Clayton, Georgia
Clayton is a city of 2,018 people in Rabun County, Georgia, founded in 1821.
Why visit Clayton
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 2 parks and trails, 29 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 6 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Ada-Hi Falls, Becky Branch Falls and Black Rock Mountain State Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 30°F.
Weather in Clayton
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Clayton
Clayton is a city in Rabun County, in the far northeast of Georgia, United States. Its population was 2,003 at the 2020 census. The county seat of Rabun County, it is in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
From the Wikipedia article Clayton, Georgia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do6
Martin Creek Falls
Waterfall · 3.3 mi
Series of waterfalls in Rabun County, Georgia
Museums and landmarks1
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Black Rock Mountain State Park
Park · 2.1 mi
State park in Mountain City, Georgia, USA
Restaurants and cafes29
Clayton Cafe
Restaurant · Breakfast, Lunch
50 North Main Street, Clayton
Mo-Fr 07:00-15:00; Sa,Su 09:00-15:00
The Hush Cuban Kitchen & Bar
Restaurant
173 North Main Street, Tiger
Mo,We-Sa 11:30-20:00; Su 10:00-15:00
Fortify Craft Pizza, Beer & Wine
Restaurant · Pizza
69 North Main Street, Clayton
We-Su 11:00-20:30
Friends Clayton Grill
Diner · American
88 North Main Street, Clayton
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-23:15; Su 11:00-21:00
Mountain Grill
Cafe · American, Breakfast, Diner, Grill, Sandwich · 0.5 mi
677-C Highway 441 South
17 more on the map.
History
The area that eventually became Clayton was called the Dividings because it sat at the intersection of three crucial Cherokee trails. Explorer and naturalist William Bartram came through the Dividings in May 1775 while exploring what was later organized as Rabun County. Much later, after Clayton had grown to include the Dividings, two of the old Cherokee trails were improved as the main roads for Clayton and the county: U.S. 23/441 and U.S. 76.
Claytonsville was founded by European-American settlers in 1821 as the seat of Rabun County. In 1823, the town was incorporated and renamed Clayton. It was named after a prominent jurist and congressman, Judge Augustin S. Clayton, who served in both the Georgia House of Representatives and Georgia Senate before being elected as a Representative from Georgia, serving two terms from 1831 to 1835.
In 1824, 67 acres (270,000 m2) were purchased from Solomon Beck for $150, and city representatives laid out a site for a courthouse and the surrounding streets.
From the History section of Clayton, Georgia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Churches and places of worship7
Shopping12
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare2
Map of Clayton
75 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°F | 30°F | 6.8 in | 0.9 in |
| Feb | 54°F | 32°F | 5.8 in | 0.6 in |
| Mar | 61°F | 37°F | 6.3 in | 0.1 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 44°F | 5.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 76°F | 53°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 62°F | 6.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 65°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 64°F | 6.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 59°F | 5.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 71°F | 47°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 61°F | 37°F | 6.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 53°F | 32°F | 7.0 in | 0.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Clayton 1 Ssw (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Rabun County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-30: Hurricane Helene (Hurricane)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2021-05-05: Severe Storms And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2021-01-12: Tropical Storm Zeta (Hurricane)
- 2020-03-29: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Toccoa Airport (TOC) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 21 miles away.
- Clarkesville 20 mi south, about 32 min by car
- Baldwin 29 mi south, about 46 min by car
- Clemson 36 mi east, about 58 min by car
- Easley 46 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Gainesville 47 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Waynesville 48 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Anderson 50 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Jefferson 52 mi south, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Powdersville 52 mi east, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Berea 53 mi east, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Aerial of downtown Clayton, Georgia, in Rabun County 05, Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
- Aerial of downtown Clayton, Georgia, in Rabun County 01, Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
- Clayton, Georgia, is a city in Rabun County in the Blue Ridge Mountains 04, Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
- Clayton, Georgia, is a city in Rabun County in the Blue Ridge Mountains 02, Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
- Aerial of downtown Clayton, Georgia, in Rabun County 07, Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
- Clayton, Georgia, is a city in Rabun County in the Blue Ridge Mountains 03, Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
- Aerial of downtown Clayton, Georgia, in Rabun County 02, Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
- Clayton, Georgia, is a city in Rabun County in the Blue Ridge Mountains 01, Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
- Clayton Cafe, Clayton Georgia USA, 2020, Tyler Lahti, CC BY-SA 2.0
- The Clayton Tribune newspaper in Clayton, Georgia and Rabun County 02, Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
- The Clayton Tribune newspaper in Clayton, Georgia and Rabun County 01, Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
- Aerial of downtown Clayton, Georgia, in Rabun County 03, Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
- Aerial of downtown Clayton, Georgia, in Rabun County 04, Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
- Aerial of downtown Clayton, Georgia, in Rabun County 06, Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0
- Black Rock Mountain State Park view, August 2017 1, Thomson200, CC0
- Ada-Hi Falls, Jsfouche, CC BY-SA 3.0
- A white goat, Iurie, CC0
- Fireside at Camp Rainey Mountain, Georgia National Guard from United States, CC BY 2.0
- Frozen Raspberries - 3, epSos.de, CC BY 2.0
- ISS043-E-243468 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS043-E-243467 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS017-E-20617 - View of The State of Georgia, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Black Rock Mountain - panoramio, anonymouse1, CC BY-SA 3.0
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