Northeast Georgia Mountains

Family adventure, natural charm, lush green forests, shimmering 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 throughout the area. Here in the mountains of eastern Georgia, there is no shortage of spectacular views of waterfalls, where some are big and bold, others are more delicate; however, only a few can be seen from the road and most falls require some degree of short hiking or a hike deep into the woods.

Diverse trails, 829 acres of pristine wilderness and wildlife, and the tallest cascading waterfall in the Southeast make Amicalola Falls State Park one of the most popular parks in Georgia and a true wonderland for nature lovers. nature. There are several options for visitors to get a better view of the tumbling waters from an accessible walkway to view the falls from afar, a short drive to the overlook parking lot, to a challenging trail with stairs. Starting at the visitor center, just a short distance from the base of the falls, there are two trails, the East Ridge Trails and the West Ridge Trails, both of which end at the Amicalola Falls overlook and can be combined to make one amazing and challenging loop.

The 1.1-mile East Ridge Trail begins behind the visitor center, where it cuts through the forest on a rugged trail of roots and rocks that gains 800 feet in elevation on its 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 takes one through the gorge with spectacular views of the waterfalls. The trail begins at a stairway where a steep 425 leads to a paved walkway on the edge of the cliffs to a bridge that spans the gorge, providing stunning views of the cascading water. The stairway continues down another 175 steps with stunning views of the water cascading down into the gorge. Near the base of Amicalola Falls, the trail returns to asphalt past the reflection pond where it gives way to a more rugged trail that ends at the parking lot in front of the visitor center.

Vogel State Park, the second oldest state park in Georgia, sits at the base of Blood Mountain, which has the highest summit on Georgia’s Appalachian Trail and is surrounded by the Chattahoochee National Forest. This park has a rich history where many of the facilities were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression and the surrounding mountains were linked to Native Americans prior to European settlement. The popularity of the park comes from the variety of accommodations and outdoor activities that include a 22-acre lake and a variety of trails to choose from.

The ultimate hike for thrill-seekers is the 4.1-mile partial-loop Bear Hair Gap Trail that winds up and over the lower ridges of Blood Mountain gaining more than 1,000 feet in elevation. As the trail winds through the forest, the only sounds to be heard are the rushing waters of mountain streams and the sight of the many colors of autumn leaves falling to the forest floor is incredible. At the top of the trail, a short winding side trail leads to the outer rim where the view of the valley and Lake Trahlyta is purely stunning. For a short, leisurely hike, the 1-mile Trahlyta Lake Trail loop winds along the forested shores of the park’s 22-acre lake. Crossing the earth dam provides a photo opportunity of the Blood and Slaughter Mountains, which provide a spectacular backdrop to 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 towering sheer cliff below the top of Tray Mountain. The sights and sounds of the Twin Falls spilling out in wispy white tendrils and splashing over mossy rocks are beyond spectacular. The falls are created from two streams, with Curtis Creek on the left dropping more than 150 feet into the boulder-strewn basin and York Creek spilling 50 feet merging the streams to form Smith Creek. Although the falls are the main attraction, the short hike is something to consider. Along the left side of the trail are angled rock outcroppings where the sounds of the falling stream 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 streams tumbling over rocks creating multiple levels of small waterfalls.

Covering 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 offer a glimpse of Germany right here in Georgia. Although Helen is a small town, its Blue Ridge Mountain location, alpine charm, cobblestone trails and natural beauty draw visitors from all over the country.

Tallulah Falls is home to the 2-mile-long, nearly 1,000-foot-deep gorge, where the Tallulah River has carved a geological formation with five waterfalls, creating one of the most spectacular canyons in the eastern US. In the Park Tallulah Gorge State visitors can walk the rim trails to overlooks that showcase this spectacular scenery. The north and south rim trails are 0.75 miles each way with modest elevation gains and some stairs with five overlooks on each trail. For thrill seekers, one can descend from the north rim down 310 steps into 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 stairway with 347 steps leads back to the south rim.

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 rushed. For eight miles, the narrow two-lane road with hairpin turns winds along the shores of Lake Rabun before crossing a bridge where the last two miles are single lane. Dirt road hugging 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 forest along the steep cliff face. The trail ends at a steep wide cove lined with rhododendrons where the falls drop 60 feet and widen rapidly as they tumble over rocks in 3-5 foot increments and land in a rock pool where a peninsula jutting 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 houses an 8,000-square-foot space. walking museum with a circular observation deck above that offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. To reach the summit from the parking lot, visitors have two options, an all-day shuttle bus or the 6-mile trek through the forest on a paved trail that gains 358 feet in elevation.

Along the eastern continental divide, where views of mountaintops reaching altitudes of 3,640 feet dominate the pristine Appalachian Forest, is Georgia’s highest state park, Black Rock Mountain State Park. Roadside lookouts showcase exceptional scenery in Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains with views up to 80 miles. The park’s hiking trails, rated easy to difficult, take hikers through wildflowers, small waterfalls, streams, and lush forests.

The ever-so-popular Tennessee Rock Trails 2.2-mile bumpy loop cuts through the lush Black Mountain forest and gains more than 600 feet in your quest to reach the mountain’s peak. Reaching the narrow summit covered in huge rocky outcroppings offers stunning views of the mountain ranges in the distance and the valleys in between. The challenging ADA Hi Falls Trail is a lovely walk through a wet creek 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 a viewing platform 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 takes you to the right to the top and the last mile is very steep and wide enough for a vehicle in most places. There are two parking lots to accommodate visitors, the lower lot for the faint of heart and the top lot that is 300 feet higher up an extremely steep incline that is a challenge even to walk on. The lookout is located at the top of a 100-step stairway at an elevation of 3,424 feet and offers 360-degree views. Bell Mountain offers one of Georgia’s most beautiful views of the Appalachian Mountains of North Georgia with Lake Chatuge stretching in the distance along the valley floor. For the nature lover the top of this mountain may be the saddest they have ever seen, seeing such a beautiful place with all the childish graffiti scribbles is heartbreaking. Today, signs warn visitors of the chambers that dominate the summit, and in time nature will heal these scars.