The Legend of Blood Mountain

Once upon a time, a battle broke out between the Cherokee and Creek tribes

Photo of Blood Mountain by Thomson M., courtesy of WikiMedia Commons

Some say Blood Mountain took its name from a bloody 1700s battle between the Cherokee and Creek tribes. Others believe it got its name from the reddish color of the lichen and catawba rhododendron that grow near its summit.

But whichever legend you prefer, the mountain’s 4,458-foot-high summit in Chattahoochee National Forest—considered the highest peak of Georgia’s section of the Appalachian Trail—offers spectacular views of deep orange-red sunsets—especially in fall, when surrounding leaves add to its splendor.

We touched on this in our Winter 2025 issue, but we’re taking a closer look at the history of Blood Mountain in Blair, Georgia, for this week’s email.

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Photo of Blood Mountain on the left and Slaughter Mountain on the right by Thomson20192, courtesy of WikiCommons Media

The Battle

Before European Americans settled in America, the Creek and Cherokee tribes fought a disastrous and bloody battle in Slaughter Gap between two mountains: Blood and Slaughter. The altercation dates back to the 1500s, when both tribes called Georgia home and wound up competing for the same resources.