For a cool getaway on a hot summer afternoon, consider Lake Winfield Scott. (Look him up: an Army general who ran for president). Part of the Chattahoochee National Forest, it's a quiet 18 acre lake nestled in the mountains between Suches and Blairsville. A roped-off swimming area is fronted by about a hundred yards of sandy beach. On the hottest Saturday afternoon of last August there were only about two dozen people on the beach. The swimming area has a free-standing pier about a hundred feet out. Kids love to swim out and look at the large fish that congregate under it to escape the heat of the sun and the fishermen's wiles. Fishing is popular, with an annual youth fishing rodeo. If all the fish are hiding under the pier, stretch your legs by taking the Elizabeth Dee Lawson Morris trail: an easy 1.8 mile walk along the shore. About 30 camping spots stretch back through the woods and a pavillion is available near the lake for families and friends to meet and eat.

How to get there: take Georgia highway 60 north from Dahlonega, across the Appalachian Trail, and into Suches. In Suches turn right onto Georgia 180 (a.k.a Wolf Pen Gap Road). Go 7 miles and look for the signs on the right. Cost is $3 per day. For more info, their website or call the Brasstown Forest Service office at 706 745-6928, and hit 0 for the operator.