About the Forest

The Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests provide the finest outdoor recreation opportunities and natural resources in Georgia. Featuring nearly 867,000 acres across 26 counties, thousands of miles of clear-running streams and rivers, approximately 850 miles of recreation trails, and dozens of campgrounds, picnic areas, and other recreation activity opportunities, these lands are rich in natural scenery, history and culture. The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The Forest Service motto, “Caring for the Land and Serving People,” captures the spirit of our mission. Gifford Pinchot, first Chief of the Forest Service, summed up the mission of the Forest Service: "to provide the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people in the long run."

Each year millions of people visit Georgia's only National Forest. It is a place of scenic beauty that provides opportunities for anyone interested in nature and history.

National forests are lands of many uses. The original purpose for their creation was to protect water quality and provide a continuous supply of timber. Today the national forest mission includes outdoor recreation, wildlife and fish habitat, wilderness, water quality, minerals, wood products, and much more.

Caring for your national forests requires the dedication and hard work of a diverse and highly skilled workforce. Forestry, biology, botany, recreation, planning, engineering, geology, hydrology, realty, computer technology, human resource management, landscape architecture and accounting are among the fields of expertise employed by the USDA Forest Service. Each of the land mangers and resource specialists ensure resources are cared for so future generations can also enjoy and value our national forests.

Feel free to contact any of our offices for more detailed information about the national forests in Georgia. If you would like to volunteer, partner, or contract with the national forest, see the section on Working Together. Come join us!

Please note that our offices will be closed on all Federal Holidays.

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