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Unicoi State Park

4.0 (78 reviews)
ModerateHiking, Parks, Hotels
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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.

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.

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

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.

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2 years ago

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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4 years ago

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

Are dogs allowed?

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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Mount Yonah Trailhead - Turkey Tail Mushrooms along the trail

Mount Yonah Trailhead

(37 reviews)

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.

Tallulah Gorge State Park

Tallulah Gorge State Park

(209 reviews)

Tallulah Gorge State Park is a 2,689-acre Georgia state park adjacent to Tallulah Falls, Georgia,…read morealong the county line between Rabun and Habersham Counties. The park surrounds Tallulah Gorge, a 1,000-foot deep gorge formed by the action of the Tallulah River, which runs along the floor of the gorge. Service options here are picnic tables available, has barbecue grill and it's dogs friendly. One of the most spectacular canyons in the eastern U.S., Tallulah Gorge is two miles long and nearly 1,000 feet deep. Visitors can hike rim trails to several overlooks, or they can obtain a permit to hike to the gorge floor (100 per day, not available during water releases). A suspension bridge sways 80 feet above the rocky bottom, providing spectacular views of the river and waterfalls. $5 parking fee or an Annual ParkPass is required for each vehicle. The park offers a range of trails, from easy rim walks to the more challenging trek down into the gorge floor. Permits are required for gorge floor access, but the effort is well worth it as you can get up close to the waterfalls, including the famous Hurricane Falls. Approximately 2 miles, round-trip Mulched with metal stairs, Rated difficult. This trail has a total of 1,099 stairs (including staircase to gorge floor). Please do not attempt this trail if you have any known health condition. The North and South Rim Trails consist of 3 miles round- trip which will take approximately 2 hours to hike. It is a mulched trail with exposed roots that is a leisurely walk. From the Interpretive Center there is a recycled rubber tire trail that accesses Overlooks 2 and 3. Overall had a great experience.

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.

Riley Moore Falls

Riley Moore Falls

(4 reviews)

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

Unicoi State Park - hiking - Updated May 2026

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