I occasionally afford myself the luxury of visiting places without really knowing what to expect…read more This park just wasn't that clear to me in its purpose, but it became more so after arrival, with a visitor center focused on Native American history and identifying this as a Cherokee Nation headquarters. A spread of recreated buildings outside offers opportunities for perusal. The most aesthetically distinctive site is a large spring of the sort that seem more common in Kentucky than Tennessee, which evinces a robust blue color and empties into a clear stream. The spring itself is off-limits, but the stream is open for wading. All of these sites are within sight of the initial entrance, but a trek uphill reveals picnic areas, an amphitheater, and a couple of mile trail through the woods. Between the different elements of the park, it was easy to spend a couple of hours there, and best of all, it's free, though the gift shop warrants examination.

Red Clay is not the type of state park that I would normally seek out. Why? It's not in the…read moremountains and the trails are tame. Nonetheless, something about it lured me in for a visit and I'm glad I ventured out here (on Indigenous People's Day coincidentally). Historically, it's really interesting that this was the last meeting site for the Cherokee tribe's council. The signs claim it is "where the Trail of Tears really began." I was really intrigued by the natural Spring called "the Blue Hole." I've never seen a spring that appears bright blue in a forest setting. Seeing this cool natural sight was pretty awesome. Also, I could just imagine the Cherokee using this spring water and being here hundreds of years before. Trail wise: Pretty flat and easy trails. It's not very challenging. But, it makes up for it because it's a calm place with beautiful forest. I loved walking around. Also, since this is small and off the beaten path, it's not crowded at all. Overall: highly recommended. Worth a visit!

Love to train and take my pup here. Very nice in mornings also she loves the water. Haven't gotten…read morein the water actually but one day I will.

Edge of the World is a great nearby walking trail that winds along Amicalola Creek. The trail is…read moremostly easy, with a mix of wooden walkways (watch out for a few holes) and dirt paths. There are also a few side trails that climb up the mountain if you're looking for a bit more of a challenge (including dodging Joro spiders!). The small waterfalls are beautiful, and the cool creek water is perfect for dipping your feet in on a warm day.

Great state park. Excellent camping! Very clean and staff was great. There are some great hiking…read moretrails. If you are hiking to the falls, be aware when you climb down all those stairs, you have to climb up them to get back to the rim. The west Rim trail is great as well, not quite as strenuous as the tail to the falls.

So many great trails to choose from here! There are some that aren't super advanced and have a…read morequick route and others that might take you several hours.

Found in the Chattahoochee National Forest is the Cohutta Overlook. We paid this hidden in plain…read moresite overlook a visit while driving into the city of Ellijay from Fort Mountain State Park. Being a shade under 5 miles from Fort Mountain along GA-2/GA-52, i'm hesitant to say you can't miss this area because you can. Only a sign and a road going into a wooded area are all that alerts you. I'd advise you to turn on in. This lone road has parking spots along it, and loops around back out to GA-2/GA-52. Very close to the entrance of this road is a very small dirt trail, marked by a small wooden sign listed as "overlook", that goes up. Yea it can be sketchy looking, but if you head on up the trail, you'll be met with a stone circular clearing that gives you a nice view. On a clear day, it's beautiful, and while I wasn't here at night, I can only imagine that stargazing here at night must be out of this world. The actual trail is barely a quarter of a mile and is more a nature walk than any sort of a hike. There are a few wooden/stone stairs, but practically anyone can make it to the top. Very little foot traffic here, as my girlfriend and I had the place to ourselves for several minutes, which was nice. There is no physical address, but there are coordinates entered (34.785218, -84.626853). Nice little find that you probably weren't looking for. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

April 4, 2014, Tony and I was driving the back roads of Georgia on our way to Helen, GA to visit…read morethe Bavarian Village. We passed Fort Mountain State Park, which we love by the way. We visited there a few weeks back, but this time ON TO HELEN....on down the road towards Elijay, Ga I noticed a sign "COHUTTA OVERLOOK"...I said...BRAKE..side trip.. My husband is used to this..that is why I travel the back roads so I can find interesting sites, old homes and buildings and overlooks...I do this quite regularly...Glad I am the driver. I also Brake for Yard Sales...lol I drove out the side road and parked along the narrow ONE WAY road..and we started to climb up the side of the small mountain via a trail and some stairs...its a nice little HEART POUNDING hike..but once you are at the top...oh WOW !!! the View is AWESOME...STUNNING..the adjectives keep going on, on and on...You have to take the 10-15 minutes out of your schedule to check out this great vista. I loved it. I took several photos ( of course ) And AGAIN..I can't say it enough....FREE FREE FREE !!!!

If you know me by now, all you have to say is hike and I don't care about the where, the how long…read moreor how tough. Jacks River Falls is one such hike where you may want to know the where, how long and obviously how tough. Before I talk about the hike, let's get into the road to the hike. It's a lot of gravel road....I mean a LOT of gravel road, which made me and my honda accord a bit squeamish that a tire might get popped. Something a bit more hefty like a truck or a jeep would probably serve you better on the roads, but just your Joe average sedan can navigate to the parking lot also. Once you leave the parking lot across the road from the trail entrance, I have to say it's kinda a poorly marked trail. No official blaze markers, although good samaritans spray painted a few choice areas for people up for taking on this hike. Jacks River Falls, I hate to say it, is not a pretty hike. There are no grand vistas, or post card shots. No, you really are coming here for the hike or the actual waterfall, which IS worth the hike. I went along with Richard R, and we did stumble our way through the trail, taking a wrong turn a time or two, but ultimately getting ourselves back on track. Note that if you come to a fork in the trail and you see a couple of signs, one saying "Horses prohibited beyond this point". Go in the direction of that sign...that will take you to the top of the falls. The actual falls themselves were in fact beautiful. Powerful, loud, clear water, and a size that wasn't insignificant. It's a great place to get a lot of photos, or walk right up to the falls to get the water money shots. Like I eluded to earlier, you come out at the top of the falls and have to climb your way down to get in front of the water. Sadly, what goes in must come out, and so we had to do a bit of bouldering to get ourselves back on the main trail. Yep, there was more trail going away from the falls, but with the time of day, unfamiliarity of the falls and just our energy level, we did the safe thing and went back the way we came. Jacks River falls, in addition to not being the prettiest trail, also isn't very forgiving either. Clocking in officially at 9.1 miles, I'm skeptical of that because both of my pedometers listed over 11 miles. Sure, getting lost and a few steps here and there may increase the mileage, but not by that much. I'm mentioning all of this because while my legs are usually rock solid, my left leg cramped up and there was some concern about getting out before dark. We did make it out, but we both took a breather before we got the car moving down the several miles long gravel road and back to civilization. When I left Jacks River Falls, I was all set to give it 3 stars or less. But thinking back, as well as revisiting my photos and videos helps me focus my review. If we're talking about the actual water fall only, It's easily 5 stars. Combining the trail pulls it down a star. Combining the long drive pulls it down to a 3.5....but i'm rounding it up to 4. Beautiful waterfall, great work out of a hike, and if you're a waterfall hunter, it's definitely worth your time. Check it out!

Love the waterfall, but not the hike or the drive to the trailhead…read more THE SCENE There are several trails that lead to Jack's River Falls. We chose Beech Bottom Trail because it is the driest. All trails had previously been closed due to storm damage that occurred on July 21st, 2018, but Beech Bottom recently reopened on Saturday, September 22nd. It currently is one of the only hiking trails open to the falls. Jack's River Falls is among the best looking Georgia waterfalls in both volume and drama. It is a type of chute waterfall, which is when a large volume of water goes through a very narrow passage creating a very strong and thunderous waterfall current. You can hear the deep baritone voice of this waterfall as it rushes through the rock-like funnel. The roar of the water alone is worth staying here all day! It has been on my hiking bucket list for some time now and I'm so very happy to finally check it off my list. However, the gravel road leading to the trailhead is very long and not well marked. We lost our GPS signal 25 minutes prior to reaching the parking area, causing lots of anxiety and concern for if we were driving the right direction. I highly recommend bringing a map or atlas as backup. --- BEECH BOTTOM TRAIL GUIDE I found the trail to be slightly worrisome due to the lack of traditional trail blazes, but ever so often there was a lime-green paint mark on a tree or rock. Several times we were troubled as the trail either disappeared or split, particularly when it intersects with Jack's River Trail at the river. There were no signs here indicating which direction to turn to find the waterfall, which by the way turn RIGHT. After our hike we ate lunch at a local BBQ joint where the owner said it was one of his favorite places to hike, yet he was surprised we actually found the falls on our first try. NOTE: Beech Bottom Trail was once an old road, but it hasn't been maintained since the 1970's. It is for this reason the Ranger office says it has not been marked with blazes. I requested adding a directional sign at the trail intersection near the river. Hopefully they will see the value in that and do so in the near future. Once you turn right at the river, about a half mile downstream the trail will cross a tributary flowing into the main river. It will then continue along a stone ledge as the river begins to cascade at first, then tumble and rumble over larger drops in elevation before its final plunge over the main fall. You must scramble over several large boulders to continue along the trail. We accessed the base along a steep and jagged side trail that was highly questionable in terms of safety. I doubt it was created by the park authorities because it is quite dangerous and difficult climb down. It is very steep and not at all user friendly! Not sure where there was another trail to the base, so we risked it by staying low and holding on to shrub branches on the way down (just in case we slipped). The main falls are nearly impossible to see from the top of the trail, so if you want to great picture, climbing down is your only option. Jack's River Falls was a glorious sight and it spoke with a thunderous roar. Most of the area within 100 yards of the waterfall is granite, including the riverbed. The clear waters were shallow enough to easily walk to the center for a great head-on pic of the falls. On our visit the water was no deeper than knee high. Not sure how deep the pool is in front of the falls but I'm guessing it's about 8+ feet. The hillside above the falls seemed to be noticeably devoid of trees, which made me wonder if the storm that closed the trail back in July had been a tornado. The few trees still barely standing were completely stripped of their leaves and limbs. Still, it did not take away from the absolute beauty of this magnificent waterfall. I've currently hiked over 30 trails to Georgia waterfalls and historic dam ruins. Jack's River Falls is easily one of my Top 10 favorite waterfalls in the state. OVERALL TRAIL LENGTH - 9.1 miles round trip according to Alltrails (although we calculated 12 miles) OVERALL ELEVATION GAIN - 974 feet AMOUNT OF TIME SPEND ON OUR HIKE - 4.5 hours (2h:10m there + 30 minutes at the falls + 1h:50m back). --- FINAL THOUGHTS Jack's River Falls is worth the hike no matter which trail you take, but be forewarned; If you prefer trails with pretty views or lush underbrush, Beech Bottom Trail is NOT at all scenic. The only view until you reach the river 4 miles away will be of the deeply wooded Cohutta Wilderness! More adventurous hikers that don't mind a longer, wetter hike should explore the more challenging Jack's River Trail. The shortest trail to the falls seems to be the Horseshoe Bend Trail found at the end of Old Hwy 2. ENJOY!!! TIP - Many of the other trails are still closed as of the date of this review. It would be wise to call the Conasauga Ranger District prior to your visit. The number is (706) 695-6736. 2018/57

Great trail! Great hike! The longest part is the gravel 5 mile road leading to trail. Fine in our…read moresuv but it would have been rough on a car or my smaller suv.

Relatively easy hiking trail to a waterfall in the Cherry Log/Blue Ridge area. Kids as young as 3…read morecan walk the trail. It's a pretty short trail to the waterfall approximately 1/2 mile. The cell service is poor getting to the trail so map it out before hand. Along the trail you will see a Glamping camp, which is very cute. Definitely would recommend as a family outing.

December 13, 2020…read more Approximately 8 miles north of Elijah, GA on highway 76 shortly before entering the town of Cherry Log, you'll turn right onto Rock Creek Connector which takes you to a regular looking two lane road called Rock Creek Rd. Almost immediately upon making the right hand turn on Rock Creek road is the sign "Rich Mountain Wildlife Management Area" and my cell reception (meteo PCS) dropped again. Following Rock Creek Road eventually turns into a crushed gravel road with a stream running next to it and past several farms including a small horse farm. This was my third time to this area in the past month, and thankfully my final time. My goal was to summit Tickanately Bald, a peak that was nearly 4000 ft tall and nestled 0.7 miles south of Rich Mountain. This time I went up FS295 to the end and hiked the rest of the way. The 4000 ft challenge led by the Appalachian Trail Club has less than 10 members who have ever climbed all 32 peaks. And there is a good reason why. You might think...hey, these peaks aren't Mt Everest. What's the big deal? You wouldn't be wrong, however, plan accordingly, if you want to attempt it. Be warned: this activity is not without risk. Climbing walls of vegetation only to encounter brambles that want to cut you, is definitely not everyone's cup of tea. In many cases, there is no good footing. Especially after a rain. Stream crossings or hopping is a skill and balancing yourself across rocks to ford a small spring also is an art form, especially if your heart is pounding out of your chest from climbing 1000 ft. And finally, it's very easy to get yourself turned around. If your phone dies, runs out of battery, or you simply smash it while slipping on a patch of leaves covering a slick rock, well you are SOL, especially without cell phone service to call for help. And better have a back up plan. Don't go out there without a secondary GPS device. Pack water, pack a snack. Put something on your windshield in writing notifying people you are out for a walk and expect to be back. Give someone a clue where you are going too. Weather can change quickly, and the terrain difficult to navigate. While these mountains aren't huge, they are still fairly remote compared to the usual urban park you may have encountered. Plan ahead an be safe! Suffice it to say, I had fantastic weather. (Winter is the best season to get out and conquer your Georgia 4K peaks! And Limited Vegetation). I brought my phone and my GPS watch and a bottle of water and although the distance to the peak was 2.5 miles I gave myself 6-7 miles and plenty of daylight to climb this peak by leaving at noon. FS295 is approximately 4 miles from the beginning of Rock Creek Road and begins steadily up for 2 miles right at the Hunter Checkin Station. It's fairly navigable and I managed it in my Prius at 4-6 mph! There are a couple of nice choice camping spots along the way. At the top, I parked and ran 1.2 miles down to Little Rock Creek. From there I picked a line and started hiking up, and pretty much kept this up for 1300 ft or 1.5 miles till I reached the top of Rich Mt where there is an old chimney from an old house that once was. There is no benchmark (the geodesic marker often installed by the US Forest Service to denote the high point) to be found anywhere on Rich Mountain, unfortunately. There is an old unmaintained trail to the West (facing south) which leads you directly to Tickanately. Unfortunately, I went down the wrong side of Rich Mountain and had to adjust. Translation...climb back up to the top of Tickanately, then stumbled upon the path which I took back to Rich, before descending the same 1300 ft I had climbed----this time it was weeeeehaww and nimbly bounding down hill till I got back to Little Rock Creek. The total elevation gain was 2400 ft in 2.5 hours and my glutes got worked big time. The feeling of accomplishment was overwhelming. Seven 4K peaks done and 25 to go!

Super fun! Easy walk! Kid and pet friendly! We walked our 2 dogs and had no issues! The bridge…read moreobviously swings so be careful holding your phone on the bridge taking photos! Great place to skip rocks!

On our recent trip to Blue Ridge, we decided to check out the Toccoa River Swinging Bridge. I am…read moreglad we did as it was quite scenic. We pulled in not knowing what to expect. You take a turn off the main highway and you have a few mile drive up the dirt road to get to the actual bridge. I did do this in a front wheel drive car, but a 4 wheel drive truck would be recommended if the conditions were wet or less than ideal. The road is pretty skinny at points and there is definitely not room for two vehicles even though this is not a one way, so one must drive cautiously. Once there, there isn't really any designated parking. You just park wherever you can. The bridge is quite scenic. It looks more stable than it actually is. It sways quite a bit when people are crossing and it isn't quite wide enough for two people to pass without hugging one side, but the view and hikes surrounding the river make it worth it. We spent a few hours here enjoying nature and then headed back. Awesome spot worth checking out.

LOL --- this is my first "non-food" review, but this place is so beautiful --- it needs to be…read moreshared! I was looking for somewhere beautiful to get a panorama of Chattanooga (+ more) from an awesome vantage point, and I found this spot on Google. It's a bit of a winding drive to eventually arrive to the site, and when you do, parking is extremely limited. It's either you got luck or God on your side, to park right where the "rock" is, but I was very fortunate. The steps are very large and irregular getting to the actual "site", and if you are not fit --- just go slow. However, once you arrive --- it's like heaven. A view from the heavens overseeing the Tennessee River Gorge, Prentice Cooper State Forest, and valleys. Spending 20-30 minutes after getting up their will clear your mind. A view that you should not pass up!

This trail was a bit more challenging than others we've done. For context, I enjoy long hikes on…read morerelatively flat, well-defined paths--l'm not a hardcore hiker. So, from my perspective, I'd rate this as a moderately difficult hike. The trail is about 3.5 miles round trip and took us around 2 hours, not including the time we spent enjoying the view at the top. The summit is absolutely worth the effort-the view is breathtaking. Be sure to bring plenty of water. Thankfully, the trail has lots of shade, which helped keep us cool and protected from the sun.