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Waterfalls of North Georgia

From the Editors of
About North Georgia

From roaring waterfalls to gurgling cascades, the mountains of North Georgia offer some of the best falls in the United States. Starting in the northeast corner of the state, 7 miles north of Clayton (Rabun County) are Ada-hi Falls, in rugged Black Rock Mountain State Park. Highest in elevation of all Georgia waterfalls, these high mountain falls have a relative low flow except after a rain, when they come to life. (Waterfalls map link at bottom of page)

Tallulah Gorge
One of 7 falls in the gorge
Traveling south, Georgia's most famous waterfalls, in Tallulah Gorge, have been attracting visitors for hundreds of years. With the gorge dammed by Georgia Power in the early 20th Century, the falls and tourists dried up. Now the site of our state's newest park, the falls are once again flowing. In 1998 Georgia Power agreed to two different types of releases. Whitewater releases, 500 cubic feet per second of water on Saturday and 700 cfs on Sunday, occur on the first two weekends in April and the first three weekends in November. Aesthetic flows, 200 cfs, are starting in Tallulah Gorge this fall. The aesthetic flows will happen each weekend in Sept. starting Sept. 12 and 13. During the first three weeks of Oct. the releases will be on Wed. and Fri. starting Oct. 7. Aesthetic flows will also be Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 and then the whitewater flows begin Nov. 7 and 8. During the releases the seven waterfalls in the gorge attain their former beauty.

Toccoa Falls
These beautiful falls turned deadly after the dam above them burst.
About three miles south of the gorge is the trailhead to the Panther Creek Falls. These broad, wide falls offer excellent viewing and a challenging hike as well. Further south, on November 5, 1977, beautiful Toccoa Falls turned deadly. A slow moving rainstorm dropped nine inches of rain when an earthen dam above the falls gave way. A huge torrent of water poured through the dam and over the falls, killing three people in the dorms of the Toccoa Falls Bible College. Thirty-eight persons perished at a trailer park along the stream.

Throughout the Chattahoochee National Forest many smaller waterfalls make a pleasant end to a hike. Alpine Helen boasts of a number of area waterfalls. Duke's Creek Falls (actually the waterfall is on Davis Creek, a tributary) offer a long cascade down a near vertical wall. Gold has been taken from this creek for almost 500 years. Rediscovered in 1828, this led to America's first Gold Rush in 1829. Nearby is Raven Cliffs, arguably one of the most unusual waterfalls in the world. Water appears to come from a crack in a rock at an unbelievable volume.
Anna Ruby Falls
Georgia's most popular falls
A rare double waterfall, most popular in the state, Anna Ruby Falls, is just north of the bavarian village. Other falls in the area include Horse Trough Falls, in the Mark Trail Wilderness. The bridge at the beginning of the short trek to the falls is notable. It is the first bridge across Georgia's Chattahoochee River.

Further east and south lies DeSoto Falls, named for Hernando deSoto, the Spanish Conquistador who visited the area in 1540. This hike features two separate falls, both easily accessible. The area was raked by a number of storms in the early 1990's, making the trail to a third falls impassible. When we last checked with the Forest Service, there was no intention to reopen the trail.

Our route now makes a beeline to Georgia's Amicalola Falls. Located in Dawson County, these falls were called "tumbling waters" by the Cherokee. Tallest of all waterfalls east of the Mississippi, Amicalola is at the end of the Southern Terminus Access Trail for the Appalachian Trail, a 2,100 mile hike along a backbone of mountains that span the eastern United States.

Ruby Falls
Tallest of all underground falls
Our path continues west to Keown Falls, another example of high-mountain falls, frequently dry, especially at the end of the summer. Rangers in the area post a courtesy sign at the beginning of the path indicating present waterflow.

Cloudland Canyon offers a challenging hike to the bottom of Sutton Gulch and two spectacular falls that over millions of years have carved Georgia's best kept secret.

No mention of waterfalls in Georgia would be complete without a mention of the most famous underground waterfalls in the world. Although not actually in the state, Ruby Falls is a scant two miles north of the border in Chattanooga, Tennessee. These full, rich falls are at the end of paved, level path through Lookout Mountain Caverns. Over the past 70 years these falls have consistantly been one of the top attractions in the world.

Our journey is complete. We have traveled more than 300 miles across North Georgia to visit beautiful waterfalls, falls that are related to our history or falls at the end of a challenging hike. The great thing, though, is we haven't told you about all of them. There are many others to explore. In fact, there's a path right up the road, just around the corner...

Maps to mentioned waterfalls
Georgia's Waterfalls from Georgia Trails
Recommended Reading

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