Noteworthy Pockett Campground, Chattachoochee NF (GA)
If you enjoy a clear, fast moving stream flowing through a lush, old forest with just a dash of history, the Pocket campground, in Chattahoochee National Forest, is your place. Located 93 miles northwest of Atlanta and a short distance from Villanow, Georgia, this twenty-four site campground, rich in natural beauty and history, awaits discovery.
Jacks Creek in Pockett campground
The geological area known as The Pocket has never been a great center of civilization. For thousands of years, there have been visitors to this little gap between John and Horn mountains but few stayed. Native people were pushed out and, by the mid-1800s, the western moving population of the young United States had establisbed a small self-sustaining close-knit community in the Pocket. In 1980, an Indian site was documented in the pasture across from the Pocket campground’s entrance. Until the 1940s, arrowheads and shards of pottery wer be found in the area, along with the ruins of early American settlements.
Although no known Civil War battles or skirmishes took place in the area, stone breastworks and rifle pits at Dug Gap, north of The Pocket, indicate some military presence during that time. One tangible indicator of the Pocket’s political leanings can be found in Fowler Cemetery. A gated, short but steep trail leads from the campground to a cemetery. A large monument, with the inscription: “a fallen Confederate soldier,” marks the final resting place of M.B. Fowler, his wife, and twenty-three others. Unfortunately, the Cemetery has suffered from vandalism and many of the headstones and markers are either missing or seriously damaged. While the Cemetery is open to all, visitors are asked to be gentle and respectful.
In 1938 the Pocket was selected for a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp. The barracks, mess hall, latrines, and other facilities were built and The Pocket Camp, F-16, Company 3435, was established on November 8, 1938.
The CCC provided thousands of out-of-work young men with employment and marketable skills during the Depression of the 1930s. By 1941, high unemployment was becoming a thing of the past and funding for the CCC was discontinued. Like other CCC Camps, Camp F-16, Company 3435, was closed and its buildings bulldozed and hauled away. However, not all evidence of the Camp was erased.
Today, campers at Pocket campground will find the foundation of the CCC constructed springhouse on Spring Creek and the floor of a large shower house. Still visible are the foot dips used to keep foot disease at a minimum and an old drainage ditch. Scattered throughout the campground are odd shaped cement objects, their exact purposes unclear.
History isn’t the only reason to visit Pocket campground. The surrounding lush forest of deciduous trees beckon many to explore. Two trails, the 2.5-mile Pocket Loop Trail and 0.5-mile Pocket Nature Trail, offer an easy way through the woods. And the clear flowing John’s Creek offers a wonderful opportunity to cool down with a quick wade in the cold water. Good fishing is available in nearby Lake Marvin and Pilcher Pond, which may not be open to the public at all times. A alternative is nearby John’s Creek which is stocked with trout. The towns of Villanow and Calhoun are nearby and offer interesting day trip adventures.
Pockett campsite
Today, as in the past, visitors to The Pocket enjoy the quiet lushness of this hidden place in ancient mountains. During the day, the quiet is occasionally broken by the sound of children playing in the CCC-built wading area or the chatter of squirrels. At night, the crackling of a campfire, rustling of leaves, and the gurgle of Spring Creek serenade campers. Listen very carefully, you might hear the soft footsteps of The Pocket’s past.
Click on campground name for detailed description of Pocket campground.
