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    DeSoto Falls

    4.0 (20 reviews)

    DeSoto Falls Photos

    Recommended Reviews - DeSoto Falls

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    Craig T.

    I came here to do a short hike and see some beautiful scenery. The parking area was large and there is an honor system parking fee of $3. There are public restrooms at the location but warned that there no running water! I believe the waste goes into some underground hole. So it's pretty gross. Lol The trail leads off with signs and crosses a creek on a bridge. There are 2 separate waterfalls. One is a 3/4 mile hike one way and the other is a 1/4 mile but is partly a uphill hike which will take a lot out of you. Both waterfalls are very pretty. I definitely recommend this hike if you want a decent distance hike. I believe I accumulated approximately like 6,000-6,500 steps on both waterfalls.

    Desoto Falls
    Peggy W.

    We did a day trip since we live in Alabama. We drive little river canyon and decided to see this while there. It is very serene and scenic. It had been raining so the waterfall was full and beautiful. I could've stood there a while just listening too the water.

    View of the waterfall
    Lisette J.

    This spot was super fun! An easy hike with beautiful views. Our dogs enjoyed it too. Not too long but still a great time.

    Richard R.

    Desoto Falls are TWO separate waterfalls in one hike! Here's what you need to know. After parking and paying your fee, you will travel down a gravel path to a bridge that crosses Frogtown Creek. There are camper sites available here and along the creek people have stacked smooth stones into several cool towers. Once on the other side of the bridge you have the option to go left or right. Left leads you to the "lower falls" while right leads you to the larger "upper falls". The term "lower falls" is a bit of a misnomer, because the climb to it seemed a lot more strenuous than the upper falls. LOWER FALLS The trail to the lower says it is approximately 1/2 mile, while the upper falls trail is said to be 3/4 of a mile. Both seem about 1/4 mile longer than stated, but that's just how it feels. I didn't actually track it to see if it were true. The trail to the lower fall starts off flat, but then ascends very rapidly with the use of switchbacks. You will follow the same trail back to it's starting point near the bridge. The lower fall was surprisingly larger than I expected, but I'm not for certain how these falls are connected to the other since they don't appear to share the same stream source. The lower falls are not as photogenic and are partially blocked by vegetation. There was no reasonably danger-free way to get a better vantage, so don't risk going off trail. UPPER FALLS The trail to the upper falls keeps you snuggly next to the creek for 1/3rd of it, occasionally opening up to good photo opportunities of the creek. The trail will begin to rise on the last half as you near the falls. You will pass over two foot bridges. After the second bridge the trail appears to keep straight, but the larger upper falls will actually be to your left. You'll then hike a slight incline to a viewing platform with unobstructed views of the falls. FINAL THOUGHTS Wikipedia says there is an upper falls (200 feet tall), a middle falls (90 feet tall) and a lower falls (35 feet tall) giving the falls a grand total of 492 including the steep cascades in between falls. However, I only counted two falls and both were larger than 35 feet. I'm also curious as to how these falls are not considered two distinctly named falls since a) they are over a mile apart and b) are not fed by the same water source. Whatever the reason, it is still a very nice leisurely walk through through the woods. Perfect for beginners, but I would skip the lower falls if anyone in your group has bad knees or other physical ailments. 2017/129

    Nicki K.

    DeSoto Falls is off Gainesville Highway in Dahlonega. It has a parking lot with $3/car fee and is an honor system so please pick up the envelope, pay, and deposit. Parking lot is well marked. There are signs and map of North Georgia to show where you are. Public bathroom is also available. There are signs leading you to where you are able to hike DeSoto Falls. You will pass a creek with people camping. Once you see the sign leading you to the waterfalls, you will notice there are TWO waterfalls! Yes!! There is an upper and lower waterfall. Because the Lower falls is 1/4 mile vs 3/4 mile, we decided to do the shorter one first. While hiking, we noticed a shift elevation upwards. We thought we were heading to the Lower falls, not Upper! The hike is short and not strenuous but be ready to go up! Once you get there, you will see the beautiful falls. You can sit and relax and enjoy on the bench too. Now it's time for Upper Falls. The path is much more flatter than Lower Falls. I am glad we did this last. When you finally get there, you will see the beauty. There were many signs warning to not go close to the waterfalls cause of deaths. Not only that, we did see a cross on the side of the waterfall which steered us away from even attempting. Highly recommended! Worth a trip! Short hike to two waterfalls! 64/2017

    Here we go!
    Jamarcus T.

    Friends of mine always ask me about accessible water fall hikes that don't take miles to get to. Welcome: Desoto Falls! With Desoto, you get a water falls BOGO, because there are two falls, upper and lower falls, both of which are fairly short in terms of distance. Lower desoto falls is 0.25 miles or a half mile round trip, and there are a few switch backs and uphill hiking, but again, at a quarter mile, it's definitely manageable by most. A nice viewing area with a nice smaller fall greets you at the end, but double back and keep going to the upper falls! Upper Desoto falls is about 0.75 miles, or 1.5 miles in and out. It cuts past campgrounds, through woods and there are a few hills that will get your heart rate elevated, but nothing you can't handle. At the end you have a really nice waterfall that is very photogenic and with a really nice viewing platform. The trail is nicely marked (look for the green marks on the trees), dog friendly, and because of the trail access, there's always a decent amount of people on the trail. Parking is based on the honor system (i.e. there is no gate keeper) but take an envelope, and please put at least a couple bucks in there before hanging the tag on your rear view mirror. Parking isn't much of a problem, and restrooms are at the lot, so if you gotta go, go! Fun, quick and accessible to all park. Worth a visit!

    Jessica L.

    If you are looking for an easy hike without sacrificing views, then this is your place! There is a $3 parking fee, so don't forget to bring cash! All you have to do is place your money in the envelop and drop it in the deposit box at the entrance. There is a "bathroom" at the entrance. I say that because essentially it is a hole in the ground with a toilet on top of it, but hey it gets the job done! There are two water falls on this hike. It only took me two hours to do both, so you will not be here all day. One of the trails is shorter than the other, but both are easy hikes and very scenic. The paths are clear and easy to walk on. When I went in the early AM, there were not many people there, but as I was leaving in the afternoon, more people were arriving, but it was by no means crowded.

    Billie Faye M.

    My teenagers and myself made the drive down after walking up Brasstown Bald today! It was recommended to us by the sweet ladies in their gift shop. We hiked up to the big falls and had planned to do the little one as well but it started raining just as we got back down. It's a well maintained trail with some level plains, inclines and declines. I'm anything but an experienced hiker (lol), far from it, and I made it so you can too. Take your time and just enjoy the walk! It's heavy on the canopy of trees over head so it wasn't in the direct sun but on our trip it was very humid so take some bottled water. There is a restroom before heading up... beware, it's more of a permanent port-a-potty. Enough said about that. Take some cash for the honor box for parking. It's only $3. Definitely worth it.

    Lower Falls

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    Ask the Community - DeSoto Falls

    Review Highlights - DeSoto Falls

    Short walking distance to Upper Falls and Lower Falls.

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    Woody Gap Recreation Area - Preacher's Rock | Instagram: @telephonesmoothie

    Woody Gap Recreation Area

    4.8(11 reviews)
    7.7 mi

    I recently ran from Woody Gap trailhead to the top of Blood Mountain and back for the first time…read morewhich totaled around 16.5 miles round trip. It is a very beautiful section to hike, run and/ or camp on! Along the route you will pass over Preachers Rock! This is one of the best spots to watch sunrise if you're able to get up there before it begins! It is just over a mile from the parking lot of Woody Gap to the top of Preachers Rock. Along the route to Blood Mountain you will pass several designated camping spots (free to camp, first come first serve). I have yet to camp on this section, but I've picked a couple spots to try out next time! There are 3 water crossings along the route that you can fill up at; just make sure to filter the water before you drink it. I recommend bringing a Sawyer Mini water filter. It fits into the palm of your hands, so it doesn't take up any room in your pack. The trail itself is very easy to follow. I was a little nervous at first that I may get off course or take a wrong turn/ trail, but I can assure you that there is only one main trail that runs from Woody to Blood. There are some side trails that intersect, BUT they either lead to campsites or shelters. As long as you stay on the main trail, it is hard to get lost! I can't wait to go Bach again and run from Woody Gap to Neel Gap which will be around 20 miles round trip.

    It was a 30 minute hike and worth it because the view is beautiful! It's a little steep towards the…read moreend but it's doable.

    Photos
    Woody Gap Recreation Area - Preacher's Rock | Instagram: @telephonesmoothie

    Preacher's Rock | Instagram: @telephonesmoothie

    Woody Gap Recreation Area - Preacher's Rock | Instagram: @telephonesmoothie

    Preacher's Rock | Instagram: @telephonesmoothie

    Woody Gap Recreation Area - Preacher's Rock | Instagram: @telephonesmoothie

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    Preacher's Rock | Instagram: @telephonesmoothie

    Dawson Forest - Ram Rd

    Dawson Forest

    4.7(3 reviews)
    25.6 mi

    Want to hike in an-out-of-the-way area? Cool. Want to hike in an out-of-the-way area that also used…read moreto be a Cold War nuclear research facility that still contains relic structures of when it operated? If so, Dawson Forest is your place. Dawson Forest is a huge tract of forested land operated by the Georgia Forestry people but owned by the City of Atlanta, bisected by the Etowah River and located just southwest of Dawsonville. It's open to the public for hiking, horse riding and bicycles, although there are some calendar/time restrictions because it's also a hunting area. Get there by taking Dawson Forest Rd from Highway 9 just north of Silver City. At the time of this review, the Yelp map marker is wrong. I submitted a correction but Yelp is not very good with that. Wait, owned by the City of Atlanta? Yep. Apparently they bought the land as a possible site for a second major airport from Lockheed - which used it for the site of the Georgia Nuclear Aircraft Laboratory - but found it was unsuitable. It's been owned by the city since the early 1970's and is maintained as an experimental forest for the use of Georgians. Wait, what!? A nuclear aircraft laboratory!? Yep. The US Air Force commissioned Lockheed to explore the feasibility of powering bombers with nuclear reactors. It didn't pan out, but only after quite a bit of effort. The site contained a nuclear reactor, a hot cell test facility, support buildings and a really bizarre test facility whereby a reactor was elevated by cables between four towers to test ... well, I'm not sure what. But in the process, they managed to kill off all the wildlife in the area. It was quite an operation. You can still find numerous structures on the site including two fenced off areas that contain the hot cell facility and the reactor. I prowled around the hot cell building fence but didn't go to the reactor area. In case you're contemplating mischief, they're pretty serious about the fences. You don't want to go in there. More photos and videos are available on the GNAL Facebook page (everyone has a FB page, even derelict nuclear sites): https://www.facebook.com/Dawson-Forest-GNAL-154640534555862/ Air Force video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXd9JSJbrsU Other than the odd relic nuke structure and the ghosts of millions of murdered critters, you'll find miles of hiking trails (or horse trails, if that's your thing). The trails are accessed either from the main visitor information area (which is just a large board with the usual information set among weirdly out-of-place concrete pads and sidewalks) or from trail heads off the numerous unpaved roads that interlace the site. Most of the roads are quite passable by passenger cars, but some require high clearance and 4WD. At one point as I travelled to the northern half of the forest, I had to cross Shoal Creek. I suppose you could do it in your Honda Civic, but I put my Nissan Pathfinder into 4WD-Low to cross. One note on the roads - you can access (or egress) Dawson Forest from the north but it requires passing through a couple of miles of Georgia Wilderness area and there are signs that pronounce it highly illegal for any citizen to trespass without possessing one of two permits (hunting/fishing license or something else). Neither of which I had and I drove on anyway. I'm a rebel. A second note on roads - there is a trail map available at the visitor info area that along with all the colored trails shows the roads in the Forest, and the names aren't necessarily what shows on Google Maps. Trailmap: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/dawson-forest-dawsonville?select=_MLh00vz2UpkgKfehZ0xag The main entrance road, for example, is shown as Reactor Rd while Google says it's Dawson Forest Rd. I believe Reactor Rd is the historical name. It makes a bigger difference when it comes to Clark Rd. Google says that road is a continuation of Dawson Forest Rd to the river, while the map has Clark as a dirt road going off to the west from Reactor Rd. I didn't do a lot of hiking - this was mainly a recon mission. But from where I did walk, there appears to be a lot of signage indicating the trails - blue, yellow, purple, etc. I think the trails fairly well marked, although as I was on the blue trail near the Etowah River (at the end of Reactor Rd), I noticed the blue tree markings abruptly ended. Not sure what was going on there. Horse trails are easier to follow, because, well ... horses. I can't believe I didn't know about this place before. Over the past three years or so (before I became obsessed with golf), I've made an effort to visit all the Atlanta regional hiking spots and I totally missed Dawson Forest. If you look on Google Maps, you'll see a very large and prominent green square denoting the Forest. Not sure how I missed that. I'm a big fan of wildlife and wilderness areas open to the public, and Dawson Forest is no exception. The history of the place adds interest. 5 stars

    This review is for the Edge of the World hiking trail and park. It is in the Dawson forest as well…read more Parking is minimal (cars were parked on the main highway as well). Beautiful scenery and a boardwalk that runs next to the Amicalola Creek river. Flowers grow along the sides of the river, and there are benches along the way to sit and take it all in or enjoy a picnic. Boating/wading in the water/tubing are also options but there are big rocks jutting in the middle of the river near the boardwalk. Trails lead up and into the woods from the boardwalk...definitely my favorite part! It is a blue marked trail that runs a loop just under 3 miles. It's marked all along the way, and goes inland enough that you can enjoy the peace and quietude, along with changing landscape on a well paved dirt path that goes up and down. It's a good workout...I would call it an easy-to-moderate hike due to the hills and dirt path. Suggest downloading the All Trails app or finding a map so you have a reference during the hike, as it it quite windy and connects with the red/pink trail as well. There are signs for park fees but we didn't have to pay/there was nobody manning it and there was no gate (perhaps due to COVID or the holiday weekend?). Also a pretty drive from the city to

    Photos
    Dawson Forest - Etowah river near blue trail

    Etowah river near blue trail

    Dawson Forest - Georgia Nuclear Aircraft Laboratory hot cell facility near visitor info area (fenced off).

    Georgia Nuclear Aircraft Laboratory hot cell facility near visitor info area (fenced off).

    Dawson Forest - Trail signs on Reservoir Rd

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    Trail signs on Reservoir Rd

    Appalachian Outfitters

    Appalachian Outfitters

    4.5(51 reviews)
    19.1 mi

    We stopped by for a 2-hour kayaking trip, but unfortunately, no one was at the facility when we…read morearrived. The place appeared well-organized and inviting, so we waited for about ten minutes. Eventually, an employee arrived in a van, seemingly returning from a pick-up run. He asked how he could assist us, and I mentioned that we were interested in the 2-hour paddle--their most popular option--referencing the sign that clearly stated it was available anytime before 3 PM. We had arrived just after 2 PM. However, he informed us that they were closed and no longer offering that paddle for the day. I pointed out that both the sign and the website indicated that the last drop-in time was 3 PM. He acknowledged this but explained that since it was towards the end of the season and business was slow, they had decided to close early to avoid losing money. It would be helpful if the website and signage were updated to reflect these changes, or at the very least, if the information was honored. We had planned this activity for our afternoon during our short stay in North Georgia, and it was disappointing to find it unavailable despite the posted information.

    What an incredible crew down at Appalachian Outfitters! We had made a mistake that was completely…read moreour fault, but the owner could not have been more lovely. He made sure to make it right, even though it was our mistake to begin with, and we were able to kayak that day just as planned! What a fun trip and incredibly kind people. This is a must do!

    Photos
    Appalachian Outfitters
    Appalachian Outfitters
    Appalachian Outfitters

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    Adventure Awaits Fido - 2nd dog park fun!

    Adventure Awaits Fido

    5.0(1 review)
    43.0 mi

    Kristi is great with my dogs and she house sits when I am traveling.... I highly recommend their…read moreservices!

    From the owner: Adventure Awaits Fido! is a small, owner-operated dog boarding and daycare retreat located on a…read morepeaceful lake in the woods of Banks County, Georgia. This is not a high-volume commercial kennel. It’s a calm, nature-based, small-group experience designed for dogs who thrive with close supervision, enrichment, and meaningful social time. I live on the property where the dogs stay. The boarding area is just steps from my front door (approximately 20 feet away), and dogs are monitored overnight via cameras. Because I intentionally limit the number of dogs in my care, each guest is fully known and closely supervised. Dogs enjoy a home-like environment with indoor and outdoor options. Most of the day is spent rotating between rest, play, sniffing, and enrichment activities in small, carefully managed playgroups. New dogs are introduced slowly and individually to assess temperament and comfort level before joining group play. Think summer camp for dogs — a safe, structured, lakeside retreat. We call it Camp Fido. Services Offered: Dog Boarding Small-group, owner-supervised boarding with overnight monitoring and enrichment options. Dog Daycare Limited-capacity daycare with indoor/outdoor play, structured supervision, and socialization. In-Home Pet Sitting Overnight pet sitting in your home for dogs who are most comfortable in their own environment. Drop-In Visits Midday potty breaks, feeding visits, medication administration, and check-ins while you’re away.

    Photos
    Adventure Awaits Fido - Large bench in dog park area

    Large bench in dog park area

    Adventure Awaits Fido
    Adventure Awaits Fido

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    DeSoto Falls - hiking - Updated May 2026

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