Talona Ridge RV Resort – Hawk Valley
03.28.25-03.30.25
Gateway to the North Georgia Mountains.
Talona Ridge RV Resort is located in East Ellijay, Georgia—right off highway 5. It is convenient to stores, restaurants, wineries, and hikes. Even so close to all this you still feel far away from it all. The amenities include a saltwater pool/hot tub, gym, pickle ball court, playground, dog park, and paved golf cart paths. Coming soon to Talona Ridge RV Resort is the addition of a second pool and restaurant.
The operations director at Talona Ridge actually stopped by our campsite to say hello (fellow Great Pyrenees owner) and let us know that the next week they were doing a soft opening of the restaurant. Darn—we just missed it. Guess we will have to go back!
Last time we enjoyed Talona Ridge RV Resort we stayed in a back-in site on Falcon Ridge (middle level.) As long as a class A camper did not park in the site in front of us, we had a great view. Click Talona Ridge Sept 2022 for all the details on that trip.
This time we stayed in the lower level, Hawk Valley site 6. This site was close to the new playground and a short walk to the dog park. Our site was easy to back into, had a grassy area for the kids to play, and like all the sites—full hookup. The only downfall to that particular row of sites would be that the pull-thru sites in the Falcon Ridge level were right above us. Fortunately no one stayed in the site above us, but it felt like if they had they would be looking down right into our site.
Our kids loved the new addition of the nature scape obstacle course. It was visually appealing to look at and play on because it wasn’t the usual metal playground equipment. There were log balance beams, stepping stones made of tree trunks, a climbing wall, swings, monkey bars, and obstacle equipment made from trees.
The new addition of the paved golf cart trail was nice to have—it got us from the Hawk Valley lower section to the middle section, Falcon Ridge. From Falcon Ridge they also added stairs up to the overlook deck on the top level. Our daughter (5 years old) biked from our site up to the top level without help! Golf Carts are available to rent to make getting around the resort easier. We didn’t find it necessary as there is plenty of parking at Grandview Hall.
Friday our weather was better, so we were in the pool and hot tub. The pool is heated, however it was still a little cold for adults. Children had zero problems with the temperature of the pool. Our daughter really wanted to enjoy the hot tub, however there is a sign for 16 years and older. I allowed her to get in when no one was in the pool area, but as soon as others showed up we made sure to follow that rule. It was her first time in a hot tub and what a great one to experience. The hot tub is large and like the pool has an amazing view of the mountains. In any case, limit a child’s first exposure in a hot tub to 5 minutes to make sure they can safely handle the heat.
Talona Ridge RV Resort recently built a second pool where the new restaurant will be. It still has a sun shelf and a small view of the mountains–which I wasn’t expecting based on the location. What we really liked about this new pool/restaurant area is the covered outdoor seating right next to the pool. There is also a bar and small event space that can be rented.
Both Friday and Saturday evening Grandview Hall has live music to enjoy and the bar was open for Happy Hour. We tried some ciders from local orchards and had Kentucky mules. Our children really enjoyed the outdoor games on the grass terrace. On Friday we bought doughnuts from the food truck, Geno’s Bag O’ Donuts. They were hot and made to order. We took ours into Grand View Hall to enjoy the live music.
While we spent time on the upper level, Eagle Crest —Summit, our Great Pyrenees stayed in the camper. We feel comfortable leaving her in the camper for short periods because we monitor the temperature of the camper using the Marcell Temperature monitoring system. Use code Imagine25 to receive $25 off your unit. All the details here.
This trip we stayed at the resort the entire time, but I would highly recommend a hike at Tumbling Waters Trail—we used the AllTrails app to find it. We also really enjoy Fainting Goat Vineyard and the nearby orchards.
One thing that is hard for us working weekend warriors is making the allotted check-in time requested. We do not get out of work until 4 p.m., then have to get home, hook-up and drive an hour north to Talona. For this reason we came in on Friday morning which was an easy drive and felt nice to not rush around at the house before leaving. If you cannot be there by 4 p.m. they want you to communicate what time you will be coming in and will work with you.
An RV resort is not the Seal family’s usual weekend adventure for multiple reasons. The most common reason someone might not choose an RV Resort is the price. Our site was $85 per night. Compare that to local state park or Corps of Engineers campground, which cost on average $30 per night. It is apples to oranges though—Talona Ridge RV Resort offers luxury amenities, full hook-up, and paved sites.
RV Resorts tend to have more rules, and Talona Ridge is no exception. It does not allow pop-up, truck campers, or hybrid campers. The RV must be 10 years or younger. If your camper is more than 10 years old they request you to send a photo to be approved. They also have a minimum night rule depending on the number of nights you plan to reserve the site. On their website I saw a four-night minimum around major holidays.
RV resorts certainly have their upsides and we’ve not yet seen a campground offering what Talona Ridge has to offer. Their mountain view is hard to compete with and they certainly make you feel as though you are getting your money’s worth in amenities. If you feel as though it is out of your normal camping budget, we would suggest spending a weekend there for a special occasion. We truly enjoyed our stay at Talona Ridge RV Resort and will be back!
