Sawnee Mountain - Indian Seats (Forsyth County, Georgia)

 

I'm a planner by nature. As crazy as it may sound, I live by my outlook calendar and have lists of events and hikes that I intend to do. That said though, the world is in turmoil now and it's throwing a number of curve balls at my carefully laid plans. Due to concerns over the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the events on my calendar are being cancelled, include a beer festival I was to attend today. Couple all of this with the extremely wet and unpredictable weather the Atlanta area is having this season and I've just to get in hikes whenever I can. This morning, I'm taking advantage of a last minute hike posted on one of the meetup groups I belong to. I've been meaning to hike to Indian Seats anyway, and the group is planning to do that as part of a longer hike around Sawnee Mountain. Seems perfect for a day like today.

As I pull into the parking lot, I see a lone figure standing under a shelter at the far end of the pavement. There is a very light drizzle falling from the sky and I assume he's part of the group just trying to stay out of the rain. I grab my pack and approach the gentleman. After I state the magic word, he confirms that he is here for the hike. We are quickly joined by three other members. As this is my first time hiking with this group, we do a quick round of introductions and then we're off.

This group is known for keeping a good pace and the organizer mentions that today is just a fitness hike. Apparently, others in this small group have had to change their plans as well based on current events. As we climb the well maintained trail leading towards the summit of Sawnee Mountain, we share conversations about other trails, professions, origins - the standard topics.

Not long after we get going, we encounter a gentleman on a phone call (ear buds) and swinging his poles wildly without regard for others around him. I speak up and ask if we might get around  him, and he allows us to pass him. Our group is maintaining a very steady pace at just over three miles per hour - not bad at all considering the up and down nature of the trail. Our friend on the phone though doesn't seem to have a metronome and as we get to a downhill section, he runs past us. A short time later we catch back up and are forced to pass him again. This occurs a couple of times and the combination of the loud phone call and the dangerous inattentiveness to who he might be smacking with his hiking poles leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth. It's actually quite rude.

After finishing the Sawnee Mountain loop, we cross the street where we parked and head up towards Indian Seats to complete the second loop. Luckily, our 'friend' seems to have gotten in his mileage and doesn't do the second hill with us. This loop is shorter and I had intended to do this some morning before starting work, but I'm happy to get it done today. 

At the top of this peak, there are a number of rocks forming a rough set of steps overlooking the valleys below. Legend has it that the Cherokee once used this place for meetings, but today it's just a popular local hiking destination not far from town. This is confirmed once we reach the top by all of the people up there - maybe fifty. The views are pretty nice though and I can see why this is a popular trail.

It's been raining or drizzling the entire way, but as we make our way down from Indian Seats, it picks up a little bit. Luckily, the cars are only a short distance away. I say my goodbyes and hop in the jeep. Looking at my GPS map, I see that we've put in just over 9 miles. Not a bad way to start the morning.