Oregon to possibly move in or near Blue Ridge, GA (Atlanta: maintenance, vacation)

[skipper11]

First of All...Hi Everyone! I have several questions, okay I have many questions ..Here are a few. Is the humidity real bad in or near Blue Ridge? Hot Flashes & humidity don't get along too well. ..My husband & I do hosting for Campgrounds and Day Use parks for the last 7 or 8 yrs and LOVE IT! Is there many parks in or near Blue Ridge that call for Park Host positions?
Is Blue Ridge Lake, managed by the City, County, Federal? We just can't any info on this Lake to tell us who to talk to about hosting at Lakes such as that one. Oh, yes...If you are wondering, Why Blue Ridge?..Well, I finally found my brother after 31 yrs (I am 50) and he is our only family left and just need to be near him & his family. Thank You.....

[Philly]

Hi,
I am a native New Yorker. I moved to Acworth GA in 1979. I'm still here. To answer your questions: It is humid in Georgia, but mostly in the summer. It is also very hot. My problem with the heat is that it is always hot during the summer, unlike the northeast with a few hot days than a few cool days. The humidity is only uncomfortable when it is very hot. The good news is that Blue Ridge is north of Atlanta, in the mountains and is not affected with as much heat and/or humidity. Blue Ridge is a very beautiful area. I don't know a Blue Ridge Lake in the area but there are many federal parks and lakes in the area. Look up Lake Allatoona, Fort Mountain. Ellijay parks etc. If you want to live in the "country" than Blue Ridge is a good choice. There are a lot of cities and towns nearby: Canton, Waleska, Rome. Waleska has a college as does Rome. Ellijay has a lot of tourist attractions due to it being the area that gold was discovered in in 19th century Good Luck!

[Prichard]

The town of Blue Ridge is right on Blue Ridge Lake. I believe that the lake is controlled by Georgia Power, and if so, then the surrounding lake land is also owned by Ga. power and only leased to the residents that live on it. I don't know what "hosting for campgrounds" is, you will need to educate us on this, as this is not a term used in these parts that I can recall.

Yes, it is humid in Georgia, and it is fairly rainy in the North Georgia Mountains - which is part of the reason they are so beautiful.

[JOHNNYCOUNTRY]

If you move to Blue Ridge Georgia and you dont like the sound of guns and loud country music and 4 wheelers Id suggest you move in the city limits or one of those subdivisions. If the country lifestyle doesnt bother you then youll be allright in the country. It might not look like the country anymore but theres still a lot of good old boys in this area.

[skipper11]

Hosting in a Campground is: Living in a Campground (35' 5th wheel), helping campers get settled in, taking reservations and groom the campground. Oh, yes...helps us add more friends to our list. Heck it is like having a family reunion year round...LOL...Most of these positions are strictly volunteer programs... Job requirement: Own your own trailer, love meeting the public, not be lazy and Keep Smiling. We have been doing this since 1999. We sold our home in Calif., Hubby retired from Fire Dept after 30 yrs of service and me semi-retired from the county and school district. This was our dream and yes, it is still our dream. It is like we are on vacation year round.

[Prichard]

"Hosting" - sounds like a pretty cool thing to be able to do. I just don't recall there being anything like that in any of the national parks in North Georgia. Usually park maintenance is handled through the division of forestry. I believe that most trailor campgrounds are privately owned, and most of the forest land is fairly rustic - i.e. no public facilities.

Moderator cut: personal -off topic I have yet to hear anyone playing loud country music anywhere in North Georgia, except at fairs and some restaurants. You might hear a gunshot once in awhile on someone's private land, but I gues that doesn't bother me, as I might just be one of those people firing off a gun once in awhile. I'm one of those Floridiots Moderator cut: ... and have yet to see anyone giving me the finger, snarling at me, or being rude or unfriendly to me in anyway. What's old Johny going to do anyway? Turn up the volume on his Broke-Back Mountain CD real loud when he's parked behind you?

[marymel]

I live in Ellijay, 15 minutes south of Blue Ridge. It can be humid, but Blue Ridge has a great lake to cool off in, and lots of mountain rivers and streams. As far as the park host, that's something I've seen more of out west. As far as I know, our park systems do not have positions like that in Georgia.
As far as country music and ATVs, yes, that's the mountain culture. But Blue Ridge is seeing a lot of "progressive" growth, as is most of north Georgia. The downtown is small and quaint, but there are lots of higher-end home decor shops.
Another poster named Waleska, Rome and Acworth as "close by", but Rome is about a 2 hour drive, Waleska is about 45 minutes and Acworth is about an hour away. To get to commercial areas with lots of retail and restaurant options, you usually have to drive at least an hour.
Hope this helps, pm me with any more questions.

[Grateful Hiker]

Hey Skipper11! I completed my home in Blue Ridge this past July, and split my time between Atlanta and Blue Ridge. I have been camping, backpacking, fishing in north GA for the past 32 years or so. I met my wife while we were working at a summer camp in north GA, and my two older kids are now working at that same summer camp! Here's what I can tell you about hosting campsites in the southeast: most national forest campgrounds do have hosts, just like in Oregon (I worked at a camp on Devil's Lake near Lincoln City, OR in 1979). Blue Ridge is in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. For more information on being a volunteer campground or visitor center host contact Alison Koopman at the U.S. Forest Service Office in Blairsville at 706-745-6928 Ext. #118. Blairsville is about 18 miles northeast of Blue Ridge. Do some searches of GA Sate Parks and national forest campgrounds in GA on the internet. The Appalachian Trail and Benton MacKaye Trail both pass through Fannin County (Blue Ridge is in Fannin County), and much of the Cohutta Wilderness is also in Fannin County. As for the humidity in GA, it can get pretty humid in the summer. Our house is built on one of the higher areas in Blue Ridge and we have a nice breeze that comes down the ridge. I imagine the closer to the lake you get, the more humid the conditions; however, since lots on Lake Blue Ridge start somewhere around $600k to over a million dollars for an acre or less, if you can afford those prices, you can afford the a/c bills! You can get a half acre lot with a view of the Cohuttas for around $80k, but hurry, since land prices in the area will do nothing but increase (the drive up from Atlanta is beautiful, and only 90 miles!). I have enjoyed meeting the hosts at various parks, especially when my kids were young and just getting started camping and hiking. Good luck with your search, there are hosts positions out there.

[JOHNNYCOUNTRY]

You can get a half acre lot with a view of the Cohuttas for around $80k, but hurry, since land prices in the area will do nothing but increase


Yeah with all the weekend warriors from Atlanta buying up second homes our land is rising way to high for the locals and their children to afford anything nice. Its a shame that all these people buying second homes in this area and because of that the LOCALS can barely afford a little trailer on a acre for under hundred thousand. I love the people who build a cabin on a ridge that light it up like a ufo. This place is starting to suck but congrats on your second home.

[Prichard]

I love the people who build a cabin on a ridge that light it up like a ufo.

Damn, that's funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!