With its stunning crown of cliffs, Mount Yonah is often the first real mountain one sees on approaching Helen from the south. Yonah is the Cherokee word for “bear,” and one can occasionally still see a black bear while walking the trails of Mount Yonah. While it is easy to see the mountain, approaching it requires a bit of knowledge. As one goes down Highway 75 from Helen toward Cleveland, the first road to mention the mountain is “Yonah Mountain Road,” and it is puzzling to pull into this road and immediately encounter a locked gate. This road does indeed go right to the top of the mountain, but is available only to military personnel who train on its vertical cliffs to gain rock climbing skills, rappelling skills, and for other necessary military purposes. For the civilian, the approach is entirely different. You must continue down the highway until reaching Tom Bell Road on the left. A short distance down this road, you will see Chambers Road on the left. Turn on this road, and shortly you can follow the signs to the Yonah Trailhead parking lot. The trail is 2.2 miles in length and gains about 1,500 feet in elevation, making it one of the more strenuous activities due to the steepness. The mountain appears to be completely dry, at least on the accessible west side, so don’t expect to see streams or waterfalls. The trail ends at the junction with the military road mentioned above, but you should simply continue upward on that road or adjacent trails and you will come to the desired gorgeous view and the imposing cliffs. Stay to the right (west) side of the mountain to get to the easiest and best cliffs. One can see across the way Pink Mountain, which has a number of houses visible on it. The view from the top is spectacular, but be careful to stay away from the precipice. We saw U.S. Army Rangers training while we were there, and what they do is quite a sight, if you’re lucky enough to be there during one of their sessions. Plan on at least three hours for the round trip, unless you’re in exceptional shape.