Amicalola Scenic Byway project in second stage

DAWSONVILLE, GA. – The Amicalola Scenic Byway project was presented at the October 7, 2021 Dawson County Commissioners meeting.

Chamber of Commerce President and CEO, Mandy Power, announced that Dawson, Gilmer and Pickens counties will all have a part in the new scenic byway that will run through all three counties.

Power read the definition of a Georgia scenic byway and stated that it is “any designated highway, street, road, or route which significantly features certain intrinsic qualities that should be protected or enhanced,” according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.

Power continued with some of the benefits that a scenic byway could have.

She said among other benefits, it can bring connectivity to the counties and their shared heritage, broaden the travel experience to increase tourist visitation, educate community residents and bring recognition to local natural resources and cultural assets and ultimately enhance tourism spending.

The scenic byway’s prosed map would begin in Dawsonville.

“It starts in downtown Dawsonville at the Hall of fame and it goes through some of the most beautiful parts of Dawson County and we are actually getting the benefit of having it named after one of our landmarks as the Amicalola [Falls] Scenic Byway,” Power said.

She listed some points of interest that have been noted so far for the scenic byway: Historic Downtown Dawsonville; Dawson County Historic Courthouse; Historical Churches; Amicalola State Park; Len Foote Hike Inn; Fausett Farms Sunflowers; Georgia Racing Hall of Fame; Pool Room and Burt’s Pumpkin Farm.

Power announced that they do have the Georgia Department of Transportation approval, so they are now in the second step with is the application stage.

She said that once the application will hopefully be approved, there will be signage along the route, the route will be listed on all the tourism websites and the route will be listed on state and national byway websites.

Power estimated that it may be six months until the Amicalola Scenic Byway is officially unveiled.