Length:  1.2 miles one way

Difficulty: Strenuous

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield is the site of the beginning of the Atlanta Campaign during the Civil War.  Fighting began here June 19, 1864 and lasted until July 2. It is from this location that Sherman continued his March to the Sea burning miles wide of property from Atlanta to Savannah. One of three battlefields within the Park sits just in front of the visitors and Kennesaw Mountain, and on many weekends Civil War reenactments and demonstrations can be seen here.

The Trail:

While visitors can pay $2 for a shuttle to the top of Kennesaw Mountain, hikers will enjoy the rugged hike so close to Atlanta. The hike up Kennesaw Mountain begins behind the visitor center on a well marked path.

Kennesaw Mountain is 1808 feet above sea level. It is approximately a 700 foot incline from the Visitor Center to the mountain’s summit. The hike does not involve any technical difficulties, but is somewhat steep. The wide dirt path alternates between steep inclines and slow gradual climbs up the incline.

On weekends, the park can become very crowded with hikers, dog walkers, and trail runners, but the trail is so wide and spacious that the crowds don’t seem to be a big nuisance.

From the top of the trail, hikers will be treated to distant views of the Atlanta skyline. On a clear day, Stone Mountain can be seen in the distance just to the left of the Atlanta skyscrapers.

Directions:

From Barrett Parkway at the I-75 exit:

1.  Travel approximately 3 miles toward and past Hwy. 41.

2. Turn left onto Old Hwy. 41.

3. At the next light, turn right onto Stilesboro Road., the Visitor Center is on the left

Note: On nice Saturday and Sundays, the parking area at the visitor center can be full, and visitors will need to parallel park along the roadside prior to the visitors center.

Lafayette, Georgia

Distance: 1.0 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Blaze: Brownish Pink

Just outside of Lafayette, Georgia is a little known wildlife management area known as Crockford-Pigeon Mountain. Pigeon Mountain extends along the northwestern corner of Georgia crossing over into Alabama. The wildlife management area itself is packed with numerous miles of trails that are difficult to find. Most of the area is open to horseback riders, mountain bikers, and rock climbers.

The exception to this, is the area we recently visited, known as Rocktown. Rocktown is a day use only area for hikers and rock climbers. The area is known by most rock climbers in the south for its unique sandstone formations, and numerous climbing routes available for beginners and experts alike.

The most unique aspect of Rocktown’s geological formations are the sandstone hoodoos that dot the mountain top plateau. Hoodoos are tall thin spires of rock protruding out of the ground, and appear to be unconnected to any larger rock formations. There are several of these hidden among the bluffs and boulders of Rocktown, each of varying shape and height.

The trail to the Rocktown village is easier to hike than the drive up to it. Once atop Pigeon Mountain, the ugly brownish pink blazes bring hikers along an almost entirely flat one mile trail.

As hikers leave the parking area, the trail immediately crosses a bridge, and an old building foundation to the right. After this, the trail makes a very gradual climb along the sandy trail. Not long after the trail tops the small hill, one of several forks appear. Rocktown is covered in these trails that carry climbers out to numerous boulders that are scattered throughout the area. If one keeps left at the first fork, and follows the pink blazes, the major rock village area appears.

The first real signs of the major climbing area are two large bluffs that appear to surround both sides of the trail. A large boulder ceiling hovers over the trail in the area. Just past this point, the trail really ends, and hikers are left to explore and scramble around the hundreds of different rock formations in the area. Climbers could easily spend days exploring the sandstone formations, and still miss some of them. One of the most photographed formations in the area seems to be the Champagne Flute Hoodoo (larger Picture Above). While it is more fun to simply stumble around the area until its found, its GPS location is marked in the trail map below.

Even if rock climbing is not your thing, the top of most of these bluffs can be accessed with some simply scurrying somewhere. On the last day we visited, we didn’t do any real rock climbing, but were able to access several very tall bluffs to look off. Just be careful with the crevices that often cut these rocks in half. It would be easy to misjudge a leap over one, and suffer severe injuries. Of course, one could always go the other way, and explore under these crevices, just look out for snakes, spiders, and other wildlife. I recently read about one climber who scared a bobcat in one of the rock’s holes.

Rocktown is one of only a handful of places to explore on Pigeon Mountain. We plan to explore it all in the upcoming months, and leave details about other, lesser known trails.

Hood Overlook

It should be noted, that one of the best views in the area, can be had approximately two miles away from the Rocktown parking area. The Hood Overlook (pictured at top of article) provides an open view of the towns of Lafayette, Trion, Summerville, and even Johns Mountain and Taylor’s Ridge in the distance.

Directions From Downtown Lafayette, Georgia:

VEHICLES WITH HIGH CLEARANCE ARE RECOMMENDED

1. Turn onto Highway 193 and follow for 2.7 miles.

2. Turn left onto Chamberlain Road (a brown sign with an arrow indicates this is the direction to Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA).

3. Turn right in 3.3 miles onto a gravel road, marked with the entrance sign.

4. Pass the Visitor’s Center, and follow the gravel road up Pigeon Mountain. Follow the road over a series of switchbacks, until there a a junction with a brown sign.

5. To the left is the Hood Overlook. Turn right towards Rocktown Junction.

6. In 1.3 miles, turn left on a dirt road marked with a Dead End sign. This road ends at the parking area (really a muddy cul-de-sac) for Rocktown. The trail is on the right corner of the parking area.

Difficulty: Easy

Length: 4 Miles

Starting from the Terrora Day Use, hikers can access both the North Rim and South Rim of Tallulah Gorge, as well as gain excellent views of the Dam and Tallulah lake that sit above it.

North Rim Trail

Starting near the restrooms at the entrance to the Day Use Area, hikers begin the trail by passing under the Hwy. 441 bridge. From there, one can opt to continue along a relatively flat dirt path to the beginning of the gorge floor staircase (Note: continuing down the stairs to the floor is prohibited without walking up to the interpretive center and getting a permit).

Along the trail are 5 observation areas with views of several of the falls and gorge floor. Continuing Past Observation Point #3 will bring hikers past the interpretive center to the North Wallenda Tower, Observation Point #1 and the North Wallenda Tower.

South Rim Trail

Returning back down the North Rim Trail to the 441 bridge (or one can make the entire loop by accessing the gorge floor trail (with a permit), crossing the bridge and continuing up the south side of the gorge) climbing the staircase by the bridge, and then following along the bridge’s sidewalk to the south side of the gorge rim.

From this side of the Gorge, hikers can gain views from Observation #6 and #7 of Hawthorne Pools, Tempest Falls, Hurricane Bridge, and the Interpretive Center on the other side of the falls.

This section of the hike runs very close to the highway, but a highway retaining wall with a beautiful mural and some stone seating areas can be seen as well.

Returning back to the vehicle does not require crossing the busy highway. On the return, a set of metal steps climbs back down the bridge on the south side, and provides even better views of the Tallulah dams, and stairs can be accessed across the bridge with another side walk going back to the Day Use area and lake.

At Christmas, the lake has a lit floating Christmas Tree.

Directions:

Tallulah Gorge Terrora Day Use Area is located just on the left past the Tallulah Gorge Bridge on Highway 441.

Length: Less than 0.2 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Located within the Toccoa Falls College campus, Toccoa Falls is a 186’ waterfall, one of Georgia’s tallest (though not the tallest, that honor belongs to Amicalola Falls). The Falls is, however, one of the best views of a freefalling waterfall one can have.

The hike to the falls is a very short, simple walk along the falls creek.

The Falls also serves as a reminder of the true power of Mother Nature. On November 6, 1977, after five days of heavy rains, the dam above Toccoa Falls burst sending a high powered flood of millions of gallons of water over the falls and throughout the lower lying areas on the college campus. 39 students and faculty were killed during the flood. A memorial stands at the base of the falls with the names of those who lost their lives that day.

NOTE:  An small entrance fee may be charged to hike up to the falls. On the Sunday morning we hiked to the Falls, no fee was taken, and no signs indicated a fee was to be paid.

Some reviews online that I have read after the fact have suggested a $2 fee was charged from hikers.

Directions:

From Toccoa, Georgia:

1. Follow US-17 ALT West from downtown Toccoa for approximately 0.4 miles

2. Turn left onto US-17 ALT/Toccoa Falls Road and travel 1.1 miles.

3. The sign below and college campus entrance will be on the left.

4. The Falls trail is at the very back of the campus, and the parking area/visitor center is located across from a small pond and beach.

Length:  2.5 miles one way

Difficulty:  Easy Hike to the Falls, Difficulty Rock Scramble to Falls Overlook

Ravens Cliff Falls is a three cascade waterfall located just outside of Helen, Georgia in Ravens Cliff Wilderness.

The hiking trail to the falls runs parallel to the falls is a relatively flat hike, with only a few minor hills that provide little difficulty.  Along the trail, hikers will parallel a very scenic Dodd Creek. The creek winds its way through the valley floor at a quicker pace than one might expect, and changes somewhat randomly from whitewater flows to beautiful deep pools. The quick pace and depth of Dodd’s Creek has also created several small waterfalls throughout the hike, and it would be easy to think some of these are the actual Ravens Cliff Falls.

The Falls, however, are unmistakable once reached.  At its base, the lowest cascade, a 20 foot falls seems to mark the end of the trail.

At this point, however, the trail becomes moderately difficult, and a little dangerous. An approximately 40 foot scramble up the hillside to the right will bring hikers to a closer view of the 60’ cascade that is the focal point of Ravens Cliff Falls.

These falls are somewhat unique in that they don’t fall down the face of a cliff in the ways hikers might expect. Instead, Ravens Cliff Falls parts two cliffs creating its own path down into Dodd’s Creek.

From the top of the trail, views of the Ravens Cliff Wilderness Valley can also be seen, especially in the fall and winter months.

NOTE:.

This hike is a very popular hike close to Helen, GA and Cleveland, Georgia and can get a little crowded on nice Spring and fall weekends.

Directions: From Downtown Helen:

1. Travel West on Hwy. 17 for 1.3 miles.

2 Turn Left onto GA-75 North for 2.3 miles

3 Make a slight right onto GA-348/Richard B. Russell Scenice Highway and go 2.7miles.

Ravens Cliff Wilderness and Falls is not clearly marked on road side signage until the parking lot is reached on the left.

Cloudland Canyon State Park, Rising Fawn, Georgia

Difficulty: Strenuous

Length: 0.4 miles one way

One of the most popular hikes in Cloudland Canyon State Park is likely also the most strenuous. The waterfalls trail travels deep into the bottom of Cloudland Canyon and gives hikers the option to travel to two tall waterfalls dropping 60 and 90 feet.

Hikers get to these falls via a series of staircases straight down into the canyon. Be aware that hiking down to these falls is very easy, it’s the coming back out that gets difficult, regardless of the short distance. If not in at least moderate shape, I suggest avoiding these falls (especially the second falls). If you decide to try the climbs, please do your self a favor and give plenty of time to rest along the walking platforms stationed between the staircases.

Now that you’ve been warned, and decided to continue anyway, you may as well know where to start.

The entrance to these trails begins next to the parking areas by the canyon overlooks. Travel along the rim of the canyon back towards the park entrance. You will quickly pass by a series of cabins that can be rented in the park. Past these cabins, the trail will begin to descend down several series of metal stairs.

In case you are counting, there are 179 stairs before you reach the intersection of the waterfalls. This is where you must decide which falls to see first. I suggest going with the upper falls first, it is ultimately the shorter trail, and if you find you are too tired after coming up from it, then you have saved yourself a much more painful trip up the longer, lower second water fall.

Just before you reach the waterfalls intersection you will see this nice little resting spot under a huge rock. You may be thinking, who needs to rest this is easy, but you’ll love this bench on the return trip.

Upper Waterfall

The First Waterfall is a short 0.1 miles from the falls intersection. The stair case down provides several views of Daniels Creek, and the boulders that sit along its banks. From the bottom of the staircase, visitors can cross the rocks and walk right up to the edge of the pool at the base of the falls. Several signs indicate that wading and swimming in the pool is illegal, and never try to get close to a falls of this size as unseen undertows can cause drownings.

Once enjoying the view, get ready for the first hike up the stairs. Once at the top, turn left if you want to see the taller of the two falls.

Lower Falls

The lower water fall is located 0.3 miles from the intersection. That’s 379 stairs, but whose counting? This trail hugs the canyon wall for some time before beginning to quickly descend to the falls. Watch out for the mud along the trail, the moisture on this part of the trail rarely dries out.

The stair cases on this trail provide several great views of the canyon from as close to the bottom as a view can be gotten.

Take advantage of the platforms going down and take in the canyon in its entirety. As you continue down the long trail, the base of the canyon appears in sight. Additionally, there is a new walkway that crosses Daniels Creek, latter becoming Sitton Gulch Creek and intersects with Sitton Gulch Trail, a newer trail in Cloudland Canyon  that is a 6.5 mile loop.

Once you reach the bottom, the trail requires just a little bit farther walk along the ridge of Cloudland Canyon.

Hikers will finally reach the platform for viewing the falls. The Lower falls differs from the upper falls in that hikers cannot approach the pool below the falls.

After viewing the falls, be sure to stop and take a look at canyon from its base one last time. If not, you may not remember its beauty after the long hike.

Look up from the stairs, take a deep breath, and take your time climbing back up. After the first 400, take a long break under that big rock I mentioned earlier, and take solace in knowing that there are less than 200 steps back to your vehicle.

When you get to the top, enjoy the view of all that you have hiked from the overlooks again.

Fees

$3.00 Per Vehicle

Nearby Trails

Sitton Gulch Trail -6.5 mile loop

West Rim Loop Trail – 4.8 miles

Backcountry Loop Trail – 2.0 mile

Nearby Disc Golf

Cloudland Canyon Disc Golf Course

Directions:

From Trenton, GA:

1. Take GA -136 east for 8 miles. Entrance will be on the left.

2. From LaFayette, GA take GA-136 18 miles. Entrance on the right.

Difficulty: Easy

Length: 0.75 Miles

Blaze: Yellow

Big Rock Nature Trail in Fort Mountain State Park is perhaps my favorite short loop trail in Northwestern Georgia. This trail has almost everything, a great hike, two babbling creeks, wonderful overlooks, and cascading falls.

The Big Rock Nature Trail begins just past the road crossing the lake. Parking for the trail is in a gravel area to the left of the trail.

Don’t let the beginning of the trail discourage as it does not look like much, as it is somewhat muddy, and crosses under a section of power lines, but shortly after continuing down this hill, the hiker will enter a section of deeper forest where the trail really begins to become enjoyable.

Follow the Yellow blazed trail down the pathway for a few hundred yards where it will begin to run parallel to a babbling creek, and intersects the the much longer Gahuti Trail at a wooden bridge marked with Orange Blazes.

The trail does not cross the bridge, instead, follow the trail to the right. Although I do recommend standing on the bridge as the creek runs underneath, as the forest opens a bit for a beautiful overlook.

The trail then descends farther into the mountain hollow before turning back up the mountain ridge as a Yellow and Orange Blaze (marking Gahuti and Big Rock Nature Trail). This ridge provides some wonderful overlooks.

As the trail bends back around the ridge, it will meet up with Gold Mine Creek.

Gold Mine Creek cascades down the mountain ridge. The Creek provides some beautiful views of cascading waterfalls as it runs towards the hiker. Hike up largest section of the cascades, and don’t forget to look backwards now and again for overlooks.

At the top of the trail, Gahuti and Big Rock separate. Gahuti crosses over the creek via a bridge, Big Rock continues back up the mountain. The trail leaves the forest at the base of a dam blocking the lake.

At the base of the dam, there is also small birding area with signs indicating some of the local birds in the area. The trail ends back at the road that crosses the lake.

Nearby Trails:

Old Fort Trail – 1.1 miles

Gahuti Trail – 8.8 miles

Lake Trail – 1.2 mile loop

301 Biking Trail – 14.6 mile loop

Gold Mine Loop Biking Trail – 6.3 miles

Directions:

1. Follow I-75 to exit # 333 towards 411

2. Take GA Hwy. 52 8 miles past Chatsworth onto Fort Mountain

3. Turn left onto park entrance.

4. Once in park, turn left towards the lake, and follow to the right of the trail, cross the dam.

Distance: 1.0 Miles (one way)

Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous

The Visitor’s Center to Amicalola Falls State Park is a great place to begin the approach to Georgia’s highest waterfall. While it is possible to drive very close to the falls and hike to the falls along the very short West Ridge Falls Access, hiking from the Visitor’s Center provides a more challenging hike, wonderful views of the entire state park and Little Amicalola Creek, and is the true beginning to the Appalachian Approach Trail to Springer Mountain.

To begin the trail, enter the Visitor’s Center (be sure to check out the live Georgia snake exhibit) and exit through the rear door of the center. Grab a map of the park on the way out too. After exiting, the hiker will immediately notice a large stone archway, and signs indicating the direction of Springer Mountain, Mount Katahdin, Maine, and the Amicalola Lodge.

The signs indicating the direction of the Base of Falls Trail is somewhat confusing. To begin the trail, do not go up the wooden steps, take an immediate left before the sign and the steps. Follow the blue blazes up the trail.

The Base of Falls Trail leads parallel to the Park Entrance road, beside several picnic shelters, and an amphitheater. The trail then crosses over a wooden walkway before crossing the road.

After crossing the road, the trail then runs alongside Little Amicalola Creek.

Continue along the trail to the left of the picnic shelter, over the creek, and around the ridge of the parking lot.

You will arrive at the base of the Waterfall Trail which contains a beautiful reflection pool filled by Amicalola Creek, and surrounded by several informative signs about the wildlife in the area.

After enjoying the reflection pond, cross over the bridge and Amicalola Creek. From here, the real climb to the falls starts, and so do the best views. From here, the pathway is made up of a rough mixture of concrete, which provides great traction along a path that can be very slick with moisture.

Be aware, prior to reaching the falls there are two somewhat steep switchbacks. At the top of the first, a potentially wonderful view of the valley opens up. Unfortunately, on my last hike, there was a heavy fog, and the view is less than outstanding (although still enjoyable).

Finally,  you reach the first observation deck, the Lower Observation Platform. From here, there is a beautiful first view of the falls.

The views of the tallest drop of Amicalola falls, however, only gets better after you accept the “challenge” of the “175 Steps.”

Up, up, and Up the stairs, and then finally, the Falls Overlook.

Don’t forget to turnaround and see the view of your hike.

This marks the end of the Base of Falls Trail. For a different route back, I suggest the West Ridge Trail to the parking area, then crossing over the parking area to the Spring Trail. The Spring Trail will intersect with Creek Trail and Mt. Laurel Loop. Follow these trails back to the Visitor’s Center.

Nearby Trail

East Ridge Trail – 1.0 Miles

Creek Trail – 0.6 Miles

Spring Trail – 0.4 Miles

Mt. Laurel Loop - 1.0 Miles

Appalachian Approach Trail – 8.5 Miles

Hike Inn Trail – 5 miles

West Ridge Falls Access Trail - 0.3 Miles

Directions from Ellijay:

Follow GA-52 approximately 21 miles to Amicalola Falls State Park.

Directions from Dawsonville:

Take Hwy. 53 west to Hwy. 183 north to Hwy. 52 east.

Length: 0.75 mile Loop

Difficulty: Easy

The Visitor’s Center Loop Trail on Red Top Mountain is a very brief hiking trail that begins at the same trail head of the Sweetgum Lodge Loop. Both trail heads begin in the parking area near the Visitor’s Center. The hike follows along the Sweetgum Trail until it forks to the right after a few hundred yards. The trail is marked with green blazes.

After forking right onto the loop, hikers will find a wooden overlook, and some rock steps that lead down to a small spring. During the drought, this spring appeared to be nearly dry.

Dry Spring Bed

The Visitor’s Center Loop Trail on Red Top Mountain then continues into a small valley and dense forest. The trail also has a few boulders scattered around.

The trail ends back in the parking area near the Visitor’s Center of Red Top Mountain State Park.

Notes: Overall, I must state that this hike is not the first one that I would recommend on Red Top Mountain. There are limited views, and the best feature (the spring) will likely be dry for a while. Check out the nearby Sweetgum Lodge Loop Trails for similar forest views, but with the added benefit of seeing Allatoona Lake.

Nearby Trails:

Sweetgum Lodge Loop Trail-3.5 mile loop

Homestead Trail – 5.5 mile loop

Iron Hill Bike Trail – 3.9 mile loop

Lake Trail – 0.75 Mile loop

Directions to Red Top Mountain:

From Atlanta:

1. Take I-75 North past Allatoona Lake to exit # 285

2. Turn Right and follow the signs into the Park. The visitors center and parking lot is on the main entrance road.