Living in Big Canoe, Georgia: A Buyers Guide
Tucked into the North Georgia mountains in Pickens and Dawson Counties, Big Canoe is one of the Southeast’s most established gated mountain communities — 2,867 homes spread across wooded, mountainous terrain about an hour from Atlanta.
I’m Rick Abbott, a real estate agent with eXp Realty, and I live in Big Canoe. If you have questions this page doesn’t answer, book a 15-minute Mountain Move Call →
Housing & Lot Sizes
Homes in Big Canoe run from smaller cottages to large custom mountain homes. For what they’re actually selling for — median sale price, days on market and how many are for sale — see the Big Canoe Market Report, pulled from the MLS. Lot sizes vary by neighborhood — some areas hold to a one-acre minimum, while others allow smaller lots — and most sit on wooded terrain, giving many homes a private, tucked-into-the-trees feel, even within a larger community.
Each neighborhood within Big Canoe tends to have its own personality and style, so it’s worth exploring more than one area before deciding where to buy — a lot in one section can feel very different in size, privacy, and social character from a lot a few minutes away.
POA Dues & Fees
Big Canoe operates under a Property Owners Association (POA), not a traditional HOA. Current dues are $415/month, which cover:
- Road maintenance
- Gated entry and community security
- The in-community fire department, staffed full-time
- Access to community amenities (some amenities may carry additional usage fees)
Buyers should also budget for a one-time capital contribution fee of $5,000 at purchase.
Amenities
Big Canoe’s amenity list is unusually extensive for a mountain community:
- 27-hole golf course
- Fitness center
- Indoor and outdoor tennis and pickleball courts
- Indoor and outdoor pools
- Lake Petit — kayak, paddleboard, and pontoon rentals, stocked with trout for fishing
- Lake Disharoon — swimming beach, inflatable waterpark, and rock slide
- About 25 miles of hiking trails, including several with waterfalls
- Dog parks, bocce ball courts, basketball court, and multiple playgrounds
- Clubhouse with a full restaurant, bar, and event spaces
Who Lives in Big Canoe
Big Canoe draws a wide-ranging mix of residents: people escaping the city for a weekend or second home, active retirees, a growing number of younger remote-working families (or those willing to commute against Atlanta’s traffic flow), and a strong seasonal contingent of Floridians looking to escape the summer heat.
What surprises a lot of newcomers is just how social — or how private — you can make your life here. Big Canoe has over 100 clubs and groups, covering everything from book clubs, bunco, canasta, and mahjong to bocce, tennis, pickleball, and golf leagues, faith-based groups, community service and volunteer opportunities (including the community’s own volunteer animal rescue), and countless hobby groups. Someone who wants a quiet wooded retreat can find that just as easily as someone who wants a full social calendar.
Getting Around & Nearby Essentials
- Grocery: Lowe’s Foods is less than 3 miles from the gates; Ingles, Publix, Kroger, and Walmart are all about 10 miles away
- Hospital: Piedmont Mountainside, about 10 miles from the gates
- Atlanta: about an hour
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Big Canoe a gated community? Yes — Big Canoe is a gated, guard-monitored mountain community with its own in-community security and a fire department staffed full-time. What are the POA dues in Big Canoe? Current POA dues are $415/month, covering road maintenance, gates and security, fire protection, and amenity access. A one-time $5,000 capital contribution fee applies at purchase. What’s the price range for homes in Big Canoe? It depends on the size, the lot and where in Big Canoe the home sits. For the recent median sale price and days on market, see the Big Canoe Market Report. How far is Big Canoe from Atlanta? About an hour. What amenities does Big Canoe offer? A 27-hole golf course, indoor/outdoor tennis and pickleball, indoor/outdoor pools, three or more lakes, including Petit, Disharoon and Sconti, with water recreation, about 25 miles of hiking trails, and a clubhouse with dining — plus over 100 resident clubs and groups. Ready to explore homes in Big Canoe?
More on Big Canoe: Big Canoe vs. Ellijay vs. Blue Ridge · Why Big Canoe median prices disagree
Nearby Areas
Exploring more of North Georgia? Take a look at our guides to Jasper, Dahlonega, and Ellijay.
Let’s talk it through
Fifteen minutes, no pitch. Tell me what you’re picturing — the community, the budget, the timeline — and I’ll tell you straight whether it’s realistic and where you should be looking. I’ve made this move myself, twice.
Book a 15-minute Mountain Move Call →
Prefer email? rick@rabbottgroup.com
Rick Abbott · eXp Realty · GA License #454451 · Big Canoe, Georgia
Last updated: October 2026. Dues, fees and home count from the Big Canoe POA.