Hiking the Cartecay River Loop Trail
If you are ever up in Cherry Log and need a great workout with a chance to cool off in the middle, this is the trail for you! The Cartecay River Loop trail is located in Ellijay (directions here), about 20 minutes from the Lazy Laurel cabin in Cherry Log. This trail is an almost 4 mile loop that takes you along the beautiful Cartecay river. All Trails rates this as a “moderate” hike and I agree with that. It is a great workout with a few sections of relatively steep climbs but if my 50 year old body with 2 artificial hips and an ankle held together by screws can do it, so can you! Here’s what to expect on the trail.
 What to Expect on the Cartecay River Loop
Leaving the parking lot, you will spend the first quarter of a mile or so on a gravel road before you enter an open field with some really pretty greenery in the Summer:
Once through the open field you will enter the forrest, which will give you a nice shaded walk for the rest of the hike.
In about a mile and a half you are finally rewarded with some great chances to see the river as the loop parallels the Cartecay River for the next mile or so. Make sure you explore all of the side trails down to the river. There are a couple of nice pools to swim in and even a nice section of sliding rocks when the water is lower:
As with any hiking trail, I highly recommend you download and install All Trails before starting your hike. It is nice to be able to bring up the app and see how far you have left to go and to make sure you are still on trail. If you feel like you need to replace those calories you burned on the trail, I highly recommend the Pilsner and smash burger at the nearby Cartecay River Brewing Company!
