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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Sometimes you just stumble across beauty when you weren't even looking for it. Case in point:…read moreRichard R. And I were driving along on a destination to a waterfall, when we both pointed at the huge waterfall we almost drove past! Located on the property of Mark of the Potter off of GA-197 in Habersham County, this is a waterfall you don't get to have much access to if the store is closed, and sadly we visited this waterfall during COVID times and they were closed until further notice. Being closed doesn't mean you shouldn't stop and take a look however, because the waterfall is pretty impressive. Fortunately for us, the falls were flowing very well for us on this day. I'm not quite sure we have much access to this when the shop is open, but it's definitely worth the visit regardless! To get there on purpose (unlike what we did), the best way is to just use the address to Mark of the Potter here: 9982 GA-197, Clarkesville, GA 30523 Such a pleasant surprise to see a gushing waterfall visible from the road. If you find yourself in this area, stop on in!

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...

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.

Hardman Farm was a nice walk from my hotel. There is a gift shop however, they do not allow pets…read moreand walking I had my dog with me. So that was disappointing that I couldn't go in and explore. we could walk around the grounds and explore the barns and areas of the farm. There are some fantastic views. The main house is gorgeous. The barns are cool. I liked seeing the dairy barn. The land is one of my dreams. The walk back to the hotel was just as nice under the shade of trees following the river.

Stopped in on a whim and just caught a guided tour heading out...so glad we did. Faye was our tour…read moreguide and she moved at a good pace and had some interesting history to share. The house is preserved to it's original state as much as they could (they've added electric lighting, etc) and there's lots of art and personal items to check out. Great way to spend an hour or two if in the area on a nice day. You will walk outside for a good portion of the tour so dress appropriately! There is a lovely gift shop that I'll keep in mind if I'm ever in the area and need a little present or hostess gift :)