Indian Seats Trail

The Indian Seats Trail is a very popular loop trail within the Sawnee Mountain Preserve. With a moderate 500 feet of elevation gain, hikers are able to follow the trail to the top of Sawnee Mountain for a gorgeous, unobstructed view of the Blue Ridge Mountains, some 20 miles in the distance. Popular mountains peaks, such as Yonah Mountain, Blood Mountain, Brasstown Bald, and Mount Oglethorpe can easily be identified on a clear day.

The trail itself is extremely well maintained, family friendly, and makes for a nice running loop for trail runners. However, animal lovers should be aware that dogs are not permitted inside Sawnee Mountain Preserve, so be sure to leave Fido at home. The trail can be accessed from two parking lots—one at the visitor center to the north off of Spot Road, and another to the south off of Bettis Tribble Gap Road. Both parking locations have bathrooms and potable water.

True to its trail name, at the top of Sawnee Mountain are three unique, seat-like depressions in a granite slab on the edge of a cliff. You can sit, three at a time, and take in the breathtaking view with your feet dangling over the side of a cliff. Known to be a sacred site for the local Native American Cherokee and Creek tribes, archaeological evidence also suggests the Woodland Indians were using this site as early as 500 B.C. Other historical sites along the trail detail Georgia’s gold mining past.

If you don’t have much time, and are looking for the best bang for your buck, park at the Bettis Tribble Gap lot and take the Indian Seats Trail counter-clockwise to the top of Sawnee Mountain. Then head back to the parking lot the way you came, hiking about 1.75 miles in total.