Amicalola Falls State Park

I try to visit this park at least once or twice a month, and I’ve never been disappointed with the experience. The falls are always amazing, and the hike up the stairs and then back down the east ridge trail is one of my favorite one-hour exercises. The lodge at the top of the park is fantastic, and the new zip-line attraction is expensive but extremely enjoyable. It’s such a nice place to go, especially early on a weekday morning before the tour buses and school groups arrive.
5 8 years ago (12-05-2018)

This park is extremely well kept and has a bunch of trails of various length. It's a great place for day hikes or, of course, to start (or end) your AT hike to Maine. The welcome center also displays different types of snakes so you can identify which ones are dangerous and which are not. One of the best state parks I've been to.
5 8 years ago (26-05-2018)

Possibly the most beautiful place in Georgia. It's is well maintained, and although most of the time there are lots of people, even on the weekends it never feels crowded. There are various levels of difficulty, so if you want a challenge, there are hundreds of stairs to climb, but if you are there for the view, you can drive to lookout spots. A great place for a family or a hiking enthusiast.
5 8 years ago (26-05-2018)

CHECK YOUR DOG FOR TICKS AFTER LEAVING THIS PARK!! When I got home, my poor 10 pound silky terrier had no less than 15 ticks on him :( . That being said - This park is absolutely gorgeous! There are a few things to keep in mind. 1. You will need $5 cash to pay for parking. You CAN use a card to pay for parking in the visitor's center; but it's easier to just have the $5 cash. 2. The bathrooms are nice and easily accessible. 3. The signs aren't clear in this park, it took me a while to find the entrance to the path up the falls, and I missed a turn on the east ridge path due to unclear signs and became lost on a path that was closed! Thankfully, a kind park ranger drove by and I was able to flag him down and find my way back to my car. 4. This might go without saying ... BUT CHECK YOUR DOG FOR TICKS AFTER LEAVING THIS PARK!! When I got home, my poor 10 pound silky terrier had no less than 15 ticks on him :( . It was so bad, I had to shave him down and pull them off of him. Took me 2 hours to get them all of off him.
4 8 years ago (14-05-2018)

There are a couple of ways to get to the falls. I did a little research ahead of time and we decided to take the East Ridge trail up to start at the top of the falls and work our way down. (Hence not climbing 400+ steps.. aahaaa) Note: there is a $5 parking fee at the park entrance. The East Ridge is a moderate hike, lots of places to stop and view the gorgeous scenery. The falls are absolutely breathtaking. Many platforms are available for viewing. This is a must see if your in the area and definitely recommended even if your not... well worth the drive. After the falls we stopped at the lodge. There’s a nice little gift shop and restaurant. We grabbed a couple of cold brews and sat out on the sky deck!
5 8 years ago (08-05-2018)