Richard Russell Scenic Highway, much lesser known as GA 348, extends 14.1 miles through the Chattahoochee National Forest in Union and White Counties. Built specifically as a scenic highway, the roadway crosses Tesnatee Gap joining Blairsville and the resort town of Helen.

Numerous scenic and outdoor opportunities abound along GA 348, including two major hiking trails to Dukes Creek Falls and Raven Cliff Falls in the Raven Cliffs Wilderness Area, the latter featuring a waterfall cutting right through a solid granite cliff. Nearby Helen is also there for those that would rather see the mountains without getting dirty.

GA 348 has three scenic designations. The first designation is that of being a national scenic byway, the second a Georgia scenic byway and the third is being one of "America's Byways". All three designations are applied to this and parts of GA 180, 180 Spur and GA 17/75 as part of the Russell-Brasstown Scenic Byway.

GA 348 first appeared in 1963 as an unpaved spur in Union County. Immediately upon commissioning, the scenic highway crossing the mountains was underway as well. While the spur ended around what is today Hatchet Creek Road, the highway itself was completed and opened to traffic in 1965.

The completion of the project had rather sweeping results in the area as it also included the paving and reconstruction of GA 180 between present-day GA 180 Spur and U.S. 19/129 and the paving of a nearby county road all as part of the project. GA 356 (now part of GA 75 Alt) was also designated when the roadway opened, providing a state-maintained link from the east end of GA 348 to either U.S. 129 or GA 17/75. The maps below show the progression of the route from when it first appeared to after it was completed.

The two maps above show GA 348 when it existed as an unpaved spur in 1963 versus after it was completed in 1968. Note that GA 180 was later fully paved and GA 356 (now GA 75 Alt) was added on the south end. As a side note, GA 66 is now part of GA 180.