Bell Mountain in Hiawassee, GA
Take the short, exciting drive from Hiawassee to the top of Bell Mountain and enjoy spectacular bird’s-eye views 🦅 of the nearby lake, town, and mountains!
The distinctive Bell Mountain peak is one of the most easily recognizable in the area. From a distance, simply look for the mountain with the notched peak next to Hiawassee and Lake Chatuge. And whether you love it or hate it, the abundant graffiti covering almost every surface is something you won’t be able to miss when on the mountaintop. 👀
View from Bell Mountain in Hiawassee Georgia
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Bell Mountain Hiawassee GA
Bell Mountain Parking
Bell Mountain in GA is an excellent option for anyone who prefers the reward of a great view after a scenic car ride instead of a lengthy hike. 🛣️ Visit the Bell Mountain Park Historical Site and enjoy impressive views of Lake Chatuge and the Appalachian Mountains from an elevation of 3,424 feet.
Drive to the top of Bell Mountain, park for free, and enjoy miles of breathtaking views that stretch from Georgia into North Carolina and Tennessee. Gaze at the panoramic views from the parking lot, the Hal Herrin Overlook, or the viewing platforms at the Bell Mountain summit. Plus, this family-friendly activity is also FREE and pet-friendly!
Bell Mountain Park Historical Site
This unique park offers an incredible vantage of Lake Chatuge and the nearby town of Hiawassee. The gorgeous views from the parking area and the Hal Herrin Scenic Overlook are accessible with no hiking or climbing required! However, for the best vantage point, you can climb 115 steps to the summit platforms for 360° views!
Bell Mountain GA
You’ll notice a LOT of tagged surfaces at Bell Mountain — the graffiti stretches in every direction from the parking area to the summit. While painting graffiti at Bell Mountain was once permitted 🎨🖌️, as of 2018 it is no longer allowed anywhere in the park.
Bell Mountain History
Bell Mountain Panoramic Views
Currently known as Bell Mountain, the distinct peak appears on many topographical maps as Bell Knob and has been referred to in the past as Bell Creek or Pilot Mountain (George White in 1849) and Bell Rock Mountain (T. Larry Gantt in 1883).
The Bell Mountain Park Historical Site appears to have changed ownership only a handful of times in the past couple of hundred years. Records were lost when the Union County courthouse burned in 1856 (the site was part of Union County until March 1856, when Towns County was created), so tracing the exact history adds an extra layer of complexity.
Cherokee Ownership
Bell Mountain is located in an area of the former Cherokee Nation. Although the Cherokee won a Supreme Court case that confirmed their national sovereignty (Worcester v Georgia, March 3, 1832), the state of Georgia did not follow the ruling, and the federal government did not enforce it.
Over many years, parcels of Cherokee lands were distributed by land lotteries run by the state of Georgia, and in one of the 1832 Land Lotteries, William Taylor of Marion County was awarded the land lot that includes the peak of Bell Mountain (Land Lot 71, in the 18th District, 1st Section, of “originally Cherokee, now UNION COUNTY” in North Georgia).
Private Ownership
While William Taylor originally won the land in the land lottery, it is speculated that he may have never visited the site before selling it. Property ownership changed several times, with the original site being split in 1858 into parcels of land and separate mineral rights.
Although there was interest in minerals on the land dating back to 1858, Bell Mountain mining would not start for over a hundred years.
Mining at Bell Mountain
During the early 1960s, the top of Bell Mountain was blasted and mined for white quartzite by Hiawassee Stone Company, despite the lack of a market for the product.
Bell Mountain Parking Lot Graffiti
The mining venture was a costly failure, and although the mining only lasted a few years, the destructive dynamite blasts left a visible scar on the mountain that remains today. In the years since mining ended, the exposed notch of rock has been vandalized with decades of graffiti.
Hal Herrin Ownership
Hal Herrin and E. N. Dowdy purchased the Bell Mountain property in 1971 to preserve the site’s remaining natural beauty.
The site remained undeveloped under Hal’s ownership, although the rugged dirt trails made it a popular destination for off-road drivers. Off-road driving had adverse effects on vegetation and caused erosion, and when the Hal Herrin Estate donated the 18-acre Bell Mountain site to Towns County in 2015, an effort was launched to help protect the mountain from these issues.
Bell Mountain County Park
In 2016, the site was formally named Bell Mountain Park and Historical Site. After the park was established, the county announced plans to build a paved road, create a parking area, and erect a platform for incredible views of the surrounding lake and mountains.
Commissioner Bill Kendall remarked at the park’s dedication, “How lucky we are that it was in private hands for 154 years and there are still no houses on Bell Mountain.”
Bell Mountain Hal Herrin Overlook
📜 The 2016 ordinance which created the park proclaimed that the park would have a Hal Herrin Overlook to allow people to drink in the beauty of “Lake Chatuge glistening in the sunlight far below, the clouds below on a misty morning, or a distant sunset over the boundless Appalachian Mountain ranges of Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.” 🌅
Visiting Bell Mountain Park
Bell Mountain Viewing Platforms
Whether you like to enjoy a birds-eye view above the town or watch actual birds of prey soaring nearby, this is the perfect place for both! The unique mountaintop location not only offers grand views but is also popular for watching soaring eagles, vultures, and paragliders. 🦅
Driving to Bell Mountain Overlook
Most of the Bell Mountain summit drive is on a steep one-lane road with two-way traffic. 🚘 You must drive slowly and be on the lookout for oncoming drivers around multiple blind, sharp curves.
Bell Mountain Viewing Deck
The speed limit for the one-lane road is 5 mph. Visit on a weekday and during the off-season for a less congested drive.
Parking at Bell Mountain
Bell Mountain upper parking lot and scenic overlook
When you reach the first parking lot, you can opt to park there and walk up the last 300 feet, or you may continue to drive to the upper parking lot, past a sign that (sort of) reads:
FOOTPATH to Summit 300ft. WARNING STEEP GRADE. Vehicles that travel beyond this point on Footpath AT YOUR OWN RISK. Must yield to pedestrians.
We waited for pedestrians to clear the road, then drove the final, steep 300 feet to a parking lot that felt like it was on top of the world! You can see plenty of amazing scenery from this area, or take the stairs up to the peak to see views in every direction! 🌄
Facilities at Bell Mountain
Bell Mountain Peak Platform Views
Aside from the road, parking areas, and viewing platforms, there are no facilities at Bell Mountain Park. There is no bathroom or porta-potty, no store or vending machine, and no ranger or park staff on duty. Additionally, aside from the bench in the photo above, there is no seating. Please plan your trip accordingly.
Bell Mountain Graffiti
Bell Mountain Graffiti Rock
Although painting graffiti at Bell Mountain was once permitted, any such activity is now considered vandalism and could result in criminal charges. Please enjoy Bell Mountain as it is, and do not paint anything, including the rocks, roads, or structures.
More Bell Mountain Information
Bell Mountain Peak View
A gate controls access to the steep road leading to the top of Bell Mountain. The park is free to visit, with no admission or parking fees.
- 🕗 Hours: Daily from 8:00 am until dark
- 💵 Admission and parking: Free
- 🌧️ Weather closures: The mountain may close during inclement weather until the road is safely passable
- 📞 Phone: (706) 896-2276
- 📌 Directions: Bell Mountain Park and Historical Site
- 🌐 Updates: Towns County website or Bell Mountain on Facebook
- 💬 Reviews: Bell Mountain on TripAdvisor
- 🚗 Planning: Check for closure notices after severe weather and review recent visitor feedback before busy holiday weekends
Bell Mountain Painted Rocks and Tree
Virtual Visit To Bell Mountain in Hiawassee, GA
📽️ Get a better sense of what it’s like at Bell Mountain in Hiawassee, GA, with this virtual visit video filmed on a Spring 2023 visit to Bell Mountain. Watch the embedded YouTube video or watch similar videos on TikTok (One-Lane Road to Summit video and Bell Mountain Peak video).
Subscribe to the GA Mountains Guide video channels on YouTube (@gamountainsguide) and TikTok (@gamountainsguide) to be the first to see exciting videos about North Georgia as they are released!
Lodging Near Bell Mountain in GA
We stayed at The Perch with our dog in September 2026, about six minutes from the Bell Mountain summit. From the wraparound porch, the view reaches across Lake Chatuge to Brasstown Bald and over secluded wooded hills. The surrounding deciduous trees added privacy during our leafy-season stay.
Both featured cabins sleep up to eight and pair Lake Chatuge with mountain views. The best fit comes down to amenities: The Perch welcomes dogs, while Majestic Mountain Retreat has a hot tub and four-bedroom layout. Both are within ten minutes of the Bell Mountain summit.
Use the lodging map to compare each property’s route with Bell Mountain, Lake Chatuge, and downtown Hiawassee.
Find additional lodging options close to town in the guide about places to stay in Hiawassee.
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Bell Mountain Georgia
Find the top area restaurants and great places to stay in Hiawassee near Bell Mountain:
- Hamilton Rhododendron Gardens 🌼at Lake Chatuge (5.7 mi)
- Hightower Creek Vineyards (9.9 mi) 🍷
- Crane Creek Vineyards (13.6 mi) 🍇
- Brasstown Bald (15.8 mi) 🤩
Do you enjoy the excitement of the drive on the narrow, mountain road to the peak at Bell Knob? What is your favorite part about visiting Bell Mountain Park near Hiawassee?
It’s great that you can drive up the mountain rather than hike it for a change. You get to enjoy the views with minimal effort. But to be honest, if I had to visit, I would not be able to resist climbing the 115 steps to get a view from a higher vantage point.
I just wonder what started the graffiti off. I mean who would even think of doing that to a beautiful natural beauty?
Hi Michel, the 115-step climb is absolutely worth it for the higher 360-degree panoramic views over Lake Chatuge, Hiawassee, the surrounding North Georgia mountains, and other nearby states!
The graffiti began as a long-standing local tradition when painting was allowed, but it has been prohibited throughout Bell Mountain Park since 2018. Visitors can still enjoy the colorful history of the summit while helping protect this special mountain overlook for future travelers.
Your article has really sparked some interest in Bell Mountain. We are traveling across the country this summer in an RV and looking for places to visit on the east coast. I will have to see where this beautiful spot is located, but it seems that as we drive through Georgia, a great place to stop. Is it possible for a small motor home to get up the one load road to the parking area? it is disturbing to hear about the loss of this beautiful mountain for the Cherokees. I lived with Native North Americans for many years. Their relationship to the land was unbreakable regardless of government intervention. Thanks for the details about this place. It is on our itinerary.
Hello Anastazja! The road is quite steep, very curvy, and there are not a lot of pullouts or turnaround areas on the one-lane road, so it wouldn’t seem to be an ideal trip for a motor home. You may want to check with online RV message boards to see what others with similar vehicles are saying about the drive.
I only live 6 hours away and never knew about this. Thank you for sharing. This sounds like a great adventure to take with my husband. Thank you for the pros and cons, we will be preparing accordingly. Can not wait to take pics, there are some great views on here. I love traveling to places I have never heard of before. Look forward to hearing about other places to go.
Bell Mountain is definitely a unique local place to explore! Enjoy!!
This looks like a beautiful drive and would make for a fun day trip during a vacation! We live in Indiana, but my wife and I have talked about visiting Georgia some time. Your website looks like it will be a great place for ideas for a fun and exciting trip. I will bookmark your site and look at more ideas!
Thanks for the bookmark, Scott! There are lots of of great ways to enjoy a vacation in North Georgia. We hope to see you and your wife here soon!