Mountains of Northeast Georgia
Family adventure, natural charm, lush green forests, sparkling rivers, thundering waterfalls, and blue mountains await visitors here in the mountains of Northeast Georgia. Visitors can connect with nature with the 1,000 acres of forest land, primarily in the Chattahoochee National Forest and numerous state parks found throughout the area. Here in the mountains of eastern Georgia there is no shortage of spectacular views of the waterfalls, where some are big and bold, others are more delicate; however, only a few can be seen from the road and most of the falls require some degree of short walking or a hike deep in the forest.
Diverse trails, 829 acres of unspoiled nature and wildlife, and the tallest waterfall in the southeast make Amicalola Falls State Park one of Georgia’s most popular parks and a true wonderland for nature lovers. . There are several options for visitors to better see the falling waters from an accessible walkway to view the falls from afar, a short drive to the parking lot with a panoramic view, to a challenging trail with stairs. Starting at the visitor center, a short drive from the base of the falls, there are two trails, the East Ridge and West Ridge trails, where they both end at the Amicalola Falls lookout and can be combined to make an amazing challenging loop.
The 1.1-mile East Ridge Trail begins behind the visitor center where you cut through the woods on a bumpy trail of roots and rocks that gain 800 feet in your quest to reach the top of the falls. Near the top there are several viewpoints where the views of the valley and the surrounding mountains are more than spectacular. Descending the West Ridge Trail, one descends through the gorge with spectacular views of the cascading falls. The trail begins on a staircase where 425 steep steps lead up an asphalt walkway on the edge of the cliff to a bridge that spans the gorge, providing dazzling views of the cascading water. The staircase continues down another 175 steps with some stunning views of the cascading water that falls deeper into the gorge. Near the base of Amicalola Falls, the trail returns to the asphalt past the reflection pond where it leads to a more rugged trail that ends at the parking lot in front of the visitor center.
Vogel State Park, Georgia’s second oldest state park, is located at the base of Blood Mountain, which has the highest summit on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia and is surrounded by the Chattahoochee National Forest. This park has a rich history where many of the facilities were built by the Civil Conservation Corps during the Great Depression and the surrounding mountains were linked to Native Americans before European settlement. The park’s popularity stems from the variety of accommodations and outdoor activities including a 22-acre lake and a variety of trails to choose from.
The best hike for thrill seekers is the rugged 4.1-mile Bear Hair Gap Trail partial trail that winds up and over the lower ridges of Blood Mountain gaining more than 1,000 feet in elevation. As the trail goes through the forest, the only sounds to be heard are the rough waters of the mountain streams and the sight of the many colors of the autumn leaves falling to the forest floor is incredible. At the top of the trail, a short winding side trail leads to the outer edge, where the view of the valley and Lake Trahlyta is pure breathtaking. For a short, leisurely hike, the 1-mile Trahlyta Lake Trail winds along the forested shores of the park’s 22-acre lake. Crossing the earthen dam provides a photo opportunity of the Blood and Slaughter Mountains, which provide a spectacular backdrop for the lake.
Right in the heart of the Chattahoochee National Forest near Helen Georgia is a short half-mile trail that leads to Anna Ruby Falls, a rare double waterfall that flows over a steep and towering cliff below the top of Tray Mountain. The sights and sounds of the Twin Falls spilling out in wispy white tendrils and splashing over moss-covered rocks are beyond spectacular. The falls are created from two streams, with Curtis Creek on the left dropping more than 150 feet into the rock-filled basin and the York Creek spills 50 feet merging the streams to form Smith Creek. Although the falls are the main attraction, the short hike is one of the most noticeable. Along the left side of the trail are angled rock outcrops where the sounds of the creek falling fill the forest on the right side. A short distance from the trailhead, the trail crosses a bridge creating an opportunity for a close-up view of the streams tumbling over the rocks creating multiple levels of small cascading waterfalls.
At just 2.1 square miles and the third most visited city in the state, Helen Georgia is well known for its Bavarian-style buildings that provide a glimpse of Germany right here in Georgia. Although Helen is a small town, its Blue Ridge Mountain setting, alpine charm, cobblestone trails, and natural beauty draw visitors from across the country.
Tallulah Falls is home to a 2-mile-long, nearly 1,000-foot-deep gorge where the Tallulah River has carved out a geological formation with five waterfalls, creating one of the most spectacular canyons in the eastern US. Tallulah Gorge State Park visitors can hike along the rim trails to lookouts that display this spectacular scenery. The north and south rim trails are 75 miles each way with modest elevation gains and some stairs with five lookouts on each trail. For thrill seekers, you can descend 310 steps from the north rim to the gorge, where a swinging suspension bridge spans the gorge 80 feet above the rocky bottom with spectacular views of the river and waterfall. A 347-step staircase leads back to the southern edge.
Operated by the National Forest Service, Minnehaha Falls is considered the most spectacular waterfall in Rabun County. However, the road to get there can be a bit accelerated. For eight miles, the narrow two-lane highway with hairpin bends winds along the shores of Lake Rabun before crossing a bridge where the last two miles are single-lane. dirt road that hugs the cliff face overlooking the lake. Getting to the falls from the trailhead is a short 2 mile hike up a short flight of stairs before turning into the woods along the steep cliff face. The trail ends in a wide, steep inlet filled with rhododendrons where the falls drop 60 feet and widen rapidly as they cascade over rocks in 3-5 foot increments and land in a rock pool where a peninsula juts out into the creek bed. allows one to stand right next to the base of the falls.
Just south of Hiawassee is Georgia’s highest point, Brasstown Bald Mountain, where the visitor center sits atop 4,784 feet above sea level. The visitor center is a unique circular building that covers an area of 8,000 square meters. Foot Museum with a circular observation deck atop that offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. To get to the top from the parking lot, visitors have two options, a shuttle bus that runs all day, or the 6-mile hike through the woods on a paved trail that gains 358 feet in elevation.
Along the Eastern Continental Divide, where mountaintop views reaching altitudes of 3,640 feet overlook the Appalachian Forest, is Georgia’s tallest state park, Black Rock Mountain State Park. Highway overlooks showcase some exceptional scenery in Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains with views of up to 80 miles. The park’s hiking trails, rated from easy to difficult, take hikers through wildflowers, small waterfalls, streams, and lush forests.
The ever-popular Tennessee Rock Trails rugged 2.2-mile loop cuts through lush Black Mountain forest gaining more than 600 feet in its quest to reach the top of the mountains. Reaching the narrow summit covered in massive rocky outcrops offers stunning views of the mountain ranges in the distance and the valleys in between. The difficult ADA Hi Falls Trail is a lovely walk through a wet inlet where the trail features mature hardwoods, rhododendrons, ferns, and lichen covered rocks. The last quarter mile trails descend the 190-foot cliff face and end at an observation deck at the base of a small waterfall.
Donated to Towns County in Hiawassee, the 18-acre Bell Mountain Summit is now known as the Hal Herrin Scenic Overlook. The 2.3 mile paved road leads right to the top, the last mile being very steep and in most places wide enough for one vehicle. It’s two parking lots to accommodate visitors, the lowest parking lot for the faint of heart and the top parking lot, which is 300 feet higher on an extremely steep incline that is challenging even to walk. The gazebo sits at the top of a 100-step staircase at a height of 3,424 feet that offers 360-degree views. Bell Mountain offers one of the most beautiful views in Georgia of the rolling Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia with Lake Chatuge stretching in the distance along the valley floor. For the nature lover this mountain top may be the saddest you have ever seen, seeing such a beautiful place with all the childish graffiti doodles is heartbreaking. Today’s signs warn visitors of the summit-facing cameras, and in time, nature will heal these scars.