Cottonwood Patch Campground

About

Cottonwood Patch Campground is a primitive, equestrian-focused campground located in the Alaculsy Valley of the Cohutta Mountains within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. The campground sits along the Conasauga River just above its confluence with the Jacks River, surrounded by mixed hardwood forest with planted cottonwoods and sawtooth oaks providing partial shade. The area has rich history as a hub for logging operations in the early 1900s, with railroad tracks once following the rivers deep into the mountains. The campground offers 8 rustic sites in a single loop, with double sites (2, 4, 6) accommodating two horse trailers and trucks, and single sites (1, 3, 5, 7, 8) fitting one trailer plus two vehicles. Each site features a fire ring and picnic table. Horse facilities include hitching rails, high line posts, and two cold water troughs for horses only. A vault toilet is provided, but there is no potable water, showers, or hookups. The Iron Mountain Trail departs directly from the campground and is open to both hikers and equestrians. The campground lies within the Cohutta Wildlife Management Area and borders the 45,000-acre Cohutta/Big Frog Wilderness, the largest federally designated Wilderness east of the Mississippi. Recreation opportunities include horseback riding on Forest Service roads and trails, hiking, hunting, fishing in the ecologically significant Conasauga River watershed, and wildlife observation. The nearby Conasauga River Blue Hole in Tennessee offers snorkeling opportunities to view the watershed's diverse fish species.

Directions

From US Highway 411, turn east onto Old Highway 2 in Cisco, GA. Follow Old Highway 2 for approximately 7 miles; after crossing the Conasauga River, the road becomes Forest Service Road 16. Continue approximately 1 mile and turn left onto Forest Service Road 16A.