An incredible natural wonder. From the moment you enter the park it is idyllic scenery that…read morecaptures your attention. I found myself stopping many times along the path to stare at the magnificence of the stream and listen to the rushing water. The falls were breath taking. All I could think while I stared at the glorious world around me was that "God is good" It is a fairly steep climb but there are plenty of benches for those that need a break in their journey up the mountain.

Be prepared for a 0.4-0.5 mile hike up to the falls. It was an amazing hike but this Florida girl…read moreis definitely not used to climbing hills. There was one point where it was steep but the view at the top made it all worth while.

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!

This is a separate mountain that isn't park of any of the massive park areas in the Appalachians…read morenearby. The trailhead is at the end of a short gravel road that was bumpy; navigable with a sedan but not ideal. The hike is woodsy and not highly difficult, but the cumulative effect after a couple of miles is significant. I found a meadow short of the peak which was sufficient for my interest. It had some nice views. Wildlife included a woodchuck and a substantial snail population. This area was considerably less crowded than the bigger mountains or the tourist town nearby. It wasn't anything mind-blowing, but it's a good outdoor activity.

The trail is only 2 miles long, but small part of it can be considered easy, most parts are rocky,…read moresome parts are steep. Normal trails take me 20 minutes for a mile, but this time it took me 80 minutes to get to the top. But reward is the beautiful views at the top. There are many tents and hammock setups at the small flat area on the peak. There are many branches along the trail with no sign, which are normally various shortcuts to the top, usually means steep, stay on trail with green marks. People were doing all kinds of yoga posting on the edges of rocks, it's nice but I personally don't think it worth the risk. Parking lot is small, expect to park along the way to trailhead. People brought climbing gears and lined up for serious climbing. According to a sign, this also is US military climbing training area.

If I could leave more than 5 stars I would. WOW! This trail was so good. It was a pretty moderate…read moretrail especially the first mile, then it does get more intense and rocky the last mile up. I love intensity, so no complaints. We did see a copperhead on our way down, but he was hanging out in the rocks. The views were to die for! It was so beautiful and green. Would love to do this hike again.

This is a substantial wilderness area. I snagged a parking spot down in the valley, and my…read moretrailhead yielded a walk of over an hour to the prime viewing areas. Here, unlike on my Brasstown Bald hike, the other mountains were actually visible, so it was a worthy, if tiring effort to get up there. The foliage was quite pretty and undisturbed along the way, and failing a few benches and stairs, little evidence of human visitation was present. There were no facilities at the parking area, no water, though a nearby Appalachian Trail center or the state park at the bottom of the valley probably had some services. Compared to Brasstown, this was a much more wild setting, and being nearby is worth checking out on any trip to the mountains.

Those looking for a short waterfall hike will appreciate Becky Branch Falls. It is approximately a…read morehalf mile hike round trip from the Warwoman Dell parking area to the falls via Bartram Trail. It can be easily viewed from a small bridge that crosses directly in front of the 20' waterfall. If you are feeling more adventurous, you can continue along Bartram Trail another 1.8 miles to Martin Creek Falls. It is mostly downhill, so the hike there is easy until you must return along the same path. Still, for the most part the trail is not terribly strenuous in any area. I walked this trail with a father and his 6 year old daughter that I met in the Warwoman Dell parking area. This tiny little lady easily conquered the trail, although I'm not sure how she handled the return trip since they stayed to swim in the pool of water at the base of Martin Creek Falls. The trail passes another waterfall that I don't believe has a name. It is a beautiful 8 foot multitiered waterfall, but it's not the big show! Travel approximately 1/3rd of a mile further past this fall to reach Martin Creek Falls. Believe me, it is worth the extra hike. THE AREA However, if you choose to only visit Becky Branch Falls, then be sure to check out the interactive trail through Warwoman Dell. Lots of informative signs will tell you about the area and the woman for whom it is named, Nancy Ward. Pronounced Nanye-hi, this Chreokee woman (whom belonged to the Wolf Clan) fought against the Creek Indians with her Cherokee husband. He was killed in battle, yet Nanye-hi rallied to lead her fellow Cherokees and defeated the Creeks. She was given the prestigious title of Ghighau (Beloved Woman) by her clan, which in turn gave her a council voice regarding decisions of war and peace. She eventually met and married an English trader by the name of Bryant Ward and spent the rest of her days trying to make peace between the Cherokee Nation and the Settlers. SOURCE: Scenic USA - Georgia The trail is a 1.5 mile loop that highlights the variety of plants such as the vast array of ferns, wildflowers and rhododendrons. This I believe is a nod to John Bartram (considered America's first botanist), Father of William Bartram of whom Bartram Trail is named. The trail is also said to have a beautiful scenic overlook, but I was honestly too tired to fully walk the loop trail to discover the view after my waterfall hike. Also along the trail is evidence of 18th century plans to build a railroad through this area. The bed for the railroad can still be seen in Warwoman Dell. FINAL THOUGHTS Family friendly hike that encompasses a lot of the things I love about being out in nature: Waterfalls, scenic views, beautiful plants and historic sites. I can only imagine what this trail looks like in the Spring when the rhododendrons are in bloom. 2018/53

This was a fun trail! I don't know much about hiking but this seemed like a fairly easy hike with a…read moregreat payoff in the form of a very pretty waterfall. We went in early November and saw a handful of other people. There We did not do the loop, instead continuing up on the Martin Creek Falls trail. I highly recommend, if you're up looking for a 4+ mile hike. If I had to make one criticism, it'd be that the trail doesn't go far from the road so you're hearing traffic for the duration of the hike. Not that it's a heavily trafficked road but you can definitely hear passing cars. There is parking just east of the trailhead at Warwoman Dell. Lastly, I had zero cell service on this trail! I got one tiny pulse of 3G at the trailhead, which enabled me to send a text I'd been trying to send since we parked, but nothing other than that. Lack of service aside, I would gladly hike this trail again!

Another gorgeous summit on the Appalachian Trail. 36.4 miles from Springer Mountain (southern…read moreterminus of the AT) and 3,486 feet in elevation, it's definitely a sight to behold. This was honestly one of my favorite vistas, nothing but wilderness for miles, a steep drop down. I felt... small, as I should. The world laid out before me, no one around, silence save for the wind... let that set in. The easiest and quickest approach is from Teastnatee Gap one mile to the North. The hike up isn't easy by any means unless you're a day hiker packing a water bottle or two. The incline is steep, trail not too forgiving either but, 100% worth it. Once you reach the top, just stand and look over the wild before you, the greens of the trees, blacks and grays of the rock, blues of the sky and whites of the clouds. I could go on but, it's an experience you need to have yourself. If you're feelin adventurous and want a FULL day of pain, amazement and wonder, start your day at Neel Gap, hime the 5 miles to Cowrock and visit the Levelland Mountain and Wolf Laurel Summits in between. And, take your time, stop and appreciate the peace, sights and sounds of it all. It's absolutely gorgeous. Regardless of how you choose to get to the Cowrock Summit, I GUARANTEE it'll be worth the hike.

*** WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO HIKE THIS TRAIL ALONE!!! ***…read more Lately I've been wanting to do some off trail hiking because there are hundreds of waterfalls in Northern Georgia that don't have neat, easy to follow "official trails" with signs & blaze marks. Thusly, these trails are less traveled and are better suited for experienced hikers. Not to mention the Coronavirus has me wanting to avoid people as much as possible. Sarah's Creek Falls has been on my radar for a while because the overall hiking distance is relatively short and it boasts TWO LARGE WATERFALLS (+ a smaller one near the campgrounds). ~~~ [ DIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD ] Turn North onto Sarah's Creek Road from Warwoman Road. Follow it approx. 1.9 miles to the campground. PASS THE CAMPGROUND ENTRANCE and stay straight on Sarah's Creek Road. You will cross a small bridge over Sarah's Creek in approx. 500 feet. Not long past the bridge the road will fork. STAY LEFT. About 500 yards past the fork you will come to a dirt road on your left. TURN HERE and follow it to the parking area for Sarah's Creek Falls. ~~~ [ THE EXPERIENCE ] Once parked, we secured the car and walked around the forest service gate onto the grassy old service road. HERE'S WHERE IT GETS TRICKY. There is no sign telling where the trail begins off this old road so pay close attention: The old grassy road curves to the right about 200 feet after the gate. Continue to follow for about 750 feet to the last possible trail on the right. There are several faint trails off to your right side but keep going. In total you should walk about 1,000 feet (or 1/5 of a mile) to the trail. The day we visited, the correct trail had pink ribbons tied to the trees at the entrance point guiding you all the way down to the upper falls. To assure you it is the right trail, it parallels the grass road for the first part of the hike as it makes its descent to the creek below. Most of the other faint trails are perpendicular to the road. Also, if you miss this entrance & keep walking the grassy road you will come to a field, which means you've gone about 120 yards too far. *** WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO HIKE THIS TRAIL ALONE!!! *** ~~~ UPPER SARAH'S CREEK FALLS If you indeed find the correct trail, about halfway down the trail you will see the upper falls over the ridge on your left. At this point, the pink ribbons lead you left towards the upper falls and orange ribbons lead you down to the lower falls. We tried hiking to the upper falls, but there were a great many obstacles along the way. We didn't make it. The upper falls seem to be in two sections. One long drop where the creek disappears and then re-emerges through a narrow flume-like waterfall. LOWER SARAH'S CREEK FALLS Continue past the split in the trail (it will not be obvious) and follow the ridge on its right side as closely as possible. You will begin to hear the roar of the lower falls and soon see the crest through the trees. You will lose the trail near the point you can see the falls, but continue downhill away from the falls until you find the safest route to the creek. We spotted orange ribbons on two trees leading to the creek. Except for the split from the pink ribbons, this was the only other set of orange ribbons we found. Once you reach the river, you must creekwalk your way left to the falls. I did not find the rocks to be slippery in the creek, however, the yellowish colored slab to the left of the lower falls put me on my butt. That sucker was like oil, so be careful! ~~~ [ THINGS TO KNOW ] Hiking Distance: 1.5 miles (roundtrip) Difficulty: Moderate (I do not recommended for inexperienced hikers) Creek Crossings: YES (directly though Sarah's Creek) Elevation Gain: 412 feet Upper Waterfall Height: Approx 200 feet Lower Waterfall Height: Approx 50 feet Access to top of falls: NO Access to base of falls: YES Pool of water @ base of Falls: YES Sitting areas @ base: YES RESTROOMS: NO PARKING: YES (4+ cars) ~~~ [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] The upper falls are HUGE, but it was nearly impossible to reach with all the downed trees. Lower falls are not as big but still VERY, VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE. Satellite images show another waterfall about 500 feet downstream from the lower falls. I plan to venture back here to see if I can find it and attempt the upper falls one more time with a machete. Google Earth has increased my adventuresome spirit, because satellite images show me what is out there... it's just a matter of finding my way to it! PLEASE, I can't stress it enough because of the remote off-trail nature of this hike: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO HIKE THIS TRAIL ALONE OR WITH CHILDREN!!! It is not a well-marked trail and has the potential of getting you lost. Plus, if you injure yourself help might not come for days since this trail is not popular! A smart idea might be to bring chalk of you own color choosing to mark trees to help you and a partner find your way back. 2020 / 18

As Richard Mentioned in his review, this probably isn't a trail you want to tackle alone. In fact…read moremore than once we got ourselves turned around and placed on a different trail before we realized our error. Lots of back tracking later and we finally found the trail to Sarah's Creek Falls. Before getting to the falls themselves, how do you get to the trail?? By car you're basically getting on Sarah's creek road. Stay on Sarah's creek road until a natural fork in the road is reached. From here take the left fork and follow a dirt road that comes up on your left. The actual parking area for Sarah's creek is basically a clearing that is blocked off by a Road closed gate. This made me concerned about leaving my car, but ultimately it's where you'll leave yours for this hike. From that above paragraph, let's just be clear that the falls trail is a challenge to find, and can also be a challenge to navigate, even to the trail itself. You'll want to walk past the road closed sign and follow the natural curve around. Here's the issue...you will see many smaller trails that look legit, but actually are not. IGNORE these trails (we did not, which added several minutes and steps to our hike). You're going to be looking for a couple of pink ribbons that denote the entrance to the trail to the right. Descend down the trail and follow these pink ribbons that frame the trail along the way. Some of the ribbons have fallen off the tree (we tied them back on as best we could) but they do an okay of taking you where you need to go. I say okay job because the ribbons become very sparse at the Lower Sarah's creek fall trail. This is concerning because you reach the Upper Sarah's creek fall trail first on the left. This is marked great, but there was also lots of path blockers including downed trees and heavy overgrowth. Am I saying this trail is impassable? With effort it may be, but we decided to back track out of there and continue down to the other trail. Going further down to the Lower creek trail, again, the blaze ribbons become sparse, and you really just have to follow your ears. A final ribbon leads to a flowing but shallow creek. Walk through this towards the left carefully, until you're standing directly in front of the Lower falls, which are gorgeous and have a height of approximately 50 feet, flowing into a pool. Be careful because the rocks are slippery but the trail was worth it going down. Going back up the trail and to those initial pink ribbons that showed the entrance to the trail was tough. It was straight up, and in this 1.5 mile in and out trail, the out part will set your thighs on fire. We made it out, and as a bonus tip, don't just go back to your car at the trail entrance, hang a right and walk towards the Grassy knoll to your left. Hear that sound? You can actually see the top of the Upper falls taking a small trail down from that grassy knoll. that gives you a frame of reference of how big the falls are...or basically it's roughly a 200 foot drop. Too bad the upper falls trail was blocked to us! Again guys, this is not a state park and not a well marked or traveled trail. Don't do the hike alone! Going down is no problem at all but coming up is going to work you, so keep that in mind also. Notice as well that while I mentioned the beauty of the falls, I mentioned nothing about the trail it self. Why? It's not a pretty hike, it's overgrown and you're just looking at branches and dirt road. Beautiful falls, overgrown, isolated trails that aren't pretty and are tough getting out of. Worth it? Oh yea!

If you plan to tackle the Appalachian Trail, head on over to Hogpen Gap. Between 13 and 14 miles is…read morethe distance for it. Some people have told me 13.4 miles, others say 13.8, I just say 14 and round it off. This is one way. I would suggest you either have a friend who parked at Unicoi Gap and drive with you to Hogpen Gap so you both could hike it. Otherwise, remember you have to walk back to your car afterwards so that's 14 x 2 = 28 miles. Hogpen Gap does has its own parking lot, so does Unicop Gap. Honestly, I would've never thought to tackle this trail without the support of my job. We were walking for a charity event and each miles per person = a dollar donation for Gigi's Playhouse. You can see it all on the news here, our journey. The video is here http://www.fox5atlanta.com/recipebox/270043868-video The article is here http://www.fox5atlanta.com/good-day/269973657-story I just want to say kudos to those who want to tackle the AT!! It is rough in some areas. Overall, the trail is moderate but some parts are strenuous with inclines of boulders. There are areas for camping and water (literally water running down the stream, many take filter water bottles). We actually met a lady who was doing the trail solo and camping. I find it amazing that people do have that passion. Honestly, I can proudly say that I've done this trail. It was tough in the past few miles. I was okay up until 11.5 miles. After that, my legs felt like jello. It took roughly 7.5 hours to finish it. More than halfway on the trail, you can see the birth of the Chattahoochee River, from a small stream that heads towards Atlanta. Whoever thought! Stay on the white trail. If you see a blue trail, it means it's an off trail. The white trail means you're still on the AT. If you see two double white lines, it means you will make a sharp turn. 103/2017

Trail effing Magic!…read more Ron of Ron's Appalachian Trail Shuttle and other Friends of the AT leave fresh clean water at the Gap. It's also a nice paved area to park your car and go for a day hike. If you're section or thru hiking, about a halfish mile or so south is a natural shelter. Several large rock formations that you can seek shelter under or setup a small tent under to get out of the wind or rain. I did and it was absolutely amazing. If you set a campfire the boulders vector the smoke perfectly to make a smoke blanket for warmth if you get your tent set properly with ventilation and all. I was warm all night (late October) with embering logs overnight. Another bonus of this gap; IF you need a break from the roughness of the trail(heading south) the highway will bring you back to it at Testanee Gap. Park, take a hike. Well with it.