Untamed rivers wind through North Georgia, a place of undulating mountains blanketed by forests. Here you’ll find the the Blue Ridge Mountains, the town of Blue Ridge and -- you guessed it -- the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. If you want a tourist rail excursion in the mountains of the Peach State, this is your one and only choice, with an array of rides available during operating season. Two different companies offer similar operations just over the Georgia state line.
The Railway
During the frenzy of railroad construction that occurred in the 19th century, a mainline railway was laid from Marietta, Georgia, cutting through the Blue Ridge Mountains to Murphy, North Carolina. Today, a remnant of this old line is still in use for tourism excursions as part of the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway running between Blue Ridge and the twin towns of McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee, at the state line.
The Main Excursion
The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway operates from March through December, winding alongside the Toccoa River for much of the 26-mile journey, providing river and mountain vistas from its air-conditioned and open-air cars -- in the latter, all the seats face outward through large windows. The trip lasts approximately four hours, which includes a two-hour layover for exploring McCaysville and Copperhill. The train runs every weekend and on some weekdays during peak periods.
Special Rides
During the most popular trips on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, the October leaf excursions, riders can catch the vibrant, burnt hues of autumn in the mountains. A trip to a pumpkin patch is also available in October, with time provided to pick your perfect jack-o-lantern. Other special holiday rides are the Firecracker Special to catch the fireworks display in Copperhill for the Fourth of July holiday; the Easter Egg-spress, which includes an Easter egg hunt in a local farmer's field; and a couple of Christmas-themed rides during the winter holidays, the Santa Express and the Night Train to Santa's Pavilion in McCaysville.
Other Train Rides in the Region
They aren't based in the Georgia mountains, but a couple of other rail excursions aren't far away in Tennessee and North Carolina. The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum in the Chattanooga area has a train that takes passengers on short jaunts through the Tennessee Valley and on longer trips into northwest Georgia. Civil War buffs shouldn't miss the Chickamauga Turn trip. Deeper in the Appalachians of western North Carolina, the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad departs from Bryson City for scenic excursions into the Smokies.
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Photo Credits
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