Amicalola Falls

Amicalola Falls State Park is a beautiful natural area in Dawsonville, Georgia that is best known for Amicalola Falls – the tallest waterfall in Georgia at 729 feet. The park is a popular destination for hiking, camping, and outdoor adventures and it offers stunning mountain views and access to the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain.  The park has a mountaintop lodge, cabins, and camping options for overnight stays and has hiking trails including the Amicalola Falls Trail, which leads to the top of the falls, and the Appalachian Approach Trail which leads to Springer Mountain.

This hike to Amicalola Falls starts at the visitor’s center and ascends ~800 feet to the top of the falls after 1.5 miles. A portion of the 8.1 mile Approach Trail is used for this hike which provides access to the start of the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain.  Start at the back of the visitor’s center and walk through a large archway following the blue blazes. The Approach Trail intersects with a large parking area after a mile where there is a small pond at the base of the falls. Continue climbing along a paved path then over a series of stairs and bridges to cross the falls and eventually reach a platform near the top of Amicalola Falls. The park lodge is ahead to your right.  You can either park a car at the top of the falls and shuttle back to the visitor’s center, or turn around and hike back down to the base of the mountain. Either way the falls are an impressive sight and well worth the trip.