Sky Valley is known as the highest and coolest city in Georgia, home to the highest golf course with a pretty cool layout. Many Georgians have summer homes here due to the 15-degree temperature difference from Atlanta as well as the absence of oppressive humidity found in other regions. “Halfbacks” – those who moved from the north only to be disappointed by the heat of the far south – often retreat and find Sky Valley to be their ideal forever home.
About Lisa
Lisa grew up with summer memories at Sky Valley’s timeshare with her family, in its heyday as Georgia’s only ski destination. She bought her own rental through the years and when the timeshare left the family, and her daughter flew her coop, she fully relocated to Sky Valley. She’s young, pretty and gaining popularity in the community as a joiner and doer. Her corporate career was in the rental management industry in the Atlanta area. Now she is working independently as a property management consultant and manages properties only in Sky Valley. That’s the place she loves after all and it’s easy to see why.
Lisa met us at the Sky Valley Visitor Center and drove us with Gordon Brand, a resident marketing liaison, around various neighborhoods for a glimpse of the real estate, timeshares and incredible views.
Sky Valley Visitor Center
Sky Valley Visitor Center is on the main highway, ten minutes from Dillard to the south and Highlands, NC to the north. The visitors’ center doubles as City Hall with an intimate court room. An interactive wall display provides info for all interests in the Sky Valley area. Click away to find lodging, dining, activities and fun facts with beautiful photos and QR codes for more details and directions.
City Manager’s Perspective
The City Manager, Jason Streetman shared that police are on duty 24/7, acting like family, checking on residents and turning off water if needed. Infrastructure is keeping up with growth with the current permitting pace being one new house per month. Sky Valley offers a remote feel while providing essential services thanks to the addition of Verizon towers and Starlink for internet. Road improvements and sewer planning are also ahead of schedule.
City is a loose term, as Sky Valley spans only three-square miles and has a population of 600 while Rabun County has 17,000 residents. However, during the summer, Sky Valley swells to 2,000 with available services for 6,000. A new development incorporating the former ski lodge is an idea which could increase these numbers but meanwhile, there are still some great lots with views left in a community that operates Mayberry style with family festivals that include duck races. Their 4th of July celebration is the most anticipated of the year.
While most people are pre-retirement planning when moving here, the median age is declining. In ’21 it was 73 and now 68. Area school choices are top notch for younger families. It was Rabun County Schools that drew Jason’s family, and they have been here for eleven years.
We spent two nights at an Airbnb condo owned by the neighbor, which faced the golf course and hillside with the iconic Sky Valley chapel to the left. The stars were brilliant from the balcony with peepers serenading for a tranquil evening. By day, we served as a mini gallery for golfers and for golf lawn croquet players in their “all whites”. The members are proud of their croquet club which won “Best New Croquet Club in the US” their first summer of ’18 by the National Croquet Association. They now have two full sized lawns.
GOLF
Ryan Debois is the new and first GM at Sky Valley Country Club. Hailing from Arizona, he started as a bus boy at one of our favorites, Gold Canyon Golf Resort and Spa, then worked as a cart guy at Viewpoint Golf Resort in Mesa and elevated to the GM position at Sunland Village and lived a couple miles from us in Gilbert, Arizona, small world? With family in Georgia, he discovered this opening at the same time his wife found the assistant principal vacancy at Highlands School, and it was a magical match for both to start anew with their kids, 7 and 9 years of age. They found a deal on three acres south of Franklin, a short drive away while the average house being built in Sky Valley is $900k.
Ryan gave us a tour through the splendid clubhouse with historic photos and a pro shop equipped for all. The members’ dining facility is magnificent, extending to the patio where we had previously dined al fresco with President Roy and Joy Akins and others. It is open Wed-Sat while a separate room with the Corner Bar and framed photos of every hole, professionally shot by the amateur members is open 3-8pm with light snacks. The Café at the turn opens seasonally.
The course was originally architected by Bill Watts and redesigned by Bill Bergen who has recent claim with Rees Jones on the great new McLemore courses in northwest Georgia. Sky Valley’s routing begins with a pretty par 4, next to the copper steepled chapel whose bells and music ring frequently throughout the day. Water on the left flows from the course’s first cascading falls between <#C0882HSVDQD|> and #2. A chimney from the Sky Valley Lodge stands in line of flight on #3’s fairway with a one club length relief if needed. Water is abundant throughout the course with babbling brooks spilling into ponds for skipping balls over water on par 3s at holes #4 and #7. Mud Creek Falls rushes over a ravine on #15’s par 3, cascading 100 feet. The elevated tee boxes test distances which when incorrectly guessed will send golf balls sailing downstream. (Mud Creek is an easy hike after golf with parking 75 feet away) Sky Valley’s finishing hole is fun to watch or play, skirting around the main lake beside the clubhouse with a stream to cross before the green where at least one member hopes for the future installation of a swilcan type bridge as a pièce de résistance.
Fall foliage fills the hills with color while spring scenery is sweet with smiling daffodils and in April rhododendrons on steroids burst into bloom. Summer is easy and breezy while winter gets cool, but the semi-private course is still open with discounted rates for the public. What a course it is, for repeatable daily play. Various memberships are available with a $10,000 initiation fee and Sabine Bryant, membership administrator has all the details.
Visitors have numerous short term rental options or ten minutes away, we also spent two wonderful nights at the historic Dillard House, but that’s another story. Famous for their family style dining, it is a special meal spot for many in Sky Valley. There is no shortage of restaurants, in both directions as well as wineries like High Holly, moments away.
Additional Attractions
In addition to Mud Creek Falls, Rabun County has 16 additional waterfalls and there are even more in Highlands to visit. A funny thing happened on our way to Minnehaha Falls. We missed the last little sign and instead ended up at Terra Incognita winery, far atop the hill with views of Currahee. Several ski lift chairs are positioned for sipping and soaking up the views and those chairs came from Sky Valley’s former lift, another small world moment.
This was our second visit to Sky Valley and Gordon picked us up with his funny and lovely wife Jeannette for dinner with the gang – a reunion with Roy and Joy, Lisa, and more members for a fun dozen. We went to a classy gas station in Franklin, NC., which is also home to the French Caffe Rel. It is fine dining with casual attire and an open kitchen where flames fly up from the sautés for dinner and a show. Roy said he reread our previous article, and we were right then, having noted in 2020, “real estate prices range from $150k (not for long) to $1m.” If only we had bought, since they are starting at the upper end of that range now. It’s truly a sweet spot on the Georgia Golf Trail, with lovely people and nobody leaves Sky Valley a stranger. It’s always a welcome home. www.visitskyvalleyga.com
