Jasper is the county seat of Pickens County in north-central Georgia. With a population of less than 5,000, Jasper is a small city, but with its proximity to Atlanta to the south and Elijay to the north, it is located in the middle of a lot of good places to visit. Jasper has garnered the nickname "The First Mountain City" as it is located in the foothills of the Appalachians and almost due north of Atlanta.
Jasper is known as the marble capital of Georgia. The Tate Marble Quarry in Jasper has been mined for more than 180 years and you can find Georgia marble throughout the U.S. including in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. The pink marble of the Tate House, one of Georgia's premier wedding destinations, is an excellent example of the marble Jasper produces and is a big tourist attraction for the city.
Jasper was founded in 1853, incorporated as a town in 1857, and then incorporated as a city in 1957. Jasper is named for Revolutionary War hero William Jasper along with cities and towns in at least 16 other states.
During a visit to Jasper, you can visit wineries, horse stables, and the Tate House, go hiking in the nearby mountains, and visit plenty of local restaurants and shops. Its small-town feel coupled with Jasper's proximity to Atlanta makes it a great home base to stay while visiting Atlanta and north Georgia. There are numerous campsites and RV campgrounds in the area as well.
Campgrounds Near Jasper, Georgia
Stone Mountain Park Campground is a little south of Jasper and features more than 400 RV sites on more than 3200 acres of land close to Stone Mountain. Stone Mountain is one of Georgia's top attractions and the campground has plenty of things to do as well. Each site has full hookups and there are grills, restrooms, showers, picnic tables, a swimming pool, sand volleyball courts, and more.
Allatoona Landing Marine Resort is about 40 miles southwest of Jasper and just a little north of Atlanta, Georgia. This RV campground features a lake with over 12,000 acres of surface water and a boat launch so you can enjoy fishing, boating, swimming, and water sports during your stay. The campground itself includes full hookups, wifi, cable television, restrooms and showers, a pool, a playground, a recreation hall, and much more.
Pine Mountain RV Resort is about 100 miles south of Jasper, but there are some great attractions in and around the RV park. Callaway Gardens, Great Wolf Lodge, the Wild Safari Adventure, and more are in nearby towns and the campsite is in close proximity to Columbus, Georgia as well. The RV park itself features a splash pad and more than 200 fully equipped RV sites with a picnic table at each one.
State Parks Near Jasper, Georgia
Red Top Mountain State Park is just southwest of Jasper in Acworth, Georgia, and is home to the popular Lake Allatoona. This park is a great place for swimming, boating, fishing, and water sports because of the 12,000-acre lake but it is also a great place for hiking. There are more than 15 miles of forested trails throughout the park and Iron Hill Trail is probably the most popular for bikers and hikers alike. Red Top is located just outside of Atlanta and there are a lot of camping options both in and around the area.
Fort Mountain State Park is about 30 miles north of Jasper and is a haven for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. Fort Mountain State Park is best known for the mysterious 855-foot rock wall located on the mountain's peak that many believe was built by a Cherokee Indian tribe. From the scenic lakes to the hardwood forests to the mysterious rock wall and everything in between, Fort Mountain State Park is a local treasure and close enough to other Georgia cities to make it a great place to visit.
Vogel State Park is located close to an hour's drive from Jasper and just outside of the popular city of Helen, Georgia. Vogel State Park sits at the base of Blood Mountain, Georgia's second-tallest mountain. Vogel is one of the most popular parks in the state, especially in the fall when the leaves change and the scenery is beautiful. There are waterfalls, lakes, hiking trails, and other scenic views throughout. There are RV sites in and around Vogel State Park as well as other camping opportunities.
National Sites Near Jasper, Georgia
The Appalachian Trail runs almost 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine and is one of the most popular hiking destinations in the world. A lot of hikers will begin the trail in April or May so they can finish the entire hike sometime around September before it is too cold in Maine. There are also popular shorter hikes including the "Georgia Hike" where you hike just the Appalachian Trail that runs through the state. There are camping opportunities all through the Appalachians.
The sites along the Trail of Tears stretch 5,043 miles across nine states as it commemorates the more than 16,000 Native Americans who were forcibly relocated from their land. More than 1,000 people died during the trek that happened between 1838 and 1839. You can retrace the trail on foot, by car, by bike, or by horse, and it is a way to relive the history of the Cherokee Nation.
The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area is about 45 miles south of Jasper in the Atlanta area. This 48-mile stretch of the Chattahoochee River gives you access to some historic sites and some great water recreation opportunities like fishing, swimming, and boating. The park was established by Jimmy Carter, the only President born in the state, in 1978.
National Forests Near Jasper, Georgia
Just 20 miles north of Jasper in Elijay, Georgia stands the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. There are actually two national forests, the Chattahoochee and the Oconee. The Oconee Forest consists mostly of flatlands with some small, rolling hills, while the Chattahoochee Forest has some taller peaks and good mountain hiking opportunities. The two parks combined encompass almost 900,000 acres, offering tons of recreational opportunities.
The Nantahala National Forest is northeast of Jasper in North Carolina and is most famous for the cold, rushing waters of the Nantahala River. There are more than 500,000 acres in the Nantahala National Forest making it the largest national forest in the state. The Nantahala River is a great place to do some calmer white water rafting if you can handle the frigid waters, and there are multiple campgrounds throughout the forest.
A little further east past the Nantahala National Forest is the Pisgah National Forest which is also located in North Carolina. There are high mountain peaks, swift mountain springs, multiple waterfalls, and some great scenery throughout Pisgah National Forest. This forest was also the home of the first school of forestry in America. Sightseeing and hiking are the most popular recreational activities, but there are a lot of RV camping options available in and around the forest as well.