Calhoun, Georgia travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

Calhoun is in the Northwest High Country of Georgia and has this sort of idiosyncrasy in that it calls itself "The Land Of The Cherokee" even though there's hardly a Cherokee left standing, thanks to things like President Andrew Jackson and the Indian Removal Act. But there was a time when it was the land of the Cherokee, after they had been pushed out of their former territory in modern day eastern Tennessee and western South Carolina by European Americans. Here they established a town called Ustanali and then an actual capital called New Echota where council meetings were held and a newspaper was printed using the syllabary that Sequoyah had created. By the 1830s though, they were forced out by Georgia and the command of Winfield Scott, with broken treaties of promised sovereignty in the Indian Territory that would become Oklahoma. New Echota is now preserved as a historic site near Calhoun.

3 sights · 2 places to stay

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about Calhoun

Resaca Battlefield Historic Site

Supposedly the first major fight of the Georgia Campaign of the Civil War in 1864 with General William T. Sherman which shattered the Georgia's economic resources of the military power of the southern Confederacy.

Rock Garden, Calhoun

A very strange place with miniature rock sculptures of things like the Coliseum and Notre Dame everywhere.

New Echota Historic Site

This historic site encompasses New Echota, the capital of the Cherokee Nation from 1825 to their forced removal in the 1830s.

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Mar–Nov. Summer highs reach about 88°F; winter lows dip to about 31°F. Wettest: Jan and Mar. (climate data from nearby Historic High Country)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
CHA Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (Lovell Field), Chattanooga — 40 mi away. Directions
PDK DeKalb Peachtree Airport, Atlanta — 57 mi away. Directions
ATL Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta — 67 mi away (major hub). Directions

Calhoun is right off of I-75.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Sample 1-day itinerary

Day 1

Morning New Echota Historic Site, Resaca Battlefield Historic Site
Afternoon Rock Garden, Calhoun

Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.

Food for you

What to ask about, for your diet

Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder