Mountains Georgia's mountains are much older than the Rockies or even the Himalayas. The base of the Blue Ridge formed over a billion years ago, but the bulk of our mountains were created from oceanic sediments between 200 and 450 million years ago. The mountains cover the northern part of Georgia.

Mountain Animals Largemouth Bass (Georgia state fish) are freshwater fish and generally inhabit clear, vegetated lakes, ponds and swamps. They prefer quiet, clear water and often hide in dense vegetation along the edges of a water body. Largemouth bass eat crayfish, frogs, insects and small fishes.

Mountain Animals Bats are a valuable and fascinating part of Georgia’s natural heritage.  They provide a beneficial service by foraging on flying insects, many of which are pests.  A single bat can eat hundreds of mosquitoes in one hour!   The large number of caves formed in this area are an ideal habitat for bats.

Mountain Animals The cardinal is a bird that lives in wooded areas. Cardinals like to eat seeds, fruits and insects. The male bird is red with a black face. The female has a red tail, wings and crest; the rest of her body is brown. Both have a red beak. It does not migrate in the winter.

Mountain Animals The Black Bear is the smallest of the American bears but it is the largest carnivore in eastern North America. It has a large heavy body with long legs, flat feet, stout claws and a very short tail. The Black Bear is nocturnal in the summer. It is an omnivore. It can also be found in the Okefenokee Swamp.     

Mountain Plants    The Georgia mountains provide a lush, thick area for a variety of plant life to grow. This mountain range originally formed by pressure, heat and water. It has been eroding for the past 400 million years. The resulting rounded mountain range has formed rich forest soils which support the most diverse plant life in the State. The types of plants growing depend on the elevation.

Mountain Plants    Two of the state flowers are found in the mountain area. Azaleas (Georgia state wildflower) can be found covering much of our state. An interesting thing about these lovely flowers is that they are actually mildly poisonous! When these flowers are eaten by animals, they can cause stomach and heart problems.  

Mountain Plants    The Cherokee Rose (Georgia state flower) is also found in this area. Native American folklore says the flowers are a result of the tears shed during the “Trail of Tears.” Trees and bushes bearing fruit are also located in the mountains.