The waterfalls of northern Georgia, U.S., are a prominent feature of the geography of that region, as well as a major focus of tourism and outdoor recreation. Many are located in state parks, national forests, wildlife management areas, and other public lands. Many are accessible—with varying degrees of ease or difficulty—via established hiking trails, and some developed areas include boardwalks, observation platforms, picnic areas, and other amenities. The Cherokee called this region "Land of a Thousand Waterfalls".About North Georgia, accessed 28 July 2007. The third-, fourth-, and fifth-highest waterfalls in the eastern United States are located in northern Georgia.
In this discussion, North Georgia refers to the mountainous regions of the extreme northern portion of the state, an area including Banks, Dade, Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Habersham, Lumpkin, Murray, Pickens, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, Walker, and White Counties. There are, of course, waterfalls in other sections of the state; however, due to variations in both climate and terrain they are most abundant and most dramatic in the extreme north.
Falls by county
Waterfalls that are located on private property and thus inaccessible to the public are described as such or are marked (NA). It is the visitor's responsibility to respect and honor the rights of private landholders.
Those maps, coordinates, and descriptions presented here are meant only to provide approximate or relative locations. Numerous publications and online resources are available to those wishing to visit these sites, both by foot and by vehicle. As many of these sites remain in a relatively wild state caution must be exercised at all times.
Dade County Cherokee Falls & Hemlock Falls—located in Cloudland Canyon State Park near Trenton, in a deep gorge on Sitton Gulch Creek. (Trailhead: )
Dawson County Amicalola Falls—at Amicalola Falls is the highest waterfall in Georgia and the third highest east of the Mississippi River. It is approximately four times the height of Niagara's Horseshoe Falls. It is located on Amicalola Creek in Amicalola Falls State Park and is accessible via several trails, bridges, and parking areas. Visitors may park at either the top or the base of the falls; a well-maintained trail, including over 600 steps, connects those two points. Another trail connects the falls to the terminus of the Appalachian Trail on nearby Springer Mountain. Some sources, including the 2004 Georgia State Parks guide book, claim that Amicaolola Falls are "the tallest east of the Mississippi River," although Crabtree Falls in Virginia (at 1000 feet) and Glassmine Falls in North Carolina (800 feet) are both taller.Georgia Department of Natural Resources (2004), 2004 Guide to Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites. Atlanta, Georgia. (The state park website is more specific—and perhaps more accurate—citing Amicalola as "the tallest cascading waterfall". More recent editions of the print version of the guide have corrected the error.) Amicalola Falls has been on the List of the seven natural wonders of Georgia since 1926.() Bearden Falls—located in the Chattahoochee National Forest on Bearden Creek. () Cochrans Falls—at , is tied with Caledonia Cascade as the second highest waterfall in Georgia. It is on Cochrans Creek near Dawsonville. () Crawford Falls—located on private property and not accessible to the public. "Edge of the World" Rapids—Class IV rapids on the Amicalola River. (Parking area: ) Falls Creek Falls—located in the Dawson Forest, an area containing at least forty three waterfalls. (Upper Falls:; Falls Creek Falls:; Lower Falls:) Lower Falls & Upper Falls—located on Disharoon Creek in the southwest corner of Dawson County, near the gated community of Big Canoe. ()
Fannin County Jacks River Falls—on Jacks River in the Cohutta Wilderness Area. () Little Rock Creek Falls—in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Long Creek Falls—located near the Appalachian Trail near Three Forks. Noontootla Falls—on a small tributary of Noontootla Creek near Three Forks. () Sea Creek Falls—in the Cooper Creek area in eastern Fannin County, near the Union County line. ()
Gilmer County Barnes Creek Falls—in the Cohutta Wilderness Area near Murray County line; nearby mountaintop offers commanding view of the valley and Fort Mountain. () Falls on Davis Creek—located on private property but can be viewed from Pleasant Hill Road (State Route 59) near the community of Pleasant Hill. Falls Branch Falls—twin falls, "Lower" and "Upper", on Falls Branch near its confluence with Stanley Creek in northeast Gilmer, near the Fannin County line. () Julie Anna Falls—a fifty-foot falls on Turniptown Creek in the Rich Turniptown Mountain Wilderness Area of the Chattahoochee National Forest. () Tumbling Waters—Tails Creek falls in a series of cascades on its approach to Carters Lake.
Habersham County Panther Creek Falls—located in the Panther Creek Recreation Area between Clarkesville and Tallulah Falls. () Shoals on Soque River—located on private property but readily accessible to the public. The Mark of the Potter, a potters' cooperative on Highway 197, occupies an old mill beside the Shoals, which can be viewed from the co-op's balcony. Coin-operated machines dispense food for fish and waterfowl. () Miner Shoals-located on private property, not accessible to the public. near vertical drop. "By far the best waterfall on the river" as stated by State Geologist S. W. McCallie in his Water Powers of Georgia, 1908.
Lumpkin County
Black Falls—on the grounds of Camp Frank D. Merrill, a Mountain Ranger camp north of Dahlonega. Public access may be restricted. Blood Mountain Creek Falls—four falls (Lower Falls, Middle Falls, Upper Falls, and Cascade). (Trailhead for two lower falls: ; for two upper falls: ) Cane Creek Falls—located on the grounds of Camp Glisson, a camp operated by the United Methodist Church near Dahlonega, these falls are often (but not always) open to the public. Cannon Falls— located on Frogtown Creek, on the grounds of Cannon Falls Lodge, a private fishing preserve, and only accessible with a guide. Clay Creek Falls—located on private property but easily viewed from Clay Creek Falls Road, just outside the city limits of Dahlonega. () Copper Mine Shoals—there are several rapid drops on the Chestatee River north of Dahlonega. Cow Rock Creek Falls—near Boggs Creek Campground in the Chattahoochee National Forest. () DeSoto Falls—a pair of falls on Frogtown Creek in the DeSoto Falls Scenic Area of the Chattahoochee National Forest. According to legend, Hernando de Soto passed through the area in 1540. () Dick's Creek Falls—a pair of falls just below the site where Waters Creek joins Dicks Creek in the Chattahoochee National Forest. () Elvarado Falls—not open to the public. Etowah River Shoals—the Etowah River rises in Lumpkin County, northwest of Dahlonega Falls on Branch of Jones Creek—located in the Chattahoochee National Forest and easily accessible. () Falls on West Fork of Montgomery Creek—twenty-foot falls on the grounds of a US Army Ranger Camp. () Grindle Shoals—on private property along the Chestatee River but viewable from the bridge carrying Cavender Creek Road across the Chestatee in eastern Lumpkin, near the White County line. () High Shoals Falls—on Walden Creek; features a porch swing from which to view the falls. () Jones Creek Falls Little Ridge Creek Falls—a trio of falls near Boggs Creek Campground in the Chattahoochee National Forest. () Martha Falls—on Pigeon Roost Creek; the area features spectacular lake and mountain views. () Trophy Falls— located on Frogtown Creek, on the grounds of Cannon Falls Lodge, a private fishing preserve, and only accessible with a guide. Ward Creek Falls—near Justus Gap, northwest of Dahlonega. {34° 39.107'N 84° 04.071'W} Yahoola Creek Falls—just before the Yahoola Creek leaves the Chattahoochee National Forest. The remnants of Nineteenth Century gold-mining operations are nearby.
Murray County Jigger Falls—on Jigger Creek, in the Cohutta Wilderness Area. Mill Creek Falls—falls, shoals, and cascade on Mill Creek in Hickey Gap. Conasauga Lake, a high mountain lake, sits nearby. (Falls parking area: )
Pickens County Long Swamp Creek Falls—sixty-foot falls located on private property; access may be granted by land owners. ()
Rabun County
Rabun County is not only mountainous (the Eastern Continental Divide passes through the county, which has a number of peaks whose heights surpass above sea level) but it is also one of the rainiest areas east of the Mississippi River. These factors combine to produce many dramatic falls.
Ada-Hi Falls—in Black Rock Mountain State Park; features an observation deck and nearby mountain overlooks. Ammons Creek Falls—the trail to Holcomb Creek Falls is atwo-mile loop that also leads to a viewing deck at Ammons Creek Falls. Angel Falls (Georgia)—on Joe Branch Creek near Lake Rabun, surrounded by rhododendron; on the same trail as, and about one half mile beyond Panther Falls. Bad Branch Falls—an easy walk from the trailhead. Georgia Power Company maintains a recreation area near the trailhead. () Becky Branch Falls—on the Bartram Trail in Warwoman Dell. () Big Creek Falls—() Bull Sluice Rapids—Class V Rapids on the Chattooga River; the location is actually best approached from the South Carolina side of the river. () Caledonia Cascade—also known as Cascade Falls, at in height it is tied (with Cochrans Falls) as the second-tallest waterfall in Georgia. It is located on a small stream that joins the Tallulah River near the beginning of the Tallulah Gorge. Crow Creek Falls—a series of falls, one visible from Crow Creek Road, another approximately 300 yards from the road. Darnell Falls (NA) Dick's Creek Falls—60-foot falls where Dick's Creek meets the Chattooga River, which marks the border with South Carolina; located in the Chattooga National Wild and Scenic River Area. () Dolly Falls (NA) Estatoah Falls—on private property but may be viewed from several points along Highway 246. () Hemlock Falls & Upper Falls—on Moccasin Creek in Moccasin Creek State Park. ()
Upper Falls on Holcomb Creek—several hundred feet of cascades on Holcomb Creek. The approach includes a viewing platform. Kilby Mill Falls—(Parking area: ) Laural Falls—on the grounds of Kingswood Golf Course in Clayton. Martin Creek Falls—features an observation deck. () Minnehaha Falls—100 foot falls near the Lake Seed Dam and Rabun Beach Recreation Area; the falls are a short hike from a small parking area. Minnehaha Falls were featured on the cover of the 2007 Georgia Travel Guide.Georgia Department of Economic Development, Tourism Division (2007), Georgia Travel Guide. Atlanta. () Mud Creek Falls—within the gated community of Sky Valley, below the dam and golf course. () Panther Falls—near Rabun Beach Camping Area #2; the trail continues beyond Panther Falls to the larger Angel Falls. Singley's Falls—Overflow Creek drops to meet Big Creek and Holcomb Creek, forming the West Fork of the Chattooga River. () Stonewall Creek Falls—there is a primitive camp ground at the base of the falls. () Sylvan Mill Falls— located at the Sylvan Falls Mill Bed & Breakfast in Mountain City. Although the falls are on private property they may be viewed from the road. () Tallulah Gorge State Park—managed jointly by the Georgia State Parks system and Georgia Power Company, the latter of which operates the hydroelectric dam above the Tallulah Gorge. The Tallulah River flows over six major falls between the Tallulah Falls Dam and Lake Tugalo. Since the dam was built in 1913 only a fraction of the natural volume of water flows through the gorge, but on scheduled "whitewater weekends" in April and November the amount may increase by more than tenfold. Other "aesthetic releases" are sometimes staged. Access to the floor of the gorge is controlled by permit. (Parking area: ) L'Eau d'Or Falls—46-foot falls. Tempesta Falls—76-foot falls.