Russell-Brasstown National Scenic Byway Reviews

My wife and I found a brochure and a description of this online and decided to take this 41-mile round trip auto tour of this area of the north Georgia mountains. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with certain aspects of our visit - certain areas of the byway were not open and others were In disrepair. Most disappointing was our trip up a spur in the main road to visit "Brasstown Bald", the highest peak in the state of Georgia. It was gorgeous day, not a cloud in the blue sky, be we discovered that the visitor center, gift shop and observation tower were "closed for the winter". Neither the brochure we had on the Byway nor the State of Georgia website that described the Byway contained any reference to a portion of the premises being "closed for the winter". At another location (Duke's Creek), a fee area, there was a description of a hike to an observation platform to view a waterfall, but a sign warned that the observation deck was closed due to tree damage. We may try this drive again in the event that we visit in the "non-winter" months, because there are some spectacular vistas to be seen, but this particular trip left a bad taste in our mouths.

Decided to drive this byway, based on the high rankings it's received. We started by using the Alt 75 route, & looped around to exit through Helen. Most traffic was coming from the opposite direction, lots of motorcycles, & everyone enjoying the winding mountain road. You'll find numerous places to pull off, though they aren't marked so pay attention. It's noticeably cooler in the area, & would probably be an amazing drive in fall when the leaves change color. You'll need to drive this route if trying to reach Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia at 4,784 feet. I'd recommend avoiding driving through Helen to access the byway. Have been through Helen at various times of the year & the traffic is atrocious. This trip, it took us 55 minutes to get through the town. Helen has no stop signs or stop lights on the main road, due to all the foot traffic, & cars entering/exiting from the side roads is what causes all the delays.

To ride the motorcycle on this road is a biker’s dream come true. A great road with sweepers, some twists and plenty of fun curves and a lot of beautiful scenery, this area is what riding is all about.

We brought our convertible up and it was such a great experience to ride this. Everywhere is beautiful. It was a smooth ride too.

Best day trip in a while. We were looking for a scenic drive and found it. Make sure you go to Dukes Falls.

This drive is amazing. The views are spectacular and worth any anxiety someone may have on driving through mountainous roads.
We drove up during the late morning and there was still ice on the trees that, when falling, looked like snow. The mist coming off the mountains gave off this eerie scene that was breathtaking.
The road is wide so it's not too scary, and when we went it wasn't crowded.
If you're visiting the area, this highway is a must.

Best shoppin grocery. Fresh meat fruit & vegetables. Also firewood everything u need is here. Right next door to lodging and restaurants....and the liquor store.

The road (Route 348) is closed. I wish someone would have made this known on the websites I visited before I actually attempted the drive and had to turn back. Completely infuriating.

Scenic byway is nice but not remarkable. Views from Brasstown Bald are remarkable, especially on a clear day as we had. You can easily see three states.

Just a 1-1/2 drive from Atlanta, this road will give you a gorgeous view of the area of the Georgia mountains where the Appalachian Trail starts. We didn't do the whole circuit, but I wish we had!

Whether by car or by motorcycle this is a great scenic drive in the North Georgia Mountains. The road is in excellent condition with wide sweepers and elevation changes. Would be brilliant during the fall color change season.

Good rolling hills and mountain views!!! Great waterfalls along the way...Anna Ruby twin falls and many others with highest peak
in Georgia to boot!!!

Avoid at all cost if coming from Helen. So steep I was concerned about overtaxing my engine, especially at the beginning of our trip - something I've never worried about for eight years of travels in this vehicle. First part of the highway from Helen could not be any curvier. But if you are driving a motorcycle or sports car for excitement, this might surpass your dreams. Not that scenic - just curvy.

Perfect! The drive is peaceful & relaxing. The view is awesome. Even though it wasn't peak season for the foliage, it was still gorgeous! Highly recommended!

AMAZING .. wonderful views, roads were not difficult to drive. One of the highlights of our trip. Do not miss this drive.

This is one of the best Scenic Mountain Drives in North Georgia. There are many points you can stop and take in the Beautiful Vistas.

We spent an afternoon wandering and exploring this byway. It's spring and the trees were all leafed out and beautiful. This is a great drive - very scenic.

Beautiful look at an American treasure. The North Georgia mountains are unique and special. The drive on well maintained roads offered several great scenic stops and the perfect vantage points for photos. Worth the gas.

I absolutely love byways throughout the mountains so this was a must-do for us. We rode up to Helton Creek Falls and enjoyed the scenery and stops on the way. The roads were no where near as curvy and "scary" as the ones we rode in NC in my opinion (we've been to Grandfather Mountain and Mount Mitchell.) They were beautiful, though. My Jeep Compass has a "slap stick" and my husband is a truck driver so he was able to keep us going decently without any rough maneuvering or causing any stress to my vehicle and motor (that was my only fear as we usually travel in a bigger vehicle when going in the mountains.) If you're in the area and want to see some pretty views, I'd definitely suggest going through here. We did make the mistake of going during a big race they were having (so there were runners all over the place going up and back down) but that was our own fault for not knowing about it before hand.