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Cohutta 100 |
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| NGOF North Georgia Outdoors & Fitness Magazine |
Course Information:
Cohutta 100
Maps/Profiles
100 Map
100 Profile
65 Mile Forest Service Road loop of the Cohutta Wilderness
Course Directions
There is no one map that has all of this on it. If you are unfamiliar with
the area I suggest you get a map of the Tanasi trails (WWC) and a FS
map of the Chattahoochee Forest. Be careful on some of the FS
roads. Most are straightforward but there are a few places where to
stay on what appears to be a straight road on the map, in reality,
there are turns. If you blindly continue on at some intersections, you
might end up on the wrong road. Just pay attention to where you are.
Race will start at White Water Center (WWC). It will proceed up Hwy
64 by lead vehicle to just past the Brush Creek trail overflow parking
lot (on right) to an alternate entrance of Brush Creek trail (gated road
on right just past parking lot but not yet to trail head of Brush Creek
on left). Go past gate and down hill (about 100 meters) to Brush Creek
trail and turn left onto trail. (If you have trouble finding this in training,
just start at Brush Creed trail head on left.)
Brush Creek trail will take you to Boyd Gap.
Trail will come out on northeast corner of Boyd gap parking lot (cell
tower on summit). The race will ride around the parking circle and
nice views of the Ocoee valley and the terrain to come can be seen
here. Re-enter trail at south east corner of parking area. The trail
then goes down a rough and rocky hill for less than a mile. This will
come out on paved road that is access to the raft put in.
Go left on paved road downhill to near the river and turn right onto Old
Copper Rd. This is a somewhat groomed trail that starts just behind
the restroom on right of access road.
Follow this back to WWC and Cross Bridge. Left onto Bear Paw (stay
left on Bear Paw loop) up to Chestnut.
Continue uphill on Chestnut (don’t turn right after end of Bear Paw) to
1st River View entrance. River View trail entrance will go straight as
Chestnut curves right.
Riverview trail clockwise back to Chestnut.
Left turn at end of River View back onto Chestnut.
This will continue uphill where trail T’s at FS road 221. Turn left
toward Tumbling Creek campground on FS221. This is the first aid
station in the race. The 35 and 65 will turn right here.
Just after Tumbling Creek campground, road will briefly turn to
pavement and T’s again. Turn right toward Dally Gap. Just after turn,
you will go by some homely houses (watch for dogs) and re-enter FS
roads. This will be FS65
At Georgia line road becomes FS road 22. Continue to Dally Gap (2nd
aid station) then to Watson’s Gap.
At Watson’s Gap continue straight. Road turns into FS64. Aid station 3
is at Three Folks
Continue south to Potato Patch mountain where road turns to FS68
and continue toward Lake Conasauga.
Near lake Conasauga, Take to FS17. This is a HARD right turn. FS 68
makes a 90* turn at this intersection and FS17 makes a near 180*
turn. Easy to miss.
Continue on FS17 until it T's at Game Check station (aid station #4),
and turn right onto FS16 . At the Ga/Tn line the road does a zig zag
(turn right at the restroom) and will turn into FS221
Just before you get to Sylco campground, 221 turns right. There is
one more right turn on 221 before the down hill to Big Frog camping
area (aid station #5).
FS221 will take you back to the WWC where you will go left off of 221
onto FS45 downhill to the West Fork trail (about 1.5 miles) and the
last aid station. Watch closely for this on the right as it is easy to
miss and you are screaming downhill at this point (will be well
marked in race). If you have had enough at this point in training, you
can continue down FS45 to Thunder Rock campground and turn right
onto Rhododendron trail to return to start.
If you want to do the remainder of racecourse, go right on West Fork
up to Chestnut.
Right onto Chestnut to Quartz.
Do the Quartz loop (clockwise).
Bypass trail back the Chestnut and go left.
Downhill to left turn (still Chestnut) just before the Bear Paw loop.
Chestnut to Thunder Rock Express
Thunder Rock Express to Thunder Rock Campground.
Cross bridge just past powerhouse to Rhododendron on right at edge
of sub-station and back to start at WWC. (The race will not be able to
use Rhododendron trail that connects Thunder Rock camp ground
and the Start/Finish area and will have to return on the paved trail
next to highway 64).
Course description:
The start is on the highway for nearly 3 miles. Good climb to spread it
out. First trail section is Brush Creek which is the only true beginner
trail in area. Flat, fast and fun. Small climb to Boyd Gap . Here is a nice
visa of the valley with the Ocoee river and a look at what is to come
on the other side of the valley. Exit the overlook down a fairly
technical down hill to a small stretch of pavement to Old Copper
Road. This is a flat wide trail next to the river that is punctuated with
some technical sections from washout (see photos). Back to the
WWC.
Crossing the bridge over the river starts a nice climb up Bear Paw.
There are a few sections of Bear Paw that takes some effort to ride
clean. Exiting Bear Paw to River View. Fast and fun, roller coaster
like. Exiting River View, the trail opens up and climbs to the start of
the large forest service road loop of the Cohutta Wilderness at aid
station 1.
The first section of these roads are the roughest and are a
continuous up/down exercise. Climbs are short and sometimes
steep. Some nice views can be seen on some of the ridges. As you
approach Tumbling Creek camp ground, the road decends to the
creek. After passing the camp ground on your left, the road becomes
relatively flat for several miles. As you enter GA, the road follows
Tumbling creek for several miles with some very nice scenic views
of the creek and lush flora.
The road starts to roll and as you leave the creek, and begins one of
the major climbs of the Cohutta loop up to Dally Gap (aid station 2)
then Watson's Gap. Ultimately, this will take you up to the eastern
ridge of the Cohuttas. You will ride the ridge for what seem like
forever with non-stop ups and downs. Aid station 3 is about 2/3rds of
the way thru these climbs before the long decent. These climbs are
longer and more grueling that those before.
Eventually you will get to the last climb and hight point at Bald
Mountain and will get a long decent starting just before FS17. The
decent is long and some of it quiet fast. But there are some scattered
small sprinter climbs that get annoying.
At aid station 5 the road continues down gradually with a few
undulations then turns flat as you get back into Tennessee on FS221.
Just before Sylco campground, the climbing starts again, getting
back up to the northern ridge of what is now Big Frog Wilderness.
This take you back to the WWC and a fast down hill to the West fork
trail head at aid station 6. West fork is a long gradual climb back up
to the ridge where you will do the Quartz loop and Bypass trails.
Some of these sections are fast and fun with a few technical areas to
keep you awake. Out of Bypass to Chestnut. This is a great trail with
some technical sections. Not too hilly. Chestnut leads into the
perhaps the most fun trail of the WWC, the aptly named Thunder
Rock Express, (as in express down). Last 5k's or so are fast and
somewhat technical. Technical in the sense that there are several
hard turns that have long drop offs on the outside. Miss the turn and
we may find you by next year's race. Exiting the trail, will take you by
the power house and onto the last 1+ miles is on flat pavement next
to the highway.
In general, the WWC trails are not overly technical but are good solid
mountain bike trails that are just plain fun. The loop has a variety of
terrain and just plain hurts you with all the climbing. The course is
very ridable and a expert level rider should be able to do the whole
course without using the small (22) ring. One should be able to get
into a good rhythm and some sections are quit fast and fun. Enjoy!
Cohutta 100
Maps/Profiles
100 Map
100 Profile
65 Mile Forest Service Road loop of the Cohutta Wilderness
Course Directions
There is no one map that has all of this on it. If you are unfamiliar with
the area I suggest you get a map of the Tanasi trails (WWC) and a FS
map of the Chattahoochee Forest. Be careful on some of the FS
roads. Most are straightforward but there are a few places where to
stay on what appears to be a straight road on the map, in reality,
there are turns. If you blindly continue on at some intersections, you
might end up on the wrong road. Just pay attention to where you are.
Race will start at White Water Center (WWC). It will proceed up Hwy
64 by lead vehicle to just past the Brush Creek trail overflow parking
lot (on right) to an alternate entrance of Brush Creek trail (gated road
on right just past parking lot but not yet to trail head of Brush Creek
on left). Go past gate and down hill (about 100 meters) to Brush Creek
trail and turn left onto trail. (If you have trouble finding this in training,
just start at Brush Creed trail head on left.)
Brush Creek trail will take you to Boyd Gap.
Trail will come out on northeast corner of Boyd gap parking lot (cell
tower on summit). The race will ride around the parking circle and
nice views of the Ocoee valley and the terrain to come can be seen
here. Re-enter trail at south east corner of parking area. The trail
then goes down a rough and rocky hill for less than a mile. This will
come out on paved road that is access to the raft put in.
Go left on paved road downhill to near the river and turn right onto Old
Copper Rd. This is a somewhat groomed trail that starts just behind
the restroom on right of access road.
Follow this back to WWC and Cross Bridge. Left onto Bear Paw (stay
left on Bear Paw loop) up to Chestnut.
Continue uphill on Chestnut (don’t turn right after end of Bear Paw) to
1st River View entrance. River View trail entrance will go straight as
Chestnut curves right.
Riverview trail clockwise back to Chestnut.
Left turn at end of River View back onto Chestnut.
This will continue uphill where trail T’s at FS road 221. Turn left
toward Tumbling Creek campground on FS221. This is the first aid
station in the race. The 35 and 65 will turn right here.
Just after Tumbling Creek campground, road will briefly turn to
pavement and T’s again. Turn right toward Dally Gap. Just after turn,
you will go by some homely houses (watch for dogs) and re-enter FS
roads. This will be FS65
At Georgia line road becomes FS road 22. Continue to Dally Gap (2nd
aid station) then to Watson’s Gap.
At Watson’s Gap continue straight. Road turns into FS64. Aid station 3
is at Three Folks
Continue south to Potato Patch mountain where road turns to FS68
and continue toward Lake Conasauga.
Near lake Conasauga, Take to FS17. This is a HARD right turn. FS 68
makes a 90* turn at this intersection and FS17 makes a near 180*
turn. Easy to miss.
Continue on FS17 until it T's at Game Check station (aid station #4),
and turn right onto FS16 . At the Ga/Tn line the road does a zig zag
(turn right at the restroom) and will turn into FS221
Just before you get to Sylco campground, 221 turns right. There is
one more right turn on 221 before the down hill to Big Frog camping
area (aid station #5).
FS221 will take you back to the WWC where you will go left off of 221
onto FS45 downhill to the West Fork trail (about 1.5 miles) and the
last aid station. Watch closely for this on the right as it is easy to
miss and you are screaming downhill at this point (will be well
marked in race). If you have had enough at this point in training, you
can continue down FS45 to Thunder Rock campground and turn right
onto Rhododendron trail to return to start.
If you want to do the remainder of racecourse, go right on West Fork
up to Chestnut.
Right onto Chestnut to Quartz.
Do the Quartz loop (clockwise).
Bypass trail back the Chestnut and go left.
Downhill to left turn (still Chestnut) just before the Bear Paw loop.
Chestnut to Thunder Rock Express
Thunder Rock Express to Thunder Rock Campground.
Cross bridge just past powerhouse to Rhododendron on right at edge
of sub-station and back to start at WWC. (The race will not be able to
use Rhododendron trail that connects Thunder Rock camp ground
and the Start/Finish area and will have to return on the paved trail
next to highway 64).
Course description:
The start is on the highway for nearly 3 miles. Good climb to spread it
out. First trail section is Brush Creek which is the only true beginner
trail in area. Flat, fast and fun. Small climb to Boyd Gap . Here is a nice
visa of the valley with the Ocoee river and a look at what is to come
on the other side of the valley. Exit the overlook down a fairly
technical down hill to a small stretch of pavement to Old Copper
Road. This is a flat wide trail next to the river that is punctuated with
some technical sections from washout (see photos). Back to the
WWC.
Crossing the bridge over the river starts a nice climb up Bear Paw.
There are a few sections of Bear Paw that takes some effort to ride
clean. Exiting Bear Paw to River View. Fast and fun, roller coaster
like. Exiting River View, the trail opens up and climbs to the start of
the large forest service road loop of the Cohutta Wilderness at aid
station 1.
The first section of these roads are the roughest and are a
continuous up/down exercise. Climbs are short and sometimes
steep. Some nice views can be seen on some of the ridges. As you
approach Tumbling Creek camp ground, the road decends to the
creek. After passing the camp ground on your left, the road becomes
relatively flat for several miles. As you enter GA, the road follows
Tumbling creek for several miles with some very nice scenic views
of the creek and lush flora.
The road starts to roll and as you leave the creek, and begins one of
the major climbs of the Cohutta loop up to Dally Gap (aid station 2)
then Watson's Gap. Ultimately, this will take you up to the eastern
ridge of the Cohuttas. You will ride the ridge for what seem like
forever with non-stop ups and downs. Aid station 3 is about 2/3rds of
the way thru these climbs before the long decent. These climbs are
longer and more grueling that those before.
Eventually you will get to the last climb and hight point at Bald
Mountain and will get a long decent starting just before FS17. The
decent is long and some of it quiet fast. But there are some scattered
small sprinter climbs that get annoying.
At aid station 5 the road continues down gradually with a few
undulations then turns flat as you get back into Tennessee on FS221.
Just before Sylco campground, the climbing starts again, getting
back up to the northern ridge of what is now Big Frog Wilderness.
This take you back to the WWC and a fast down hill to the West fork
trail head at aid station 6. West fork is a long gradual climb back up
to the ridge where you will do the Quartz loop and Bypass trails.
Some of these sections are fast and fun with a few technical areas to
keep you awake. Out of Bypass to Chestnut. This is a great trail with
some technical sections. Not too hilly. Chestnut leads into the
perhaps the most fun trail of the WWC, the aptly named Thunder
Rock Express, (as in express down). Last 5k's or so are fast and
somewhat technical. Technical in the sense that there are several
hard turns that have long drop offs on the outside. Miss the turn and
we may find you by next year's race. Exiting the trail, will take you by
the power house and onto the last 1+ miles is on flat pavement next
to the highway.
In general, the WWC trails are not overly technical but are good solid
mountain bike trails that are just plain fun. The loop has a variety of
terrain and just plain hurts you with all the climbing. The course is
very ridable and a expert level rider should be able to do the whole
course without using the small (22) ring. One should be able to get
into a good rhythm and some sections are quit fast and fun. Enjoy!
