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.

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!

Peaceful and beautiful and secluded. Site 6 very nicely fits our 28 ft motor home. No bugs and a…read morenice breeze from Lake Blue Ridge.

At Nicole's urging, we spent a hour on our inflatable kayak paddling and swimming from the rocky…read morebeach here in the balmy Blue Ridge Lake waters. It was truly exhilarating and also my wasp sting, sustained earlier in the morning, felt soothed in the water. Our little one was having a ball, as I raced her to closest buoy. Parking can be paid online $5/pp, or in an envelope deposited at the gate. The beach is more rock than sand so bring water shoes.

Great place shaded areas outside and very nice front porch with seating inside. Loaded with snacks…read moreand drinks

We brought our dogs here while visiting Blue Ridge for the day. The manager was super friendly, and…read morethe store is full of awesome merch with a good beer and wine selection. Make sure to bring your pups here to tire them out while you're in Blue Ridge.

Amazing views, and worth the drive up, but... oh, that road. Took my Jeep Gladiator and drove up to…read morethe top. For the last mile, in first gear the whole way. One close call: someone in a giant GMC SUV had trouble maintaining lane in a curve. Not for the leaden footed drivers. We parked at the first parking lot, which was pretty full, but after the steep, short walk up the remainder, found 3 more spots up top. It's worth checking. The views were spectacular. Our 16 year old dog had some trouble with all the steps, but managed it. Also, more graffiti than you're likely to see in any one place, but climb those stairs, get above the graffiti, and it's worth every step!

The views from the top of Bell Mountain are spectacular! The drive up the mountain is not for the…read moreweak either. My husband and I took some great photos, but at the very top deck I could barely stand still due to all of the gnats flying around!! (Nov 1)

We were in Blue Ridge visiting an exhibit at the Blue Ridge Arts Association and stopped by The…read moreLilly Pad right after. It was our kiddos' first time fishing and they had a great time. It's catch and release we only caught one, but it was still a fun experience and a great memory for the kids. Staff was great, especially Nikki. I love that you pay once and can come back all day!

A little smaller than it appeared online. Our kids enjoyed the gem mining but the medium bucket…read moreonly took 2 kids about 15-20 minutes. A great set up and a good amount of gems but just not much dirt.

This was definitely a different landscape for us and we loved it. We were happy we had a four wheel…read moredrive because the drive here is not paved at has steep hills. When you get here there is no signage at all. You just drive and look for it. There is really no parking except for parking on the side of the creek. There are areas for people to camp but they are not defined. We drove as high as we could and someone else driving down. They told us to follow them to one of the falls, but there was not much of a fall bc of the lack of rain. We had also parked at the spot they pointed to us for a break from the uphill steep drive. We went down more and parked by the creek and went down to see the water. When we got there, we looked up and saw the fall, but it was a bit of a distance for us to drive back to, plus we would have to walk over rocks to get to it. I didn't get to take a pic but it was pretty. We did like this trip, but I think I wished I could have seen more. The day before we went to the Edge of the World in Dahlonega and enjoyed that more.

Place was beautiful, but it kinda sucked that the upper falls are closed due to some construction…read moreto the trails. It really doesn't tell you anywhere either, you just find out when you get there. Place is so amazing though!

Beautiful park to walk, run, hold events or go to their events. They have a fitness trail type…read moresetup. Lots of gorgeous scenery to take photos of. Parking was easy. No charge to visit. Seems like a popular place, which I can understand after visiting. There is a really cool old historical water wheel. Sometimes it's running. Sometimes not. Apparently people hide painted rocks here on occasion as well. No pets allowed though sadly.

Found a few good shots of flowers and mushrooms at Meeks Park that I had previously taken.read more

We stayed here on our way back from Savannah on a whim. The falls are gorgeous and the park itself…read moreis very nice. Beware, it is a very steep hill to get up to the campsites. The sites themselves are very nice, and it is quiet. We did get hit by a storm, but our camper held up quite well. The lodge is also a beautiful building and has scenic views. The park was clean and there is a small nature center with live animals and reptiles. The staff are friendly and helpful too. The one downside is the firewood issue that persists in most state parks. You aren't allowed to bring in firewood from other places (unless bought in the area), and they charge you a ridiculous amount for what are little more than shims to use. Overall, this was a wonderful end to our Georgia journey.

Nice place to walk or relax It was beautiful…read more Lots of people walking and enjoying the views Small body of water to put your feet in So calming.... Great place to have a picnic

This is a beautiful, incredible state park that is so worth the trek (driving and walking wise)…read more There are a couple different lookout spots you'll want to check out, and at the security hut they give you a map so you know where to go. All of the workers were so friendly and helpful here. The hike at the very top was perfect- about a mile or so, the scenic lookout is about halfway through so you can take a break if you need. There's a good amount of elevation to get your heartbeat going but then it calms down after awhile. At the outlook, it would be easy to sit and enjoy the few for a long time. It's stunning. You can also take a fork in the path to visit the Fort that's here (thus named Fort Mountain). There are some info signs explaining the mysterious origins of the fort and it's pretty interesting.

Fort Mountain State Park is one of few favorites places to visit, especially in the spring or in…read morethe fall. The scenery is simply picturesque. Despite the harsh cold winds of winter, we had the sun which made it bearable and our hike was splendid on the day we visited. Our first stop had to be the visitor center to get a new annual pass & patches. The attendants helped us secure the pass that best matched our needs. The visitor center has restrooms and a gift store. For my girlfriend, it's always difficult to resist the items --- t-shirts, stuffed animals, historical books, camping supplies, snacks --- they sell there. If I am not mistaken, I believe they also sell firewood and ice for those looking to camp. If you need a map of the park, it can be found here as well. We then headed to the lake to hike the trail that circles it. It's an easy trail, so it makes for a nice walk for chatting and stopping to admire the views of the lake and mountainside. The beach at the lake is relatively small, but the facilities there are nice, with boat rentals, playground, picnic tables, and putt-putt golf. Im assuming a lot of these services are seasonal because we saw no one using them. I did like that there was a ramp that led from the parking lot to the beach for visitors that may have mobility issues. We hiked several different trails, and all were well blazed. The trails that led to fire tower and the stone wall had informational signs. Unfortunately the fire tower can only be viewed from the outside. I would love to see the view from the top! But if it's views you are interested in, checkout the overlook trail! The view is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! We also did the Big Rock Nature Trail (trailhead is near the lake dam). The 3/4-mile trail led to a beautiful waterfall. We didn't touch the Gahuti Trail this time, but we plan to do it next time we come back; it's challenging but very beautiful from what I have read about the trail. I would recommend it if you have a day for a hiking adventure. Snacks and water are required. The cabins and cottages all look well maintained from the outside and are located in beautiful areas of the park. We didn't check out the campground, but it's near the lake, but Fort Mountain State Park seems to have something for everyone!