Gilmer County Georgia map|Ellijay, Apple Country, and Carters Lake

The Gilmer County Georgia map covers a mountain county centered on Ellijay and East Ellijay. Rivers, steep roads, orchard land, wooded ridges, vacation cabins, and Carters Lake give the county a different pattern from the suburban counties closer to Atlanta.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimated 33,894 residents on July 1, 2025, an 8.1 percent increase from the 2020 estimates base. The 2020 census counted 31,353 people, compared with 28,292 in 2010.

Apple Orchards and Mountain Tourism

Gilmer County is one of Georgia’s leading apple-growing areas, and Ellijay is promoted as the Apple Capital of Georgia. Orchards sell fresh fruit, cider, baked goods, preserves, and other farm products, especially during the late-summer and fall harvest season.

The Georgia Apple Festival brings large crowds to Ellijay each autumn. Cabin rentals, wineries, hiking, mountain biking, river activities, and farm visits extend the visitor economy beyond the apple harvest.

Map Coverage and File Options

This Gilmer County Georgia map set contains color, black-and-white, and outline A3 JPG files. The labeled versions support regional reference, while the outline version provides room for custom recreation, water, road, or community information.

Ellijay and East Ellijay are the county’s two incorporated cities. Cherry Log, Talking Rock, and Cartecay are verified local place names, but the finished map image was not supplied, so the article does not claim that every name appears on every version.

Ellijay, East Ellijay, and the River Junction

Ellijay is the county seat and the traditional downtown center. The Ellijay and Cartecay rivers meet near the city to form the Coosawattee River, giving the area a recognizable river-junction setting.

East Ellijay is a separate incorporated city directly east of Ellijay. Georgia 515 and other major roads have encouraged retail and service development there, while Ellijay retains the historic courthouse square and older commercial blocks.

Carters Lake and Outdoor Recreation

Carters Lake covers more than 3,200 acres in western Gilmer County and along the Murray County side of the reservoir. Its steep wooded shoreline supports boating, fishing, camping, hiking, and scenic overlooks.

Carters Dam is the tallest earthen dam east of the Mississippi River. The lake and surrounding public land form a major recreation area separate from the orchard and town-centered tourism around Ellijay.

Cherokee Homeland and County Formation

Before Gilmer County was created in 1832, the area was part of the Cherokee homeland. Gold discovery, Georgia land policy, and forced removal changed settlement during the 1830s, and later county divisions reduced the original territory as Fannin, Pickens, and Dawson counties were formed.

The county’s modern road system still reflects the mountain terrain. Gilmer County government maintains nearly 500 miles of county roads across a large area of ridges, valleys, rivers, and scattered residential development.

County Profile

Established1832
County SeatEllijay
2020 Census Population31,353
2025 Population Estimate33,894
2020–2025 Estimated Growth8.1 percent
Incorporated CitiesEllijay and East Ellijay
Major Water FeaturesCarters Lake and the Coosawattee river system

Color Map

The color map separates Gilmer County from Fannin, Union, Dawson, Pickens, Gordon, and Murray counties. It is useful for showing the county’s place within the northern Georgia mountain region.

Color Gilmer County Georgia map with surrounding counties separated
Gilmer County and neighboring mountain counties are separated with contrasting fills

Black and White Map

The black-and-white file removes regional fills while retaining the county outline and selected labels. It provides a simpler reference for reports, worksheets, and monochrome printing.

Black and white Gilmer County map with selected labels and boundaries
Selected place labels remain visible without regional color fills

Outline Map

The outline version preserves the county outline and included internal boundaries without the original labels or fills. Users can add rivers, lake areas, orchards, trails, communities, or tourism routes to the open base.

Gilmer County outline map with boundary lines and no color fills
A blank county base for adding rivers, orchards, roads, and trails

Download the Gilmer County Map

The Gilmer County Georgia map download includes color, black-and-white, and outline A3 JPG versions. Select a labeled file for regional reference or the outline file for a custom orchard, river, lake, or mountain project.

County Map File Information

The download contains three A3 JPG versions of the Gilmer County map. The color file separates neighboring counties, the monochrome file retains selected labels, and the outline file provides room for custom additions.

  • Included Versions: Color, Black and White, Outline
  • File Type: JPG
  • Printable Size: A3
  • Map Detail: County outline, included internal boundaries, surrounding areas
  • Intended Use: Printing, classroom materials, presentations, documents, and custom annotations
Download Gilmer County Map Files

Frequently Asked Questions

Which cities are incorporated in Gilmer County?

Ellijay and East Ellijay are the county’s two incorporated cities. Ellijay is the county seat, while East Ellijay is a separate municipality immediately to the east.

Which rivers meet at Ellijay?

The Ellijay River and Cartecay River meet near Ellijay to form the Coosawattee River, which flows west toward Carters Lake.

Does every map show Carters Lake?

The exact shoreline detail depends on the finished source image and scale. The outline version can be used to add the reservoir, river system, boat access points, or recreation sites when needed.

References

Gilmer County government provides current county administration information and describes road maintenance and rural planning in the mountain landscape.

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts provides the 2025 population estimate, 2020 census count, and recent population growth.

New Georgia Encyclopedia documents the county’s creation, Cherokee history, and later territorial changes.

Green Map creates custom-edited map images using open geographic data sources such as geoBoundaries, Natural Earth, OpenStreetMap, and government open data.

These maps are edited visual materials, not raw data files, and are provided for education, documents, presentations, and graphic reference.

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