Planning commission hears plans for Amicalola Scenic Byway

Touting improvements in nature appreciation and historical
education, tourism and recreation, representatives working on a
project to bring a scenic byway through the county spoke to members
of the Pickens County Planning Commission Monday night.
John Edwards and Don Wells co-chair the byway project,
sponsored by the chambers of commerce in Pickens and Dawson counties.
Edwards and Wells told commission members the byway will
start in downtown Jasper and go up Burnt Mountain Road to Hwy. 136.
It will follow 136 westward to Talking Rock and extend to the county
line.
The byway will also go east along Hwy. 136 into Dawson
County. At the junction with State Hwy. 183, the scenic route splits
into two prongs. One runs southeast down Hwy 183 to terminate at
Dawsonville. The second fork follows 183 northward to connect with
State Route 52 and continue past Amicalola Falls State Park. Beyond
the park, the byway returns to Hwy. 136 via Bailey Waters Road. The
scenic byway continues along 136 to the Etowah River Road where it
jogs southwest on to Hwy 53 to terminate finally at Georgia 400.
According to Edwards the DOT has ruled the road does have
"intrinsic qualities that should be protected and enhanced." The
project seeks to "identify, preserve, promote and protect treasured
corridors throughout the state."
"The purpose is to preserve the treasures of the corridor -
things that are important to the people and community," Edwards said.
"Having the designation will promote tourism, and the DOT will
advertise it throughout the nation to pull tourism into the state."
In addition to tourism, a local group, the Mountain Stewards,
has worked with the Department of Natural Resources Wildlife
Resources Division to open recreation areas along the road in both
Pickens and Dawson counties.
According to Don Wells, a member of Mountain Stewards and
co-chair of the byway project, the group plans to open 15 new miles
of hiking trails off Monument Road. Wells said plans are in the works
to mark the trail heads, install foot bridges and re-vegetate
sections along the Amicalola River. The trails may be open as soon as
April, he said.
"The recreational aspects for Pickens County will be greatly
enhanced," Wells said. "Currently in Pickens County there are no
(hiking) trails open. We're raising funds to get them marked. Our
agreement with the DNR is we bring the funding and they let us use
the property."
Wells said the project is being funded through private donations.
"The scenic byway becomes a pipeline to all these trails the
Mountains Stewards are opening up," Edwards said. "People who hike
these type of trails are considered 'soft adventurers' - they don't
do much littering and they do spend money in the local economy."
Edwards said they have worked with such groups as the
Mountain Conservation Trust and Keep Pickens Beautiful.
"This will do a lot for the local community," he said. "The
Mountain Stewards will plant native plants at trail heads, put in
nature study areas and work with the schools to get that into their
curriculum," Edwards said.
The nature study areas can show a lot of local history and
that can benefit area children, Edwards said.
"There are a lot of socioeconomic problems in both of these
counties and this will be a great way for families to take advantage
of free outings," Edwards said. "The benefits keep adding up. This
byway will help us protect what we have through education, recreation
and the tourism economy."
Edwards said the project is in the public awareness phase
where members are reaching out to local groups to inform them of
their efforts. Two public meetings are planned to discuss the byway.
"In talking with groups, we're trying to emphasize that the
byway has no regulatory powers to tell (property owners) what they
can or cannot do with their property," Edwards said.
The DOT can take away the designation if areas around it
become too developed, Edwards added.
"This is an area we really need to preserve. We want to make
sure nothing happens to it."
According to Wells, in addition to hikers, the land will also
be open to fishermen and hunters. In all some 10,000 acres in the
Dawson Forest will be accessible.
Planning and Development Director Norman Pope, who also
serves on the Mountain Steward's board, said Wells should be
commended for hammering out an agreement with the DNR to open up this
property for the citizens of Pickens and Dawson counties.
"Thank you for all the work you've done. It's something we've
needed for a long time," said Johnny Garrison, chairman of the
planning commission. "We'll do all we can here to help you."