If you climb the steep grade to the 3,424 foot knob, you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful view of Lake Chatuge below and mountains in the distance. But first, cresting the top of the hill, you’ll be met with a lot of graffiti.
The top of the knob has two rocky peaks. You might think this is a natural wonder, but you’d be wrong: In 1963, men from a nearby North Carolina town thought they could mine the top of the mountain for minerals. They ripped the top of the peak apart, but were fruitless. The top of Bell Mountain is what was left. It now erodes into the nearby Lake Chatuge.
After the mining failure, Bell Mountain was purchased by a local man named Hal Herrin, who sought to protect it from further abuse.
The mountain has been a favorite for local hikers. It was also a great place to off-road. Deep ruts were carved into what was a gravel and dirt road as off-roaders made their way to the top.
After Hal passed, his estate gifted the Bell Mountain land to Towns County. In 2016, Bell Mountain became a park and historical site, the road was graded and paved, and the observation decks were installed.
According to a plaque at the site, a newspaper editor visited in 1883 and described Bell Mountain, saying, “As we reached the summit the greatest sight that he moral eye ever rested upon met our gaze, it is impossible for the pen to do justice to this scene, for several famous tourists who have visited this mountain pronounce it the ‘grandest view in America.’”
The vandalism at the top is at odds with the beautiful 360-degree views, demonstrating how this natural place has been at war with humans throughout its existence.