Georgia Best Waterfalls - Amicalola Falls
People come from far and wide to visit and hike through Amicalola Falls State Park less than 30 minutes from Big Canoe, a gated Georgia mountain community. As folks discover the incredible beauty in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia, many end up relocating here for the low cost of living and to reconnect with the great outdoors. In addition to the excellent hiking trails found at Big Canoe, Amicalola Falls State Park is a nearby gem. Almost everything here is geared toward folks who enjoy hiking trails in the Blue Ridge Mountains and magnificent waterfalls.
The star attraction in the park is Amicalola Falls which was named by the Cherokee Tribe; it means “tumbling waters.” It is a 729- foot cascading waterfall, the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi River. (By comparison, Niagara Falls drops a mere 173 feet.) There are several different trails for various levels of walking and hiking, each providing its own spectacular views of the falls. The first hiking trail starts at a parking area where people with some physical challenges can take a more casual route to the falls. A second route starts at the welcome center and bypasses a very challenging set of steps on its way to the top of the falls. Many folks walk this way, and to maximize their views of the cascading falls, walk down the steps. The most challenging route takes hikers up through the woods and utilizes the 640 steps that provide the best views from hiking trails in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The Amicalola Falls State Park has a mountaintop lodge with awe-inspiring views of the falls from the rooms as well as from the common areas. In addition, the park owns a nearby lodge called Hike Inn. This particular venue can only be reached by taking the nearly 5-mile hike down from their parking lot at the top of the falls. The lodge was included in the National Geographic Traveler’s “Stay List,” and the trail was included in Backpacker Magazine as one of 36 “Best American Hikes.” The lodge has 20 rooms each with, in their own words, “A soft bed. A warm shower. A hot meal.” After a day of hiking, the lodge is very cozy, comforting, and welcoming. For visitors who like to rough it overnight, there are 25 campsites and 14 very rustic cottages available. Reservations are recommended for all of these amenities. And, periodically, rangers at the park offer events such as “For Goodness Snakes” and “Close Encounters of the Bird Kind.” These always promise to be educational as well as entertaining.
The park is very popular with serious hikers who set out to travel the historic Appalachian Trail as it is the closest area to the starting point in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Amicalola Falls State Park provides an 8.5-mile trail to Springer Mountain, the southernmost point of the Appalachian Trail where many begin their 2,175-mile trek through the mountainous terrain that leads up through Maine.
Amicalola Falls State Park is a hiker’s and a nature lover’s haven. With hiking trails that accommodate everyone from the wheelchair-bound to the highly experienced hiker, there is spectacular beauty for everyone to enjoy including property owners at Big Canoe, a nearby gated Georgia mountain community. Take a peek at Big Canoe home styles.
If you'd like to learn more about Big Canoe, write info@communityfinder.com or call us toll free at 866.384.1799.
