“The Enchanted Land” of North Georgia
The Paleo tribe of the Blue Ridge Mountains once called Big Canoe “The Enchanted Land.” Centuries later, the nickname holds up, and that land is now part nature reserve, part mountain retreat. About two-thirds of residents live there full-time, while others come up for the weekend. Whether they are there year-round or just a few days a month, anyone who enters the front gates at Big Canoe gets to enjoy sweeping views of the Appalachian Mountains and private hiking, fishing and golfing. “Big Canoe shines even on a rainy day,” says Charles Vecchio, a Realtor with Century 21 Results who has lived in the community for 17 years and is nicknamed “the Mayor of Big Canoe.” “It’s like a sanctuary, and it’s got something for everyone.”
Hiking, golfing, fishing and more in the Blue Ridge Mountains
In the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, there is always a way to enjoy the great outdoors. Local volunteers maintain over 20 trails ranging in length and skill level. Causal explorers can hike the wildflower-covered McDaniels Meadows Park Trails, advanced hikers can venture through the challenging Nancy Womack Trail, and those with four-wheel drive can race through the Upper or Lower Jeep Trails. Big Canoe also has three on-site lakes. Lake Petit has a marina and is stocked with rainbow trout all year for fishing, and Lake Disharoon and Lake Sconti are both popular for swimming and boating. The Mountain Golf Course has 27 holes through hills and valleys, and the Racquet Club operates 18 tennis and pickleball courts. The Wildcat Recreation Center, Big Canoe Chapel and over 50 clubs round out the many recreation and social offerings. “If you want to be a hermit in the mountains, you can,” says Maggie Hosmer, a Realtor with Harry Norman Realtors who has lived in Big Canoe for 16 years. “If you want to be social, we have clubs and a beautiful church to join.”
Reservation-only dining at Home Restaurant
Big Canoe residents don’t have to leave the front gates to grab dinner, thanks to the Mountains Grill on Lake Sconti. Outside the gates, Home Restaurant on Steve Tate Highway is less than a mile from the Wildcat Recreation Center. The restaurant is reservation-only and open for dinner between Tuesday and Friday. On these select nights, Home serves a rotating selection of small plates and entrees made of local ingredients. Lucky Hare, next to Home, also has limited hours. It is open for dinner from Wednesday to Saturday, with a small tasting menu and an extensive wine list. North Georgia Premium Outlet Mall on Georgia Highway 400 (GA-400) is 22 miles away. The mall has dozens of clothing shops and grocery stores like Ingles Market and Publix.
Big Canoe’s cabins in the mountains
The community has homes for both full-time residents and visitors. One-story, circular cabins with wrap-around porches are popular with weekenders and sell for $300,000 to $400,000. Larger cabins between 2,000 and 4,000 square feet often have distinctive features, like tall A-frame shapes or real logs lining the outside. These properties are typically $400,000 to $700,000. Custom homes also fill Big Canoe, usually mixing modern features like asymmetric roofs with rustic stone and wood exteriors. A newer single-family home can cost $700,000 to $900,000, while larger, private estates overlooking the golf course or the mountains are $1 million to $2 million. Big Canoe’s subdivisions are private and built into hills and thick trees. The community’s CAP Index Crime Score is 1 out of 10, below the national average of 4. “I just left for 10 days, and my doors were unlocked; it’s that safe,” Vecchio says.
Atlanta commuters take Interstates 75 and 575
While Big Canoe is outside city life, weekenders and full-time commuters frequently drive the 68 miles into Atlanta. GA-400 connects to I-75 and I-575 to go into downtown. “People will still commute because they want to drive to work on a beautiful back road instead of sitting in Atlanta traffic,” Hosmer says. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is 70 miles away, and Big Canoe is within 20 miles of healthcare at Piedmont Mountainside Hospital in Jasper.
Split between Pickens Schools and Dawson Schools
The community is in two public school districts. Pickens County School District serves the west side. Tate Elementary School, Jasper Middle School for grades 5 through 6, Pickens County Middle School for grades 7 through 8, and Pickens High School all earn B scores on Niche. Pickens High School focuses on fine arts, including visual art, dance and playwriting programs. Families on the east side can send their children to Dawson County School District. Robinson Elementary School and Dawson County Junior High School, for grades 8 through 9, have B scores, Dawson County Middle School for grades 6 through 7 has a B-plus grade, and Dawson County High School has a B-minus. Dawson Schools’ band, chorus, and theater programs are all hosted inside the district’s 1,000-person capacity venue. The University of North Georgia, one of six major military colleges in the country, is about 25 miles away.
Written By
Delaney Murray
