Chatsworth’s Mysterious Wall
Saturday, January 30th, 2010Georgia > Northwest Georgia Mountains > Murray County > Chatsworth
Who built the ancient stone wall at Fort Mountain has been a mystery that archeologists, historians and visitors have been trying to solve for years.
There are numerous ways to spend the day at Fort Mountain State Park – hiking, biking and horseback riding to name a few. But certainly, a highlight of the park and the landmark from which it derives its name is the mysterious wall that sits at the highest point of Fort Mountain.
The ancient stone Wall at Fort Mountain has been the subject of much speculation for centuries. Measuring 875 feet in length, it ranges in height from two to seven feet, although it was probably considerably higher in the past. Remains of circular depressions made of various sized stones and measuring about 10 feet across, occur in the wall at about 30-foot intervals.
Archeologists and historians have been unable to solve the puzzle of who, if anyone, built the wall or why or when it was built. There are many theories. A favorite explanation is that Woodland Indians built the wall around CE 500. The east-west orientation of its end points would result in alignment at sunrise and sunset at the solar equinox in both spring and fall. The dramatic setting of the wall, offering expansive vistas to the east and west, would add to its religious significance. Ceremonial centers similar to this were built by the Woodland Indians at Old Stone Fort, Tennessee, and Rock Eagle Mound in Putnam County, Georgia. The Woodland Indians occupied the Southeast from several centuries BCE to about CE 900. (more…)
Adventures along Lookout Mountain await explorers along this 93-mile driving tour through three states. The spectacular Little River Canyon, DeSoto State Park in Alabama, Sequoyah Caverns, and the rugged hiking trails of Cloudland Canyon State Park in Georgia are among the many natural pleasures included on the tour, which includes an 
north of Gadsden. Once called Black Creek Falls, the 90-foot waterfall here now bears the name of the Cherokee princess Noccalula, who is said to have hurled herself to a watery death rather than marry a man she didn’t love. A bronze statue of the lovelorn maiden, poised to leap into the thundering cascade, looks out endlessly on the falls. Nearby, a stairway descends into Black Creek Gorge, a snaking chasm carved into the rocks just downstream from the falls. A one-and-a-half-mile trail shadows the waterway as it races between towering sandstone bluffs. Another pathway, Lookout Mountain Hiking Trail, which planners would like to lead all the way to Chattanooga one day, can be sampled at Noccalula Falls Park. 
Parkway, will guide you north to State Route 68, where the parkway becomes Route 176 with Leesburg to the left and Collonsville to the right. Farther along, at a community called Dogtown, the drive makes a brief, beautiful detour from the parkway itself, taking Route 176A northeast along the western rim of Little River Canyon.
region in 1540, modern seekers of nature’s treasures will find prizes aplenty: 20 miles of trails lined with a wide variety of natural treasures. Famed for its springtime display of flowering shrubs, this wooded preserve is equally stunning in autumn, when hardwoods put on a show of foliage as colorful as a painter’s palette. Be sure to catch each season in all its glory from the overlook at nearby 120-foot DeSoto Falls, the highest cascade in the area. The reservoir above the falls makes for a lovely picnic spot - and a tempting find for anglers.
mineral springs were believed to have healing powers. The mineral springs are no more, but the town still has the same charm and healing powers as it restores peace and tranquility. Bed & Breakfast Inns, cabins and restaurants add to the rustic atmosphere. This is the perfect place to rest for the night before completing your journey across the Lookout Mountain Parkway. 
underground world of Sequoyah Caverns, with caves and passageways that honeycomb the rock. Thousands of fossils are frozen in time on the walls and ceilings, while underground lakes - silent, clear, and still - double every image like natural funhouse mirrors. Above ground the park has a small collection of animals - including fallow deer, goats, ducks, and peacocks. 
along Route 117, which zigzags eastward through woodlands on the way to Georgia. Beyond the town of Cloudland, the parkway continues to extend northward along Route 157, then turns onto Route 136 for a short jaunt to Cloudland Canyon State Park. One of the region’s finest preserves, its 2,200 or so acres embrace a cluster of ravines and waterfalls. With elevations that range from 800 to 1,900 feet, this is rugged terrain but well worth exploring. Exhilarating panoramas of the hills and hollows will prepare sightseers for the grandeur that awaits at Cloudland Canyon itself, a deep cleft slashed into shale and sandstone by Sitton Gulch Creek. For a front-row seat, stop at the park’s main picnic area. 
certified mountain hang glider pilots are trained here than the next largest school in the U.S. They cater to the flying needs of folks from one flight with an instructor at your side, to multi-day lessons to have you fully trained up to expert skills. Watching the daredevil hang gliders sail out into space is thrill enough for most. 
few miles south of the Tennessee border. Once across the state line, the drive follows Route 210 to the scenic loop that passes Point Park - a fitting climax to this journey along the length of Lookout Mountain. The ridge reaches its highest point here, cresting at 2,126 feet, and boasts a view to match, with vistas of the Tennessee River gliding slowly past the city of Chattanooga. For a glimpse of the mountain’s interior, visit 
Viewing the eastern cougar as a young boy eventually led to Craig Cylke establishing the Wildlife Sanctuary on 40 acres in Ellijay to promote the protection of wildlife and habitat and the importance of conservation issues as they relate to the quality of human life.
Historic Prater’s Mill and the annual Prater’s Mill Country Fair, a plethora of Civil War and Native American sites to visit, along with Georgia’s oldest winery, and great shopping are all found in and around Dalton in Northwest Georgia. 
Assembling a mastodon in Tellus Museum’s Fossil Gallery. 
The Mercier Orchards store sends your senses into overdrive. Bushels of apples, fresh from the surrounding orchard, invite you to taste. Bottles of fresh cider, jams, jellies and other gourmet treats are ready for you to take home.
building. A WORLD CLASS Eco-Tour Zipline and an Experience of a Lifetime, that SCREAMS Adventure! What a Rush!
Minnehaha Falls in Rabun County is among over 100 waterfalls photographed by Jack Anthony and accessible here on the Brown’s Guide website. 
Find organically grown food, farmers markets and restaurants that use organically grown food using the Local Food Guide.
The 26-mile round trip in vintage climate controlled or open air railcars is a scenic smorgasbord, including one hour winding along the course of the beautiful Toccoa River.