He came here late August 2026. The website said it was only…read moreopen until 5:00 p.m. We got there right at 4:30 and the guy said we could stay as long as we want because the arm to get out will open automatically. We paid $6 per person to get in we were able to check out the gift shop a little bit before it closed at 5:00 p.m. we walked up to the falls which is not paved but it's not a bad walk at all once you get to the top they Have some wood walkways that take you closer to the falls. I loved it because we were basically the only ones out there until another couple showed up and they helped us take photos of each other so that was good. We stayed for about 20 minutes and then headed back. I must see if you're in this area.

If you are visiting Helen, GA, be sure to place visiting Ruby Falls at the top of your list…read more Honestly, this was the best part of our stop in Helen. You gain access to the falls through Unicoi State Park & Lodge. Anna Ruby Falls are nestled in the Chattahoochee Oconee National Forest. It's about a 5-minute drive uphill through the park and once you reach gate to the Unicoi State Park there is a $6 per person (per carload) fee. Once past the gate they have a Visitor Center with a large parking lot, a clean restroom, and gift shop with some refreshments available. On the back side of the visitor area lays a massive patio overlooking Smith Creek. There is a wooden boardwalk to the right that follows the creek down for a short walk but it comes to an end and you must turn back; this area was really buggy (they kept going for my eyes). If you go to the left of the main entrance, you will start walking upward the trail to Ruby Falls. The path is not paved and there is no boardwalk leading to the falls until you are within a 200' or so of the falls. However, the path is wide and clear of most debris so you could get a stroller through here but I wouldn't recommend it because you will have to really work at it. It's a 1/2 mile walk to the falls and it's a continuous uphill climb to 219 feet of elevation. Once you do get to the boardwalk there are stairs leading upward to platforms where you can take photos and achieve better views of the falls. Note: You can bring your dog but they must be leashed. Anna Ruby Falls are stunning; they are essentially two separate creeks crashing down; Curtis Creek - drops 153 feet and York Creek - drops 50 feet, they come together to form Smith Creek which flows through the south of the mountains and into the Chattahoochee River. There are plenty of wonderful photo op areas here and it's a great way to get away from the touristy downtown area of Helen and experience the natural beauty Georgia has to offer. Nancy and I came late in the day, about an hour and a half before close and there was only one other couple up here with us, so we basically had the whole place to ourselves at one point so this was a magical experience for us. Anna Ruby Falls was the most memorable experience we had while in Helen, GA. I highly recommend going if you happen to be traveling through the area.

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)

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!

Yessssss! Beautiful…read moretrail, beautiful waterfalls.... Be careful because there are many tree roots and rocks. It was definitely worth the 1hr drive from Gwinnett.

Such an amazing hike! It was a very easy 2.5 miles back and forth total! We brought our dog and it…read morewas very friendly for him, there's some trails you can take for more adventure and it's absolutely so much fun! We came at 8am, the trail was empty, I recommend a good early sunrise adventure with friends to beat the crowd! 20/10 recommend :) Parking is only $4!

Look at this view! Do I need to convince you why you should go visit? It's so peaceful and…read morebeautiful.

Another beautiful Georgia State Park, we spent most of the day exploring this park, it's another…read moreexample of what the people of Georgia can be so proud of. The ammenties here are nothing less than outstanding with beautifully maintained hiking trails and meticulous maintained common areas. We spent a week in the area and only sampled a small part of what's offer here but it definitely checks all the boxes for a return trip. The staff here was so gracious and was quick to answer all our questions and provided some helpful tips to make our visit enjoyable and was eager to share the history of the area. The landscape is a drastic change from what we experience in our home state of Florida with the higher elevations and moderate temperatures and humidity which made this visit special and a real treat I can't wait to return...

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.

I came here on a very hot summer day with the plans to see some waterfalls. We got here around…read more8:30am which I believe is when the park opens. We took the South Rim (At least I think it was the South Rim) and went to all 5 viewing points which is a flat walk and a round trip of about 1.5 miles. Then we went down into the Gorge which includes 1,099 steps (actual staircase) to the bottom and of course that many steps back up. You can't go all the way to the Gorge floor without a permit but that just means you can only walk down 1,089 steps to a platform. There are plenty of places to stop including a very cool suspension bridge that overlooks Hurricane Falls. This was pretty tough for a 50-year-old fat boy like me but it's doable if you can simply climb stairs. The views are amazing and worth the quads burning for the next 3 days. The visitor's center is really nice. There is of course a gift shop. a huge display of taxidermy of all the local wildlife and a very nice museum that goes through the history of the region. The most important part is they have air conditioning. Suck it up, take the stairs and buy the t-shirt saying you did it when you are done.

The visitor center is phenomenal! Movie was down for some reason. The gift shop has loads to choose…read morefrom and the rest rooms were clean and there were many stalls available. There is almost a museum quality to the taxidermy animal scene they have in the middle of the room and along the walls. Truly a special visit! The hike to see the inspirational point and the swinging bridge wasn't too strenuous for my 4 or 5 year old for people's reference when considering it. We are an active family who hikes etc. There were a lot of warnings but we found it wasn't as bad as it seemed.

Beautiful resting spot partway up Mt Yonah. Great views! This is the first good place to get an…read moreunobstructed view, and a good spot to take a rest before continuing on to the summit. It is also a worthy destination if you don't have time or energy to do the full hike.

This is my GOTO for any season ... doing this hike in summer is just extraordinary. We did this…read morehike with our dog , it's medium with lil elevations . I love the swimming hole here , not so deep for you n ur fur babies . Mine is a 78 pound lab mix who loves water . Most of the trail is covered with trees so even on a hot summer day you can totally attempt this .

The trail was a good workout and the falls were beautiful. However the road to the trail was…read morebrutal. A section of the road is washed out - you have to drive through a stream. Most of the road is rocks and ruts - best for you to have a sturdy 4 wheel drive vehicle.

This is the best waterfall we got to visit in SC this far. After we left Reedy Branch Falls we…read moredrove here. Well, as close as we could get. I didn't realize that we couldn't drive all the way to the trailhead so we had a long hike in store due to me having to carry my toddler most of the time. I should have re-read the previous reviews before coming. My friend did help me carry her as well and for that I was very thankful. So definitely don't recommend this hike with a little one unless strapped in a carrier. Also, I don't recommend it for the elderly either. It's definitely a wilderness hike deal with roots and elevation change. In fact, it's mostly downhill on the way to the falls, but on the way back it's pretty much all uphill, which was not fun with aforementioned young child. It's about a half mile to the actual trailhead and then another 0.7 mile to the falls. That's about 2.4 miles round trip. The reason of course that my boys absolutely became enamored with this place is the large swimming hole. It is wonderful and has plenty of space. The waterfall itself is beautiful and although it's not as tall as others, its width is quite impressive. I was trying to get as close as I could and even noticed a hidden part of the falls inside of the rock structure. That was so cool!! The sand at the base and shore give it a beachy vibe. We definitely packed it in and out making sure not to leave anything behind as to preserve the area as best as possible. Needless to say we were wiped by the time we made it back to our vehicles, but we're still glad we decided to venture here. Coming back with my hubby and boys in the very near future. Happy yelping!

I just wanted to update my 3/15/20 review below to add I've now done this hike several times, but…read moreTHIS time I had the chance to hike it with a friend who is directly related to the namesake of the waterfall... Riley Moore. Sandie is a church friend of mine and Riley Moore was her Great Great Uncle (I believe that's right). He once upon a time operated a grist mill here at the top of the falls. She's been trying to get here to see the waterfall, but couldn't find it and wanted to join us (along with her family) since I knew the way. Upon further research I discovered there are actually still remnants of the mill including visible drill holes, spikes and bolts. Thought that was pretty cool info to share! [ [ [ PREVIOUS REVIEW ] ] ] Riley Moore Falls is small in height but HUGE in personality. It's located off State Road S37-748, which is a nicely maintained gravel road where cars and trucks alike can comfortably traverse. ~~~ DIRECTIONS From Westminster, SC - DO NOT turn onto Cobb Bridge Road from Long Creek Hwy (Hwy 76) where you will see the brown & white sign pointing you in the direction of Riley Moore Falls. Our GPS had us go this way, then left onto State Road S37-748, but the road was CLOSED during our visit! INSTEAD, turn onto PU-32 also known as Rocky Fork Road. Turn left onto a gravel road near Rocky Fork Baptist Church and follow that until it dead ends @ State Road S37-748 (also known as Spy Rock Road). Turn right and drive approx. 1.4 miles (4 minutes) to 748c (aka Riley Moore Shoals Road). Park at the intersection of State Road S37-748 and 748c. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE 748c in a car or minivan. Low clearance vehicles will find the terrain on this road to be VERY difficult to navigate without bottoming out or getting stuck. I'd also recommend 4x4 capability on wet days! There can be several deep-pocketed muddy areas after heavy rains. ~~~ THE TRAIL Once you reach the intersection of Spy Rock Rd (S37-748) and 748c, park roadside on Spy Rock, secure your vehicle and begin your hike approx. 1/2 mile down the "primitive road." IF you have a high ground clearance SUV or truck, you can drive the primitive road another half mile or so to a second parking area near the trailhead. The primitive road is VERY BUMPY  and can be muddy in spots after heavy rains, so a 4x4 is best. After reaching the second parking area, follow the marked trail on the left!!! The trail is a little over a 1/2 mile to the falls from here. The trail is fairly straightforward and easy to follow. ~~~ THE FALLS Once you reach the Chauga River, you will notice a large sandy area with plenty of room for an entire horde of hikers!!! Riley Moore Falls is not very tall (only about 12 feet), but it is very wide and has a deep base pool. PRO TIP - Bring swimwear, towels and a picnic, but be sure to pack it in and pack it out. ~~~ THINGS TO KNOW Hiking Distance: 2 miles (round trip to falls from S37-748) Difficulty of hiking 748c: All downhill to trailhead (moderate return) Difficulty of hiking trail to falls: EASY Creek Crossings: NO Elevation Gain: 357 feet Waterfall Height: Approx 12 feet Access to top of falls: NO - not without getting wet Access to base of falls: YES Pool of water @ base of Falls: YES Sitting areas @ base: YES + sandy beach RESTROOMS: NO PARKING: YES (along road) + secondary parking area closer to trailhead for trucks and high ground clearance vehicles with room for about 6 cars. ~~~ [ FINAL THOUGHTS ] A lovely waterfall in any season, but also a great spot for a summer swim. While we had the waterfall practically to ourselves during our Mid-March expedition, be advised other trail website reviews say it gets trashy & crowded in summer months. What a shame if that is true because it truly is a treasure. ENJOY! 2022 / 74 #UPDATE 178