Georgia's Underrated State Park Boasts A Stunning Waterfall In The Appalachian Mountains

Amicalola Falls State Park is home to one of the highest waterfalls on the East Coast. It is also the gateway to the Appalachian Trail, the longest hiking-only footpath in the world. Yet, for some reason, this Georgia state park is constantly overlooked. In fact, it is one of the most underrated state parks on the East Coast.

The state park covers more than 800 wooded acres in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest of North Georgia. It sits northeast of Dawsonville, a small city that is known as both the Moonshine Capital of the World and the Birthplace of Stock Car Racing. Amicalola Falls State Park is an easy, hour-and-a-half drive north of Atlanta and its Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), the busiest airport in the United States. By the time you reach charming Dawsonville, the capital of Georgia will feel worlds away.

When you pass through the gates of the state park, you will pay for a Georgia State Park Pass ($5 per vehicle each day). Then it is a short drive to the new Amicalola Falls State Park Visitor Center, which has a cafe, an interactive exhibit about the Appalachian Trail, and details about the area's moonshine-making history. Behind the building, a stone arch marks the unofficial approach to Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail that extends all the way to Maine. If you are considering the 2,197-mile hike at some point, check out a first-timer's ultimate guide to the Appalachian Trail.

It is also easy to reach Amicalola Falls, the state park's eponymous waterfall, from the Visitor Center. Though a quick drive will get you to parking lots close to either the Lower Observation Platform or the top of the falls, the Amicalola Falls Trail is the better way to approach the waterfall. Amicalola means "tumbling waters" in the Cherokee language. As the largest cascading waterfall in the Southeast, the 729-foot tiered waterfall certainly lives up to its name.

The two-mile, round-trip hike starts under the same stone archway as the beginning of the Appalachian Trail. The moderately difficult trail starts on flat ground before turning into an uphill climb. You will pass a Reflection Pool, which is stocked with trout, and a young hardwood forest at the beginning of the path. You will move through wide switchbacks and find gorgeous views of the mountains as you continue to hike. Eventually, you will start to hear those tumbling waters in the distance before you can actually see them.

By the time you reach the bottom of Amicalola Falls, that noise will switch from a distant whisper to a close rumble. Little Amicalola Creek, a usually slow-moving creek, cascades over multiple tiers of boulders into a pool of water below. Wooden bridges and stairs connect viewing platforms below, alongside, and above the waterfall. Plus, it is impossible to avoid the cool mist in the air. 

Luckily, there is no rush to finish your hike. You can enjoy Amicalola Falls as long as you want. At the top of the waterfall, you will find a grassy picnic area. It has pretty views of the valley below. If you did not bring your own food, you can eat at Cascades Restaurant. The panoramic view from its deck might be even better than its classic Southern meals. 

After lunch, you can sign up to take a canopy zip-line tour, which moves through a course with 19 zip lines and nine suspension bridges. You can learn how to throw a hatchet or take an archery class. There are also nine other hiking trails, including the Hike Inn Trail to a backcountry lodge, in the park.

You can plan to spend the night, or an entire vacation, in Amicalola Falls State Park, too. There is a 57-room lodge, 13 well-equipped cabins, 18 RV and tent campsites, and six glamping sites in the state park. Regardless of where you stay, you should find a spot near the fire pit on the lodge's lower veranda to watch the sky turn pink as the sun sets. As you sip a glass of wine and roast marshmallows near the roaring fire, you will start to feel grateful that this Georgia state park has remained so under the radar. You get to quietly enjoy a stunning waterfall and spectacular views of the Appalachian Mountains.