By Sara Sands
Cloudland Canyon State Park
There’s no better way to connect with nature than through a walk in the woods. Beautiful sights are abundant in Georgia, including impressive waterfalls. There are ample options for exploration, from short, easy strolls to longer and more challenging hikes. I highly recommend taking a day trip to one (or more) of these falls and connecting with the abundance of wildlife and beauty these sights offer. Below are five beautiful waterfalls and the information you need to visit them.
1. Cloudland Canyon State Park
Located at Lookout Mountain in Rising Fawn, Georgia, this state park is around two and a half hours northwest of Loganville. Because it is a state park, it requires a five-dollar parking/entrance fee.
This park has many miles of trails containing many different waterfalls, notably Hemlock and Cherokee Falls. To find these falls, you must descend around 600 steps. While strenuous to reach and return to the parking lot, this trail offers a lot. Cherokee and Hemlock Falls are both gorgeous and definitely worth checking out. I highly recommend these falls if you can handle the many stairs down and back up.
2. Amicalola Falls State Park
Located in Dawsonville, Georgia, this state park is an hour and forty-five minutes from Loganville. Because it is a state park, it requires a five-dollar parking/entrance fee.
This park contains Amicalola Falls, the highest waterfall in Georgia. The falls are gorgeous and relatively easy to get to, as it is only a one-third of a mile hike to reach the bottom of the falls. You can access the falls from both the top and bottom, and some stairs run the entire length of the falls for this access.
3. Duke’s Creek Falls
Located just north of Helen, Georgia, these falls are an hour and forty minutes from Loganville. There is a four-dollar parking fee.
These falls are stunning and worth the walk to reach them. The hike will be around a mile and close to two and a half miles round-trip to get to them. While it is a longer hike, it is relatively level and not super challenging to make. There are several different spots throughout the walk to see, making the extra length worth it for the experience.
4. Minnehaha Falls
Located in Lakemont, Georgia, this waterfall is an hour and fifty minutes northeast of Loganville. There is no parking fee, meaning it is free to visit.
Minnehaha Falls is relatively easy to reach, as it is only one-fourth of a mile from the parking area. The sign and steps to lead you to the falls can be challenging to see, so keep a keen eye out for directions from the parking area. This is a beautiful, must-see waterfall.
5. Horsetrough Falls and The Upper Falls of the Chattahoochee
Horsetrough Falls
The Upper Falls of the Chattahoochee
Located near Helen, Georgia, these falls are two hours and twenty minutes north of Loganville. There is no parking fee, meaning they are free to visit.
Horsetrough Falls is only a couple hundred yards from the parking area, making it easy to reach and see. It is a large and stunning waterfall that is definitely worth checking out. The Upper Falls of the Chattahoochee is only one-third of a mile farther, but it is a challenging trail to traverse as it is very steep. Instead of being a regular, run-of-the-mill waterfall, the water channels through a small chute in the rocks and is very cool to watch. It is a fantastic fall to see if you can handle the hike.