Springer Mountain

Springer Mountain is a mountain located in the Chattahoochee National Forest on the border of Fannin and Gilmer counties. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Georgia, the mountain has an elevation of about 3782ft. Springer Mountain serves as the southern termini for the Appalachian and Benton MacKaye trails.NameThe origin of the name of Springer Mountain is unclear. One possible origin was that it was named in honor of William G. Springer, an early settler appointed in 1833 by Governor Wilson Lumpkin to implement legislation to improve conditions for the Indians. Another possibility was that Springer Mountain was named for the first Presbyterian minister to be ordained in Georgia, John Springer, who was ordained in 1790.The mountain has been called Springer since at least 1910. As late as 1959, some residents of Gilmer County were still calling the peak Penitentiary Mountain. According to the Gilmer County Historical Society, the name was officially changed by the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club (GATC). It is unknown why the mountain was named Penitentiary. There is no known Cherokee name for the mountain.GeographySpringer Mountain is a north–south-trending loaf-shaped mountain located on the border of Gilmer and Fannin counties. The summit has an elevation 3782ft above mean sea level. Springer Mountain is part of the Blue Ridge Mountains that extend from Georgia to Pennsylvania. Springer Mountain divides the northern and southern extensions of the Blue Ridge in Georgia, with one branch heading northwest to the Cohutta Mountains and the other branch heading southwest to Mount Oglethorpe. Springer Mountain is located inside the Chattahoochee National Forest, as well as the Ed Jenkins National Recreation Area.