – the ultimate “man cave.” Gather up the gents and head outdoors for a weekend of adventure in Mother Nature.
Shout, “fore!” at Innsbruck and the Mossy Creek golf courses, championship 18-hole golf courses with a driving range. Carve your way through the forest as you race down mountain biking trails. See who walks away telling the biggest tale as you test your angler skills seeking trout in North Georgia’s trophy trout streams. Want to improve your chance of luring in the big one? Sign up for fly fishing lessons. Seek out Anna Ruby Falls in the Chattahoochee National Forest – a moderate ½-mile paved trail leads to two viewing decks of twin waterfalls. Unicoi State Park & Lodge, with more than 1,000 acres of wilderness, and Smithgall Woods offer educational programming: workshops, lectures and concerts. Drive along the Russell-Brasstown Scenic Byway or Southern Highroads Trail. From the marked entrance to Dukes Creek Falls on the Russell Scenic Highway, Dukes Creek Falls Trail is a 1.9-mile round-trip hike in a series of three switchbacks that lead down to falls on Davis Creek at its confluence with Dukes Creek.
Hiking, birding, guided tours, nature photography and wildlife observation as well as canoeing and kayaking on Unicoi Lake provide more opportunities for men to commune in nature. Helen’s central location makes it a perfect home base for excursions to nearby Brasstown Bald and the Georgia Wine Trail. Take a guys’ weekend to new heights with helicopter rides that will have you whirring over scenic mountaintops. Cool off with white water rafting adventures or take it to a slower pace with canoeing and kayaking – Wildwood Outfitters offers rentals and trips for water excursions. In the evenings, relax with a craft beer as you sip suds amidst Helen’s many beer gardens – how’s that for a winning combo? Mountain cabins and lodges, tucked out and about – in valleys, on top of mountains, by streams and rivers, provide the perfect resting spot to accommodate groups of guys.