An overlook on the Tennessee Rock hiking trail in Black Rock Mountain State Park is on the Eastern Continental Divide. Rain that falls on the east side of the Divide flows into the Atlantic Ocean via the Savannah River; rain; that falls on the west side of the Divide flows into the Gulf of Mexico via the Chattahoochee and Apalachicola rivers.

TRAIL SUMMARY Location: Eastern Blue Ridge,  Black Rock Mountain, Black Rock Mountain State Park; Features: View, diverse flora, excellent interpretive trail, Eastern Continental Divide; Distance: 2.2 miles (loop); Difficulty Rating: Modeerate; County: Rabun; Nearest City: Mountain City; Maps: Dillard Quad GA-NC, park map available at visitor center; Blazes: Yellow;

Tennessee Rock is one of the most varied and 
scenic state park trails. Anthony Lampros and 
Dustin Warner have recently developed twenty-five interpretive stations throughout its length; an excellent guide to the numbered posts is available at the 
visitor center for a small fee. Easily walked in an hour
or two, its loop traverses the botanically rich slopes 
and ridge CIest of Black Rock Mountain. Flame azalea, mountain lauret and numerous species of wild- 
flowers bloom beside the path from mid-April 
through May.

The wide, yellow-blazed walkway begins with a 
short, moderate climb up wooden steps. After less 
than 100 yards, the trail reaches the point where its 
loop begins and ends. A sign states that the loop is 
easier to walk to the right} counterclockwise. This 
description follows that direction.

After turning right, the trail continues on an 
easy upgrade through a hardwood forest dominated 
by oaks. Beyond 0.2 mile the path becomes level or 
slightly descending as it winds along a slope that is 
alternately moist, then dry. Here the herb layer of 
the forest displays ferns and wildflowers including Virginia spiderwort, Canada violet, and mayapple. A 
sign marks the entrance of a 100-yard spur that leads 
to the base of a small boulder field at post 7.

The loop turns left onto an old road at 0.7 mile.

This road soon enters an extensive planting of white 
pine where pinesaps-saprophytic wildflowers-are 
abundant. These unusual plants do not produce 
chlorophyll and obtain their nourishment, with the 
aid of fungi, from organic matter. Most of the pinesaps in this colony were pale yellowish-orange rather 
than their more common coloration of reddish-orange. They bloom during the second half of July 
and early August.

A short distance after the road leaves the pine 
forest, the treadway turns left and becomes path again at mile 1.2. Here the trail makes a moderate-to-strenuous climb to 
the ridge of Black Rock Mountain. Once on the ridge, the footpath continues slightly uphill through an open deciduous forest. Several patches 
of starry campions - wiIdflowers identified by their five fringed, white petals and four whorled leaves-bloom along this section of the loop in 
late July and early August.

At mile 1.7 the trail climbs wooden steps over the first mound of the 
gneiss outcrop known as Tennessee Rock, which is part of the Eastern 
Continental Divide: a series of ridges that separate watersheds and their 
river systems. Water bouncing off the north side of the rock flows to the 
Gulf of Mexico, by way of the Tennessee, Ohio, and Mississippi Rivers. 
Raindrops splattering to the south of the rock contribute to the watersheds that flow to the Atlantic Ocean, by way of the Savannah River.

This narrow backbone crest of the mountain affords surprisingly 
scenic views of the Wolffork and Germany Valleys, and towns and mountains to either side. Beyond the look-off areas, the path drops to a road, then curls downhill and to the left away from the pavement. The trail's 
ending segment passes above a colony of Vasey's trillium. They usually 
flower from late April to late May.

Highlights
Throughout: Interpretive signs describing the features of the Southern 
Appalachian forest. Also, a wide diversity of wildflowers.

Mile 1.7: Tennessee Rock Overlook (3,625 feet) and the Eastern 
Continental Divide.

Directions
From Clayton, take US 441 North to Mountain City. In Mountain 
City, turn left onto Black Rock Mountain Road. A prominent sign marks 
the turn.

The Tennessee Rock Trail begins along the road that leads to the cottages. Two-tenths mile beyond the fork in the main park road (camping 
to the left, cottages to the right), turn right into the large day-use play 
area parking lot. There are signs for Tennessee Rock Trail and James E. 
Edmonds Backcountry Trail at the back of the gravel lot.

Tagged with: Black Rock Mountain Eastern Continental Divide Eastern Blue Ridge Hiking Trails in Georgia

Related Listings

Black Rock Mountain State Park

Mountain City, GA, State Parks
Black Rock Mountain State Park, named for its sheer cliffs of dark granite, is the highest state park in the state.