Located just 11 miles from the TN border is a small public road called Cashes Valley North Georgia. It is one of the more popular scenic “day rides” for many off roaders who are looking to just adventure and have some fun, and personally one of my favorite places to explore. A hidden road, maintained by and home to several private residents, Cashes Valley is around 8.5 miles long with one way in and one way out.
Along the way, Cashes Valley parallels Fightingtown Creek, displaying a collection of waterfalls along the way, however one of the main reasons people enjoy visiting Cashes Valley is the various water forging. This beautiful ride will take you through a total of 5 water crossings, all different sizes and depths with the deepest crossing around 2 feet deep (could be significantly more after a recent rain fall – be aware). While 2 feet deep could sound intimating for many, I assure you this is still considered a “beginner adventure” as I have successfully taken several stock Jeeps (no lift or big tires) through these water crossings.
History Of Cashes Valley
Dating back to the 1800’s, Cashes Valley was originally formed as a small village to a group of settlers. It included many smaller homes and a local Church Of Christ. In the 1990’s, the road became popular to off roaders and ATV’s that took the idea of off-roading into their own hands and began venturing off of the normal road and in parts of the property they were not authorized. Eventually, the historic Cashes Valley Church Of Christ was looted burnt down. This obviously triggered the locals to attempt to block access to Cashes Valley and save their beautiful piece of mountain history but the request was denied as Cashes Valley is technically a public road.
Most of the residents that still live in the area are descendants from the original settlers to this area. At the end of Cashes Valley Road, just before you reach the old Church of Christ you will come to an opening that has the Cashes Valley Cemetery… a clear sign of the age of this area. With many tombstones dating back to late 1800’s and a handful of them so old, the dates have been worn off and unidentifiable.
Where Is Cashes Valley North Georgia
Today, it is a much more respected place to visit, with many visitors following the common “Tread Lightly” rule for the sake of all. I would highly recommend this visit for you and your family but I would strongly encourage you to stay on the road, do not stop in the water, do not venture back to the church as it is private property and please be very respectful of this beautiful piece of history.
