A railroad town that became a county seat
The Marietta and North Georgia Railroad reached Fannin County in the summer of 1886 (New Georgia Encyclopedia), and Blue Ridge was incorporated at the end of the line on October 24, 1887 (New Georgia Encyclopedia). In 1895 the legislature moved the county seat here from Morganton (New Georgia Encyclopedia).
How big it is
The city itself is small: the Census Bureau’s 2020 estimates base is 1,254 residents (U.S. Census Bureau) and its July 2024 estimate is 1,246 (U.S. Census Bureau). Fannin County is larger and growing, from 25,320 in the April 2020 base to an estimated 25,854 in 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau). Most cabin owners live outside city limits.
Getting around
| From downtown Blue Ridge to | Road miles (map-measured) |
|---|---|
| McCaysville | about 11 |
| Ellijay | about 16 |
| Blairsville | about 23 |
| Chattanooga, Tennessee | about 84 |
| Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport | about 101 |
Distances are measured on OpenStreetMap from town centre to town centre (OpenStreetMap routing (map-measured), OpenStreetMap routing (map-measured), OpenStreetMap routing (map-measured)); drive times depend on traffic and weather.
Everyday Blue Ridge
- The University of North Georgia opened a Blue Ridge campus in 2015 and moved to a permanent campus off Georgia 515 in 2020 (University of North Georgia).
- Mercier Orchards, founded in 1943, is still a family farm, now in its fourth generation (Mercier Orchards).
- The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests cover nearly 867,000 acres in Georgia, and Fannin County is served by the Blue Ridge Ranger District (U.S. Forest Service).
- Outdoor lights go off from midnight to sunrise under county ordinance, with exemptions such as motion-sensor security lights (Fannin County ordinance 2025-03).
Blue Ridge Scenic Railway
Excursion train · 241 Depot Street, Blue Ridge
26 miles round trip along the Toccoa to McCaysville and Copperhill: two hours Express, four hours Extended with a layover.
Source: Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, checked Oct 16, 2026
Mercier Orchards
Family orchard and market · 8660 Blue Ridge Drive
Founded in 1943 by Bill and Adele Mercier; a fourth-generation family farm.
Source: Mercier Orchards, checked Oct 16, 2026
University of North Georgia, Blue Ridge Campus
University campus · Off Georgia 515
Opened at a temporary site in 2015 and moved to its permanent campus in 2020.
Source: University of North Georgia, checked Oct 16, 2026
Living-here questions
Which Blue Ridge is this guide about?
Blue Ridge in Fannin County, Georgia: the county seat in the North Georgia mountains, on the Toccoa River and Lake Blue Ridge. Not the Blue Ridge Parkway region, and not Blue Ridge, Virginia.
Source: New Georgia Encyclopedia, checked Oct 16, 2026
When are Fannin County property taxes due?
Normally by December 20 each year. Interest of 1% a month is charged after the due date.
Source: Fannin County Tax Commissioner, checked Oct 16, 2026
How do I get a homestead exemption on a Blue Ridge home?
Own and live in the home on January 1, then get the application, with a copy of your warranty deed, to the Tax Assessor before April 1. Georgia’s standard exemption takes $2,000 off the assessed value for county and school taxes.
Source: Fannin County Tax Commissioner, checked Oct 16, 2026
How far is Blue Ridge from Atlanta?
About 101 road miles from downtown Blue Ridge to Hartsfield-Jackson airport, measured on the map; drive time depends on traffic on Georgia 515 and I-575.
Source: OpenStreetMap routing (map-measured), checked Oct 16, 2026
How close are the trails to downtown Blue Ridge?
The Forest Service’s Aska Trail System, about 17 miles of hiking and biking trail, is less than 10 miles from downtown, with trailheads at Deep Gap, Stanley Gap and Shady Falls.
Source: U.S. Forest Service, checked Oct 16, 2026
How long is the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway ride?
It is a 26-mile round trip along the Toccoa to McCaysville and Copperhill, Tennessee: two hours on the Express, or four hours on the Extended ride with a two-hour layover.
Source: Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, checked Oct 16, 2026
Can I leave outdoor lights on all night at a Fannin County cabin?
Generally no. The county’s environmental and habitat ordinance requires outdoor lighting to be off from midnight to sunrise, with exemptions such as motion-sensor security lights.
Source: Fannin County ordinance 2025-03, checked Oct 16, 2026
For cabin owners
Want your home featured here? List with Gold Peach Realty.
Homes listed with Gold Peach Realty appear in the featured section of this guide and on our other North Georgia community sites, alongside the MLS and the major home-search portals.
