Amicalola State Park, GA
Hike to the Top of Georgia's Highest Waterfall
by Celeste Lipford and Terry Lipford - last updated on 7/24/2024
This was our first stop on our
Blue Ridge Adventure route, pretty much straight north from Sarasota, past
Atlanta, 583 miles from our home in Sarasota. Northern Georgia is very pretty, mountains because you are on the southern tier of the Appalachian
Mountain Range.
Our trip research revealed to us that the park offers several unique attractions:
- Amicalola Falls: The park is home to the tallest cascading waterfall in the Southeast, standing at 729 feet. Visitors can hike to various viewpoints along well-maintained trails, including a challenging staircase leading directly alongside the falls, offering stunning views.
- Gateway to the Appalachian Trail: Amicalola State Park serves as the starting point for the 8.5-mile approach trail to Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. It's a great place for hikers to begin their journey or experience a section of this famous trail.
- Diverse Hiking Trails: Beyond the waterfall and Appalachian Trail access, the park offers a variety of hiking options ranging from easy strolls to more strenuous hikes, allowing visitors to experience the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, dense forests, and scenic overlooks.
- Lodging and Camping: The park has several accommodation options, including the stunning Amicalola Falls Lodge, rustic cabins, and campsites. This makes it an ideal destination for both day trips and extended stays.
- Outdoor Adventure Programs: Amicalola State Park offers a variety of programs, including zip-lining, archery, guided hikes, and survivalist courses, making it a great spot for family-friendly adventure and learning.
Click above Image to view larger Google MapThe distance involved with driving from our home location of Sarasota, FL to Amicalola Falls was not the single most difficult factor - the most challenging part of the drive was navigating around Atlanta. Due to Atlanta's size, the traffic is almost always dense and one must pay attention to the traffic as well as the route.
Overall, the drive is a mix of coastal, rural, and mountainous environments, offering a pleasant transition from the flatlands of Florida to the rugged beauty of North Georgia.
How to have fun in Amicalola Falls State Park?
Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and anyone seeking a fun escape in nature. Nestled between Ellijay and Dahlonega, the park offers a bounty of activities that will leave you wanting more. Here's why a visit to Amicalola Falls State Park is a blast:
- Thrilling adventures: Get your adrenaline pumping with the park's Aerial Adventure Park. Soar through the trees on zip lines, challenge yourself on the suspension bridges, and take part in a GPS scavenger hunt. You can also test your archery skills at the 3D Archery Course or learn survival skills in their program.
- Majestic waterfalls: The park's namesake, Amicalola Falls, is the main attraction. Witnessing this cascading beauty, the highest waterfall in Georgia at 729 feet, is an awe-inspiring experience. Hike to the top for a breathtaking view or take theAmicalola Falls Shuttle for easier access.
- Hiking trails galore: Lace up your boots and explore a network of trails catering to all skill levels. The challenging hike to the top of Amicalola Falls offers panoramic views, while shorter, family-friendly trails like Len Foote Hike lead you through scenic forests.
- Unwind in nature: Find a peaceful spot by the cascading water or amidst the lush greenery and reconnect with nature. Have a picnic lunch at one of the designated picnic areas or cozy up by a crackling campfire in the designated fire pits (with a permit).
- Explore the visitor center: Learn all about the park's history, geology, and wildlife at the interactive visitor center. You might even catch a live regional reptile exhibit or a bird of prey demonstration.
Exploring Amicalola Falls State Park Map
Our first day of travel was occupied by the drive from Sarasota, FL to Amicalola Falls, GA. This Park & Lodge is an 829-acre Georgia state park located between Ellijay and Dahlonega in Dawsonville, Georgia. The park's name is derived from a Cherokee language word meaning "tumbling waters". The 429 foot high Falls are the tallest in Georgia
The Southern entrance to the Appalachian Trail can be reached here via the Appalachian Approach Trail an 8 mile trail starting near the Park Visitor Center. It is possible to drive to the Appalachian Trail starting point, but it is all dirt roads, seriously uphill and has very little parking.
Demonstrates how good it felt to not be driving any further, and how comfortable the temperature was that day. We celebrated our arrival, and then set out to explore the area.
The stream that was immediately behind our cabin, is a very picturesque setting and the sound the stream made all night long was very relaxing.
The Amicalola Falls Park Lodge is located near the top of the falls, so if you were to walk all the way up those stairs, you would arrive here at the lodge. Good restaurant here!
Looking upstream from behind our cabin. You can see the next cabin just beyond the trees. Cabins were placed far enough apart to where noise was not a factor.
Looking at the rear of our cabin from the stream. You can see what a beautiful setting this is, a lot of trees and lots of shade.
This is the "bedroom-side" of the cabin, as you can see, this is a good sized cabin and very comfortable.
Amicalola Falls - Lower Falls
In the left side image the stairs parallel the falls and stream bed all the way up. The walk up those stairs was steep, but worth every step as the views of the stream were nice.
In the right side image, Amicalola Falls stairs do seem to go on forever, much easier going down than it was going up! You get a constant serenade from the water as it cascades down to the bottom of the hill, ending near our cabin.
The hiking trail behind our cabin, which led us to the waterfall stairs.
You can see how steep the stairs are, but that is where you have to go to reach the top of the falls.
Top of the falls, fantastic view of the waterfall from the observation deck on the stairs.
Scenes around the Park
Useful Links for Amicalola Falls State Park
- Just Traveling Thru Travel Planning Tips
- Amicalola Falls State Park Lodge Website
- Insiders Guide to Amicalola State Park Site
- Best Trails in Amicalola State Park on the "All Trails" site
- VRBO Search Results list for rentals near Amicalola State Park
- Lodging near Amicalola State Park on the "Expedia" site
- Amazon Search Results list for "Amicalola State Park"
- Youtube Search Results list for "Amicalola State Park, GA"
- Google Search Results list for "resorts in or near Amicalola State Park GA"
- Our Image Gallery for Amicalola Falls State Park
- Wikipedia Article for Amicalola Falls State Park
- Google Image Gallery for Amicalola Falls State Park
- Our Youtube Channel - Come check out our wide range of videos!
- Google Reviews for Amicalola Falls State Park
Trip Itinerary & Destinations List
The overall trip was approximately 2,300 miles and we had laid out the routes and stops to allow us to become more familiar with areas that we had not previously visited. We go into more detail on each destination page, click any destination in the list below right;
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