BEND TRAIL NOTES WHAT YOU'LL NEED BE CAREFUL OF TUGALOO • Insect Repellent • Poison Ivy • Walking Shoes • Snakes NOYOWEE (.9 m) • Suitable Clothing • Ticks BEND • Walking Stick • Wildlife PIONEER (.1 m) • Water Bottle • Falling Branches HERITAGE PARK

TAUCOE (.5 m)

ESTATOE (.8 m) Take a step back in time... UNICOI (.4 m) (.4 UNICOI TETOHE (.1 m) TRAIL GUIDE

TUGALOO (.4 m)

Yonah Dam Rd.

Camping Area Outdoor Classroom

Parking Welcome Kiosk A PROJECT OF: Restrooms Wetlands THE STEPHENS COUNTY FOUNDATION A 501(C)(3) NON-PROFIT CORPORATION Wetlands Observation Deck Caretaker's House / Office 706–282–7636 Picnic Table Area Elizabeth Hayes Pavilion www.tugaloobend.org ABOUT TUGALOO BEND HERITAGE PARK DISCOVER THE TUGALOO CORRIDOR THE HIKING TRAILS The Tugaloo Bend Heritage Park property was The forms the border between Stephens By the mid-1800s, after the time of the Native The Hiking Trails of Tugaloo Bend Heritage Park acquired in 2002 by the Stephens County Foundation. County, , and Oconee County, , American settlers, the Tugaloo Bend Heritage Park take their names from towns and place It has been developed as an educational center fl owing from Yonah Dam to the north and into the site would become a working farm for the next 130 names along the Tugaloo Corridor and its tributaries. highlighting and preserving its natural and historical upper reaches of on its southern end, years. During that time, various crops were farmed and Distances for the almost 4 miles of trails at Tugaloo signifi cance. Located on 87 acres, this historic site was a distance of 10 miles. The Tugaloo River Valley is harvested along with the raising of livestock. Tugaloo Bend are found on the map beside the trail names. once the home of the Cherokee town of Estatoe in the part of a watershed involving North Carolina, Upstate Bend Heritage Park looks very di erent today than it 18th century, then later a working farm throughout South Carolina, and , and is one of did then. Tugaloo – The main trading center and capital of the most of the 19th and 20th century. the most biodiverse areas in the country. Geologic Cherokee Lower Towns formations along the Brevard fault line include Today you will see river bottomland forests and Noyowee – A Cherokee village on the Tugaloo River wetlands and upland forests in transition from ditched With an ADA compliant trail, wetlands habitat, unique portions of the Tugaloo River and surrounding valley. between Tugaloo and Estatoe, South Carolina side fl ora and fauna for this area, outdoor classroom, and and drained fi elds and pastures to a more natural numerous Native American and early pioneer historic Within the valley are evidences of Native American condition. A portion of the river bottomland along Estatoe – Along with Tugaloo, a key trading post sites along the Tugaloo River Corridor, the Heritage settlement dating back over a thousand years, with the Tugaloo and Estatoe trails has returned to an village during the Trading Period (1700s) Park and Corridor development is the fi rst of its kind Cherokee settlements identifi ed throughout the extensive system of wetlands and ponds created by Unicoi Trail – An ancient Native American trail in Northeast Georgia. To that end, recreation trails valley during the historic period. The towns were not beaver. A typical river margin and bottomland forest beginning at the Tugaloo River, extending through and facilities have been developed for the use and a cluster of homes as one might think, but more like has developed on the Noyowee, Pioneer and Estatoe the Cherokee Territory at Toccoa Falls and enjoyment of the community and future generations. a small colony spread out sometimes over a couple trails where sedges, rushes, buttonbush, tag alder, red terminating in Eastern Tennessee miles with focal points being the council houses at maple and black willow are found along with water oak, Pioneer Path – An early section of the Unicoi Trail, Most facilities are available to the public FREE of each town center. Essentially the entire Tugaloo River sycamore and river birch. Much of the upland area of just o Owl Swamp Rd charge or for a nominal fee. Individuals, school, church Corridor was settled for miles in every direction. By the Park is seen on the Taucoe Trail. Prior to 1962 this and family groups are welcome. The pavilion may be 1693, trade was established with these lower towns area was kept in pasture, which was initially populated Tetohe – A Cherokee village along and reserved for functions such as family reunions, church along the Tugaloo. Virtually every town, many having by Virginia pine when agriculture ceased. This short- the Unicoi Trail located on Camp Mikell Rd fellowship gatherings or other large group functions. populations of 600 or more, had its own resident lived species is now declining due to damage by ice Taucoe – A Cherokee village along Toccoa Creek and Primitive and developed camping areas available. trader. and insects. It is being replaced by shortleaf pine and the Unicoi Trail near Toccoa Falls Please contact us to prearrange use of the camping a variety of hardwoods including red maple, black areas or for group use of the pavilion. With an abundance of wildlife, farmable land and gum, sourwood, southern red oak, white oak, sassafras access to the Tugaloo River, it is no surprise that and sparkleberry. Mountain laurel, blackjack oak and OUR TRAIL NAMES ARE INSPIRED BY the Cherokee chose this beautiful location, now chinquapin can also be found along this trail. called Tugaloo Bend, to establish the Estatoe LOCAL HISTORIC SITES FACILITIES & SERVICES village. While one can now only imagine what life was like then, archaeological excavations by the ABOUT THE STEPHENS COUNTY FOUNDATION - ELIZABETH HAYES PAVILION Smithsonian Institution and the University of Georgia The Stephens County Foundation is a 501(c)3 Non-Profi t - RESTROOMS (HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE) have uncovered various artifacts and remnants of Corporation, relying solely on donations and volunteer - NATURE TRAILS structures providing clues about the people and life labor to accomplish its mission. Donations may be sent ESTATOE - HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE TRAIL at here at Estatoe. to The SCF, PO Box 23, Toccoa, GA 30577 or through NOYOWEE - WETLANDS OBSERVATION DECK the website: www.StephensCountyFoundation.org. - PICNIC TABLES The fi rst white settlers came to the Tugaloo River TUGALOO - CAMPING AREAS – PRIMITIVE & IMPROVED Corridor area following the American Revolution and For info on becoming a volunteer, call 706-282-7636 or - OUTDOOR CLASSROOM the Treaty of Augusta in 1783. Throughout the 1800s email [email protected]. - PERIOD WATTLE & DAUB RECONSTRUCTION and 1900s increasing numbers of settlers found their way into the Tugaloo Valley as hunters, loggers, PIONEER - CANOE AND KAYAK RENTALS tradesmen, and farmers. The Tugaloo Corridor became TETOHE the ‘Gateway to the West’ as tens of thousands of others continued on the Unicoi Turnpike, Georgia’s TAUCOE TUGALOO BEND IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC fi rst interstate highway (1813), which followed the STEPHENS COUNTY Fridays: 1:30 pm - 5 pm ancient Unicoi Trail. The Turnpike began here on the Saturdays: 8:30 am - 5 pm Tugaloo River Corridor and continued through the Cherokee Territory at Toccoa Falls, extending into the Sundays: 1:30 pm - 5 pm newly opened Tennessee Territory.

N34 39.895 W083 18.613 706–282–7636 www.tugaloobend.org P.O. Box 23, Toccoa GA 30577