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    Unicoi State Park

    4.0 (78 reviews)
    ModerateHiking, Parks, Hotels
    Open Open 24 hours

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    Falling trees.

    NA.... DO NOT CAMP HERE. First of all gonna start with the bathroom being the scary set for a murder horror film. DIRTY!!! Old 1970's raggedy bathroom!!! busted missing floor tiles, busted leaky crusty old shower heads that sprayed everywhere, dilapidated bathroom sink and toilets, no urnal - piss on the seat, all the floors were wet from the crazy shower heads. They literally had two walmart space heaters hanging from the ceiling for winter heat. It was summer no ventilation or ac and was like a Sauna in there from people taking showers mixed with odorous bowel movements!!! Only positive to the whole "comfort station" was it did have hot water!! Second they had DANGEROUS dead trees and limbs hanging over camp sites, one tree landed on neighbors beautiful truck. Two more huge trees came down the next day. Third.... BEARS. Someone in the camp was harassed every night during our 7 night stay by a bear, we knew ahead of time and took everything out of our popup, all utensils, microwave, and soap. Locked everything in our car! First night the bear shook our camper looking a snack. I had to get up in my skivies to yell and scream to chase him off. The last night three sites down the bear got into some coolers, they didn't know! Sleep with both eye's open! Warning The route from TN/NC took us via Russell scenic hwy, hog pen gap this crazy mountain, we're local and used to mountain's this was extra. motors revving like 3500 rpm at a crawl for 7 -10 miles. the rig in site next to us melted the rear calipers and had to go to the shop. The route 17/75 from Hiwasee Ga was safer. We do a-lot of camping and this was the worst place we've ever stayed. Possibly the other campground loop has a newer bathroom? Vogel State Park is 20 min away.

    Victor M.

    This is a nice State Park located just about 4 miles from Helen and that is the reason why we booked two nights here and that is exactly why the price/value is high, location, location, location other than that 64 per night is a little steep. The fourth star is for location Sites are very level and are surrounded by a six by six lumber to contain the gravel when it rains with a nice 6 inch corrugated drainage for runoff water to drain underneath the pad but lack of maintenance prevents the water from draining properly and our site was flooded on the second night of our stay because the mouth of the drain was totally clogged up. Not much of a view either, our site was surrounded just like all the others by the thick forest providing a nice lush feeling. Spent our time in Helen like most everyone else

    Beautiful trail around the lake.

    Beautiful trail around the lake. This is a nice trail to do with the family/kiddos. It also looks like a fun place to go during the summer.

    My grandson had a wonderful time. The staff take safety very serious. They make sure you understand what you're doing. Next time they're ready to try level 2.

    Danielle P.

    Unicoi State Park has alot to offer for the activities for the whole family. I spent 4 days in the area, hiking, wandering, and just some relaxing. We stayed in the barrel looking cottages, you have to stay at least 2 or more days. Kinda pricey, military receive 25% off which is a plus. The views were spectacular, we daily walked the lake. Keep in mind cell phone service is Zero depending were you at in the park. Check in/out: easy, they explain and give you maps to the whole park, and will recommend places, you are minutes from Helen, GA where there are good foodie stops, 90 min from Atlanta. Cottage: Big kitchen with coffee, no cream or sugar, clean, roomy, fireplace/ matches no wood, very warm & cozy electric heat. Bed was comfortable, nice size bathroom. The lake was at my backdoor, I enjoyed my views daily. I posted a video on my UTube channel if you wanna see the outside/ inside close and personal. (Dani Derives). Restaurant: Gets a 1 star*, We arrived at 7pm, they close at 8pm. The buffet was open but the food was cold and dried up. I asked the waitress if they were going to put more food out, she stated Yes, but this didn't happen. The fresh sea bass was tasty, but I was so disappointed that I paid $17.95...plus tax. I completed the survey but haven't heard anything from them. Plenty of parking toward the back of the dining hall. Park: Beautiful prk, lots of ourdoorsy activities to do, zip lines, rockwall, fishing, hiking, biking, lot of trails, and a beach. I dont swim in water were beware of snake warning signs are posted...No Thanks, Lol! Tip:The whole place could use some updating, so food was a 1*. Dont let this discourage you go, remember Helen has plenty of places to eat.

    $75 a night after Sept 1

    I tried to make a camping reservation at Unicoi, but not paying $75 a night for campsite. This place has gone downhill since the private company took it over! The last time we were there, it was run down and not kept up. Don't bother!

    Archery range

    Finding information about the archery range online was near impossible, so here you go. Follow the gravel road back to the range. Grab and envelope for your $5 and deposit it in the box -- honor system, sort of, but you'll want to tear of the receipt, punch the day of week and keep it on your person. Nice covered shooting area and concrete paths to sheltered, large, hung Morrell bag targets. A few different distances to shoot at the range maybe 10, 20, 30 and about 40 yds... We dropped by midday, mid week and nobody was using the range...ymmv.

    Park's main lodge
    Marqus R.

    Unicoi however is a stand out among the state parks considered to be large and beautiful. Its 1,050 acres encompasses everything one could want or expect from a state park. Besides pristine scenery it has a main lodge with 100 rooms along with dining and convention facilities. The park also has 106 campsites, 30 cottages, 7 picnic shelters, a group shelter, all sorts of hiking trails, even a zip line. It also offers boating, swimming, fishing classes, wilderness guides, paddle board classes, the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River, 51 RV sites and the list goes on. I've been here several times, done some wilderness camping as well as having civilization stays in the Unicoi Lodge. In all, one of the very best of state parks to be found anywhere,

    Alexandra M.

    I received a distasteful message from a Yelper Mike D., calling me derogatory names because my reviews are "biased", that I "make Yelpers out to be banjo playing and RV living" and I do not know why...... those are negative things.Kudos to those who have patience to play an instrument, I have an acoustic that after 2 lessons I threw in the towel.And a domicile on wheels,travel anywhere you please? How invigorating! I recommend committing yourself some time in nature! Even those with their own personal chefs ,frequent stays at the Grand Del Mar,driving custom-made italian cars should find peace in the good ole' outdoors. With that said, I love primitive camping, roughin' it so you will, and want to share with you my experience at Unicoi! ****THIS REVIEW IS FOR CAMPING AS WELL AS THE LODGE! My first night was on a Thurs.which is $15+a $5 parking fee for each car. Then for the weekend price goes up at $35 a night. Mind you this does not include a electric or water hook up, which I find very pricey, but there are bathrooms and showers provided for the primitive camping. It had two stalls for showers, one for handicap, and the water came out warm but not hot. Each site includes a firepit with a grill rack and a picnic table. They do have wood and firestarter log available for purchase in the lobby. I recommend the fire starter which is $6 each. They do have recycling and trash conveniently located steps away. They were having a "Winter Special" for their lodge that weekend,$66 for a night, taxes/fees included which I think was a great deal. With accordance to my birthday I thought it'd be a treat.This has been my 1st time staying at a lodge which brought some high expectations. But this is where mostly the star rating fell short. Its similar to a dingy Ramada Inn, hall ways and room itself had a melancholy feel, nothing warm or inviting to it. I guess you get what you pay for but if thats a special price, then I wouldn't spend anymore than that.It provided a coffee machine with complementary coffee, 2 water bottles, and some toiletries. Shower pressure was very light and water warm at best. For recreational activities, I did not hike their paved trails or zip lining that they offer, but I did visit Anna Ruby Falls. They do charge a separate entrance fee even though its in the park but not on the weekdays. It was absolutely beautiful, a very easy beginner hike to it and a creek streaming all through out my exploration. They have a gift shop for last minute camping essentials, souvenirs, and lots of information on wildlife and the agriculture in Georgia. TIP: If you want to see waterfalls, they have a brochure in the lobby of those near the park, disclosing difficulty of hike, length,height, and directions to each from Unicoi. There was a handful of waterfalls I never heard of even in my 2 week long research on the waterfalls in GA, so it came in handy for fun last min. sights!

    Michael B.

    What can I say about Unicoi State Park that hasn't already been said. It is a wonderful and beautiful park ran by the state of Georgia. Unicoi State Park offers a little bit of something for everyone. At Unicoi you can hike, bike, fish, camp, swim, or just plain be lazy if you like. This past weekend we went camping at Unicoi and enjoyed hiking, fishing, and being lazy while we were there. The campsites are great, we were able to place 2 tents in one site, hang up a hammock, and build a big campfire in the fire pit; it also had a build in picnic table in the site. A few yards away from the campsite was a very nice (but small) lake which had a trail to hike on leading around it, also was able to catch a huge .10 lb crappie out of it. While roughing it in the outdoors we loaded up the suv and headed for the town of Helen (a whole mile away). In Helen we were able to enjoy some of the local flavors of town such as German sausage, German beer, German music, and other scenery that the town offers. Once back at camp we cooked dinner over the open fire pit and were worn out. Needing a shower badly I had to only walk about 10 yards away to the public showers near the campground. So while you are "roughing" it, you can also pamper yourself as well. Unicoi State Park is a wonderful place and the only issue we had the whole time we were there is the other campers. If you go during peak season be prepared to deal with lots of people camping out around you. Other than that, it is a nature lover's and sportsman's paradise.

    1 bedroom barrel cabin has mildew all over shower curtain the stove is very old and filthy. The towels are very rough and have holes in them. The only item provided for the $12 lodge fee is a $5 park pass good for your entire stay. The cabins do not get internet or have phones so why do we pay the fee. No water, coffee, newspaper, infused water, bottled water or any other item they list in included and employees have no idea when you ask about it. After 30 years I think I am done with Unicoi. Stay somewhere else get your $5 park pass and hike the area. I have photos of shower curtain and stove from 2 years ago and nothing was corrected and looks the same only the mildew is worse now.

    Flying it out

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    I had a great time at Unicoi State Park and they had a ropes course nearby. I also went on a paddle boat. It was a lot of fun.

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    7 years ago

    The beach area is small and way too crowded on the Fourth of July. There are plenty of picnic spots but none were available.

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    We went for the zip lining and it was AMAZING! Our guides, Jesse and Scott we're phenomenal and 10/10 would recommend

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    Ask the Community - Unicoi State Park

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    No, pets are not allowed in the restaurant. Service animals that are well behaved are admitted but must not cause any issues with customers.

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    Review Highlights - Unicoi State Park

    Our guides Forest and Anna were great and the tours (both level 1 and level 2) were good courses.

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    Tallulah Gorge State Park

    Tallulah Gorge State Park

    4.5
    (210 reviews)

    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.

    Smithgall Woods

    Smithgall Woods

    4.8
    (10 reviews)

    Venue Smithgall Woods State Park ( Smithgall Cottages) 5 out of 5 stars…read more After copious amounts of research and several venue tours, we decided on Smithgall Woods state park, and more specifically the cottages as the venue for our wedding on June 8th. We just have to say we loved the team we worked with at Smithgall, mainly Todd, Patty, and Art. Todd at Guestservices was simply fantastic! As he will be quick to mention "the venue sells itself", however having him as our man on the inside was a pretty huge selling point on its own. He was with us every step of the way to answer our plethora of questions, work with vendors, and generally keep our minds at ease. Honestly, I doubt the wedding weekend would have gone as smoothly and been as much of a success had it not been for Todd's guidance and cooperation. The venue is magical. I know how that sounds, but it's the truth. It's tucked away deep in the beautiful North Georgia mountains, surrounded by a lush forest teaming with wildlife. This majestic property consists of five "cottages", in quotations because they are more like log cabin style mansions. The two largest being; the expansive 4 bedroom 4.5 bathroom cottage called the Smithgall Cottage, and the even larger 5 bedroom 5 bathroom Dover cottage. The Creekside Cottage is 3 bedrooms, and The Laurel and Garden cottages are one bedroom cottages with hot tubs on secluded side porches. All the cottages were clean, modern, and a huge hit with our guests. We were able to house both our families, close friends and wedding party all on the same property. Which saved us a great deal on lodging. Which after factoring in the cost of rooms made this one of the more affordable wedding venues out there. Also you get it for the whole weekend!!! We used the Smithgall Cottage for our wedding location due to the large wrap around porch and decks, and also due to the picturesque, covered foot bridge under which flows a gorgeous champion trout stream. We had some difficulty deciding where on this property to hold our ceremony because it is simply lovely all over. Unfortunately, the record rainfall that weekend made the decision for us. Even though the storms limited our use of the enormous field in front of the Dover cottage, and the gardens next to Smithgall we still were able to comfortably host our 50 or so guests and dozen vendors, at the Smithgall Cottage and our ceremony and reception went along wonderfully. We would highly recommend this venue to anyone wishing to have a once in a lifetime event at a once in a lifetime location.

    I came here to see the covered bridge, but discovered they have so much more…read more THE SCENE Smithgall Woods may not be someplace Georgians are familiar with, unless you are an avid hunter or trout fisherman. It was once private property that was gifted to the state by conservationist Charles A. Smithgall Jr. in 1994. A large section still remains private property for the Smithgall family, but what was gifted is a treasure trove of beautiful mountains, streams, meadow fields and wetlands. I began my solo hike around 12:15pm from the Visitors Center. There I was given a map and a few brief highlights of points of interest, like the waterfalls and gold mine. I then set off one what turned out to be a 4.5 hour adventure. Probably not the smartest of ideas since I had surgery just three weeks ago. But I was tired of resting around the house and desperately wanted to get out and do something. Besides, nature brings a calmness to my inner being and allows me to relax my mind in ways I just can't at home. It was a perfect day with perfect temperatures for hiking. In my entire time there, I only ran across one other human. ----- THE HIKE Inside the Visitor's Center is a gift shop and small wildlife museum of the nature plants and animals. I walked down the paved Tsalaki Trail towards the Cathy Ellis Trail (approximately 2.6 mile away). The trail starts off as a fairly steep incline. Along the way I saw a sign saying "caution - bees". I thought that was a curious warning until I noticed the white honey bee houses in the woods nearby. Next came the wetlands with a one mile looping trail and a boardwalk into the marshes. Here you have a strong possibility of seeing a beaver at work on a dam. I decided to save this area for my return hike and I'm glad I did. My energy on the return leg was running very low and I needed the benches here for a nice long rest. I reached the covered bridge about 37 minutes after leaving the visitors center. It was a real beauty made in the simple Town Lattice style. The memorial plaque at the entrance was titled "Bay's Bridge In loving memory of 'Bay' Elizabeth Smithgall Watts", whom died the year the land for the state park was gifted. It crosses the amazing mountain stream known as Duke's Creek. The creek from here will be a large part of your journey. The trail turns to gravel just past the bridge. MARTIN'S MINE was one of the first Gold mines in Georgia. Most of the mining occurred from 1829 to 1935. By the 1840's most of the easy gold was gone and hard mining began. Miners dug tunnels and shafts to remove ore from deep underground. You can still see some of the entrances and shafts. The trail is well marked with numbers, so be sure to pick up the Mining Trail brochure at the Visitor's Center to help you decode the locations. There is a spur trail off the Martin's Mine loop that takes you to a waterfall used for hydraulic mining, which began in the 1850's. It is an uphill hike, but the waterfall is very nice. Back on the main trail I traveled another 1/2 mile to Cathy Ellis Trail. This 1/2 mile trail starts off uphill, but once you reach the shelter it's all downhill from there. The trail ends at the beautiful Chunannee waterfall (which means friendship). Lots of vegetation on this portion of the hike. This land was once the home of Lucy Bryant, a Cherokee Indian widow whom was granted this 640 acre parcel in the Treaty of 1817. But by 1839 the Trail of Tear forced all Cherokee Indians off their land to relocate in Oklahoma. They curiously chose to name the trail after a 19 year old girl who fell over a waterfall in a different county altogether instead of the Indian widow Lucy. I don't get that, but whatever. The waterfall here is beautiful. I sat here about 25 minutes resting and admiring its beauty and feeling sad for the ancient Cherokee Indian nation. I arrived here approx. 2.5 hours after I began my journey from the visitors center. NOTE: Prior to arriving at the Cathy Ellis trail there is another steep incline, similar to the one near the Visitor's Center. ----- FINAL THOUGHTS In total I hiked approximately 7.5 miles today. I would normally have done this in probably 3 hours, but I tried to go at an easier pace since I'm still recovering from surgery. I allowed myself plenty of places to sit and rest, the most enjoyable of them being the waterfall on the Cathy Ellis Trail. Smithgall Woods State Park is indeed a wonderful place for those who love nature and peaceful hiking venues. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND giving them a visit.

    Unicoi State Park - hiking - Updated August 2026

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