So it’s a new year and time for the annual workout and fitness promises to be met - ugh! Well the good news is that you don’t have to make fitness activities a trudge or a bore. Come on up to Georgia’s Blue Ridge and go for a walk or a hike (or two) that will get your heart pumping, and all with a scenic backdrop of gorgeous Appalachian mountains.

Here are 10 of the best places we know to fill up the steps on that new Apple Watch you got for Christmas.

Hikes: Waterfalls

Georgia's Blue Ridge is filled with scenic waterfalls that you can make a destination for a picnic or halfway point on your hiking adventure. Check out our Self-Guided Tour of Waterfalls for all the trailheads and directions to the best spots.

Walking: Downtown Blue Ridge

As a destination that's a beehive of activity, shopping, people watching and dining, downtown Blue Ridge is beyond popular. But for a great, less crowded way to experience it, park on the edge of town and get our Downtown Blue Ridge Historic Walking Tour to discover the historic buildings and hidden gems that are all over town. A lot of locals make downtown Blue Ridge an early morning fitness walk through the blocks of pretty buildings and uncrowded early morning main streets. TIP: get here to start your fitness walk before 10am!

Walking: McCaysville, GA & Copperhill, TN

These little mountain towns have a rich history and a vibrant selection of restaurants and shops. All this with a scenic river running right through the middle. As you explore with our Historic Walking Tour and Shopping Guide make sure to find the Blue Line... stand in Georgia and Tennessee at the same time!

Walking: Mineral Springs Park

Here's a serene little treasure that's very close to the hustle and bustle of Downtown Blue Ridge. The .58 mile interpretive trail along historic Mineral Creek has a smooth walking trail and lots of small interpretive signs about the flora in the park. A quiet place that's great for a walk, sitting on the nice benches or taking a picnic to enjoy at the picnic tables and charcoal grills. Get our Blue Ridge Self-Guided Tour for the location and inset map of this little park.

Walking: Fannin County Health & Recreation Park

We'll let you in on a local secret that many of us use for a variety of outdoor and indoor fitness activities... The County funded Recreation Park has outdoor walking loops, ball fields, pavilions and an indoor center with pickleball and basketball courts... but best of all an indoor walking track above the courts that is perfect when the weather is inclement. It even has workout stations along the track.

Hikes: Appalachian Trail (AT)

The world famous Appalachian Trail begins its 2,200 mile path to Maine right here in Georgia's Blue Ridge. You can develop a hiking fitness regimen with some of the most incredible mountain beauty in the country on the AT. Get our AT/BMT Self Guided Tour for planning. Pick sections and complete them over a month or two, and pretty soon you'll have racked up a lot of continuous miles along the trail... and gotten into a fitness adventure along the way.

Hikes: Benton MacKaye Trail (BMT)

Like the AT, the BMT has sections that you can hike starting in the middle or at the terminus on Springer Mountain, GA. The BMT shares the same tread way as the AT for a bit, then ventures north into Tennessee and North Carolina. Our AT/BMT Self-Guided Tour is a great resource for planning, as is the website for the Benton MacKaye Trail Association.

Hikes: Aska Trail Area

A local and visitor favorite, Aska Trails is shared by hikers and mountain bikers together, and is very scenic. You can do short or longer hikes... loops along Lake Blue Ridge and up to mountaintop vistas. The main trailhead location is at Deep Gap, a short 15-minute drive from the Welcome Center. Three other trailheads are at Stanley Gap, Shady Falls Road, and on Forest Road 711 by way of Campbell Camp Road. Bulletin boards at trailheads show maps of the area, and the trail system. Download our Aska Trails Self-Guided Tour for planning.

Walk/Hike: Lake Blue Ridge Day Use Area

Another year round local favorite, the paved loops at Lake Blue Ridge Day Use Area make for perfect fitness walking trails in any weather. The bonus is that the paths wind around the lake so there are great scenic spots to rest and take in the beauty. Download a copy of our Lake Blue Ridge Self-Guided Tour for an overview of the lake, surrounding river and mountains.

Walk/Hike: Horseshoe Bend Park

Horseshoe Bend Park in McCaysville is another local favorite for walks along the scenic Toccoa River. With picnic facilities, paved paths and probably the most scenic riverside benches in the area, you'll see why this has become such a treat for so many visitors and locals. Download the Self-Guided Tour of the Toccoa River area for planning.

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