Route Information, History, Photo and Termini Gallery

Of all the roads in Georgia, GA 180 is truly a fantastic road. Beginning south of Hiawassee and extending west along the gaps of the highest mountains in the state and traversing some of the most difficult terrain in Georgia, the route finally ends in Suches, serving as the only direct link between the remote mountain community and the rest of Union County.

GA 180 is divided into two sections: Bald Mountain Road and Wolfpen Gap Road. Known to most locals by these names, the two roads are joined together by an overlap with U.S. 19/129 in the Choestoe community north of Vogel State Park. In length, GA 180 totals 27 miles, 2.3 of those miles overlapped with U.S. 19/129. The road is mostly in Union County, but crosses into Towns County at Jacks Gap.

Wolfpen Gap Road, the 11.8-mile western section of the highway, is known to be the curviest road in the state. A state highway that is extremely narrow, which is unusual for Georgia, GA 180 winds its way up the gap around hairpin curves and sharp turns that are so severe that one must drive slowly to maneuver them. These sharp curves have also made this road very popular with motorcyclists. Sites along the Wolfpen Gap section include various hiking trails and scenery as well as Vogel State Park and Lake Winfield Scott, Georgia's highest lake.

Bald Mountain Road, named for the state's highest peak, is a more typical highway than the Wolfpen Gap section. In recent years, the road was designated a National Scenic Byway in two categories as well as a Georgia Scenic Byway this past year. Indeed, the scenery along the highway is stunning with the southern mountain forests, clear mountain streams and, most of all unspoiled natural scenery.

GA 180 is also joined by GA 180 Spur, a short 2.6-mile highway that steeply ascends from GA 180 at Jacks Gap to a parking lot at the foot of the summit of the state's highest peak at 4,784 ft., Brasstown Bald Mountain. GA 180 Spur also shares the scenic byway designations awarded to GA 180.

History

It may be reasonably said that a highway with as much to discuss as above also has a history as detailed. In actuality, the road evolved in a significant way from the original highway.

When first commissioned, the original GA 180 was nothing more than a 7.2-mile long gravel road connecting from U.S. 129 to then GA 66 at Jacks Gap. From the 1950's to the 1980's, GA 180 saw significant changes in its scope and quality.  When the route was first created, the route consisted only of the 7.2 mile portion between US 19/129 and GA 66, present GA 180 Spur.  Entirely unpaved, the route was a perpetual Blue Ridge Mountain backroad, covering some of the most isolated areas in the state.  

By the early 1950's, GA 180 was extended 5.7 miles further on what was Georgia's only known banner route to take on the banner "Extension". The 11.8 mile GA 180 Extension consisted of what is today the Wolfpen Gap Road portion of SR 180 that extends between Vogel State Park and Suches after the U.S. 19/129 overlap to the south of the original portion. A few years later, the "Ext" was dropped, gone by the mid-1950's.  The joining of the routes made the entire route then 21.3 miles long. Oddly enough, the extension was paved long before the original Bald Mountain Road portion.

GA 180 and GA 180 Extension in 1952. Note here that the extension, added later, was paved before the original route. Also note GA 66 (1952 GHD Map).
When the Bald Mountain Road portion finally was paved, the paving coincided with the the completion of the Richard Russell Scenic Highways (GA 348), which opened in 1965. The paving of GA 180 did not just include a coat of asphalt, but also major relocation of part of the old gravel road to a new alignment. The old alignment of GA 180 in the Choestoe community is still signed as "Old Bald Mountain Road" to this day.
Compare the two maps on the left and right. On the 1981 map on the left, note GA 66 and the never-completed portion from Young Harris to Brasstown Bald. In comparison, the 1988 map on the right shows the same completed portions as GA 180 and 180 Spur (1981 and 1988 GDOT Maps).

In 1982, GA 180 was extended again, taking over what was the southern leg of GA 66, including the 2.6 mile portion of GA 66 to Brasstown Bald renumbered as GA 180 Spur.  This made GA 180 and its banner route both the highest roads in Georgia, a distinction GA 66 had previously held. For more on the history of GA 66 and how it affected GA 180, check out the GA 66 page.

The last major event on GA 180 occured in the early 1980's when the Wolfpen Gap Road section of GA 180 was relocated out of Vogel State Park. The new route was built to bypass the park completely, located north of the park around the lake below the dam. As GA 180 was built by the CCC on that portion, the route was built through the park as part of the highway. As this brought state highway traffic through a congested park with low speeds and made patrolling the park more difficult, the park bypass was built and the road closed where the Old GA 180 rejoins the present route west of the park. An interesting feature about the old route was that it featured a two-lane wooden deck bridge over Wolf Creek, which has unfortunately since been replaced.
Georgia 180 Photo Gallery

These photos were all taken along the route by J.T. Legg in November 29, 2003.
Old-style assembly where the Wolfpen Gap Road section of GA 180 ends into U.S. 19/129 at Vogel State Park.
First reassurance shield westbound on Wolfpen Gap Road section.
Old CCC constructed bridge over Coopers Creek near Suches. Lake Winfield Scott is on the left and the dam is to the right of the bridge.
Georgia 180 Termini Gallery

All photos below taken by J.T. Legg on November 29, 2003 except where otherwise indicated. Click here if you would like to submit photos.

Georgia 180 Ends Photos
Western Terminus: GA 60 in the Suches community north of Dahlonega
Photo 1: Westbound end at GA 60; Photo 2: Looking northbound on GA 60; Photo 3: First eastbound reassurance shield; Photo 4: Junction assembly looking northbound on GA 180.
Eastern Terminus: GA 17/75 halfway between Hiawassee and Helen
The first two photos are looking east towards the end at GA 17/75. The second pic was taken in December 2002. The last photo is looking southbound on GA 17/75 towards Unicoi Gap.
Georgia 180 Spur Ends Photos
Southern Terminus: GA 180 at Jacks Gap
Photo 1: End signage; Photo 2: Looking eastbound on GA 180; Photo 3: Looking north on GA 180 Spur. Reassurance shield is missing or covered up do to closure of the highway.
Northern Terminus: Parking lot at foot of Brasstown Bald summit
No photos available
Related Links

Here are links related to sites and information on or near GA 180.

Richard Russell Scenic Highway (GA 348)
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