Sawnee Mountain Preserve

Growing up in Forsyth County, Georgia, I have always known about the Indian Seats on top of Sawnee Mountain. These seat-like rock formations are the stuff of local legend and offer breath-taking views of the Blue Ridge Mountain range beyond.

We skipped the visitor center and playground at the base of the trail, but be sure to stop in for information regarding Sawnee Mountain's Native American and gold mining history. Trail maps are also available in the visitor center, but trail destinations are clearly marked. 

The Indian Seats Trail loop is five miles round trip. It is a moderate climb up the side of the mountain and winds through a canopy of trees. Once you reach the summit, you will notice a large rock with three depressions carved along the top. These "seats" were supposedly used by local Cherokee Indians as a lookout and place of meditation. 

Looking out over the land and listening to the whisper of the trees, it is easy to see why individuals would come here for reflection. The landscape has changed below - more people, more houses, and an unrelenting busyness, but being 1,964 feet above "life" has a way of making cares disappear. 

In addition to hiking trails, Sawnee Mountain Preserve offers rock climbing, pavilions, an amphitheater, native plant garden, and canopy walk. 

http://www.sawneemountain.org/