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Rock City Gardens

Location = Rock City Gardens. 1400 Patten Rd, Lookout Mountain, GA. Parking is free.

A band of Cherokee under Chief Dragging Canoe, moved into the Chattanooga TN area after the 1775 Treaty forced them from their homes. In 1782 they relocated a 2nd time and built 1 of their 5 new villages on Lookout Mountain. By 1839, all Cherokee were forced to relocate to Oklahoma.

The area atop Lookout Mountain became known as "the Rock City" by it's few residents due to the abundance of massive boulders. The founders of Rock City Gardens, Garnet & Freida Carter opened a residential neighborhood in 1924 and called it "Fairyland" after Frieda's love for European folklore. Next, he built a Tom Thumb Golf - a miniature golf course & the first in the USA.

Freida planted flowers along the trail she found and then placed German statues of gnomes & fairytale characters all around. In May 1932 they opened their "backyard" fairyland to the public and Rock City Gardens was born. Photo bottom left - this statue turned out to be a live person painted in bronze.

Perfect for a weekend trip. Print a trail map on their website before going - it was hard to find a map there. To capture all the magic of this wonderland explore all 3 of the colored trails.

Great add-on trip: A Topsy Turvy Trail, Lookout Mountain

Enchant Your Inner Child

Enchant your inner child and don't miss these sites at Rock City Gardens: the Grand Corridor, Gnome Valley, Needle's Eye, Swing Along Bridge, Lovers Leap, 7 States View, High Falls waterfall, Mushroom Rock, Rock City Raptor's/Animal Critters, Hall of the Mountain King, Rainbow Hall, Fat Man's Squeeze, and the Red Door. You'll need to go underground to see Fairytale Caverns and Mother Goose's Village.

Rock City Gardens is a unique and fun. Even adults can enchant their inner child - around every corner and down every trail is another surprise waiting for you to discover. Take your time and enjoy every magical spot.

Spooky Suspenseful Fun

Definitely do not miss Needle's Eye and Fat Man's Squeeze - photo below middle. Notice she's going in sideways. Enter if you dare.....and then inch your way along until you see daylight again! It gets a little spooky, but it's totally fun in a suspenseful way. How tight is the squeeze you ask? A broad-shouldered man will need to turn sideways to get thru a few spots. Share a photo of you inside your favorite squeeze!

Artful Outdoor Decor

Our 2 favorites out of the 7 art features are: Maloria (bottom left) - a tall female statue in a long coat, gesturing to the deer below. Her role is guardian of the animals & gnomes that live in Rock City Gardens. * Win a Prize - Be the 1st person to email us with the correct answer of what's on the finger of her outstretched arm? Next is Ibsen the Troll (below right) - a statue who's hunched over from the weight of the boulder he supports into the Hall of the Mountain King.

7 States View

In November 1863, the Civil War moved up the mountain and diaries from both Union & Confederate soldiers claimed you could see 7 States from the summit. After doing some research, I found a formula for the distance you can see at various heights. Take the square root of height x 1.225. This means at 1,000 feet up, a person can see 39 miles. At 10,000 feet up you can see 123 miles. Rock City is about 1,700 feet high. And even if you can only see 2 states, the view is still spectacular.

Legend of Lover's Leap

There's many "Lovers' Leap" locations around the world with similar stories. It's like Romeo & Juliet with a twist. The legend here is about 2 warring tribes. Sautee, a Chickasaw warrior fell madly in love with Nacoochee, a beauty from the Cherokee tribe. When Sautee was captured & thrown over the cliff, the grieving Nacoochee jumped to her death to join him.

Enter the underground world of Fairyland Caverns & Mother Goose's Village thru these red doors. Prepare to be enchanted as each fairytale display & Mother Goose nursery rhyme shimmers to life.

In the blackness of the underground caverns, the brilliant colors & sparkly lights are dazzling. It's like you're inside a children's book, walking thru the pages of another world.

It's spectacular - and yes, even you guys will love it. If you believe, and look with your heart in child like wonder - you'll be transported back to a time where magic was real

Enchanted Garden of Lights

Don't miss Rock City Garden's holiday tradition that is so unique and sure to make the whole family "ooo" and "aaa". The Enchanted Garden of Lights event is every night from November thru January. The colored lights dance off the rocks, projecting a colorful wonderland in nature. There's also holiday drinks & delights to keep you warm on the chilly nights.

The sparklies light up this rock world, adding another layer of enchantment high up on Lookout Mountain. It's a bucket list must, and puts you in a warm & fuzzy, bedazzled holiday spirit.

More Fun Things to Do - Lookout Mountain

FYI: Lookout Mountain is partly in Georgia & Tennessee.

• Incline Railway - 1 mile of the steepest railroad tracks up the mountain.

• Ruby Falls - visit a limestone cave with an underground waterfall.

• Point Park - Civil War (1861-1865) historical site.

• Hiking trails - See my Blog: A Topsy Turvy Trail, Lookout Mountain ending at the historical Craven's House.

Vacation Travel Tips

• Average temps high/low = Summer 84/66 degrees F. Winter 46/29. GA ranks 5th in humidity & 7th for hurricanes. Winters are short & summers long. Tornado season is Mar-May. Expect snow in mountain regions.

• Backpack essentials - water, bug spray, sunscreen, whistle, flashlight, cell phone, pocket knife, and a light jacket.

• Winter Essentials - thermal blanket, waterproof boots, and warm clothing.

• Hiking conditions - trails can be wet & slippery after summer rains. Prepare for snow in higher elevations.

• Vehicle safety – Keep a spare blanket, boots, jacket, gloves, and snacks in the car. Winter roads can be icy & covered in snow - use “winter” tires. If you only have "all season" tires, take snow chains.

• Wild animals - black bears are becoming more bold in parks & campsite areas. Coyotes, cougar, bobcat, and alligators are also present.

• Trash - Pack out what you pack in.

• Rivers/lakes – river shoes are helpful. Heavy winter rains means deep, ice-cold & fast moving water.

• Poison oak - always know before you touch. 3 leaflets per stem, with slightly rounded tip. Poison ivy has the pointy leaf-tips.

• Snakes - there are 6 poisonous types - on land, water & in trees. They generally prefer to avoid humans & biting usually to avoid harm.

• Wilderness areas – take a buddy & tell someone your travel plans.

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