Hiawassee and Young Harris Hiking Trails and Waterfalls

Cupid Falls, Young Harris (easy)

Hardly need to get out of the car, just a short easy walk…picnic table.

Directions: From the Chamber, take Hwy 76W to Maple St. turn left (at corner of Mayor’s Park) through YHC Campus to Thomastown Rd. Falls on left.

Mill Creek Falls, Hiawassee (moderate)

This waterfall is for the adventurous. A 60 foot drop that flows into a huge gorge.

Directions: From the Chamber, go east on Hwy 76, turn right on GA 75 south toward Helen. Go 3.5 miles and turn left onto Mill Creek Rd. Turn left on FS Rd 26 after 1.1 miles. Park in the campsite at 2.5 miles. Follow the creek to the right side, the falls will be just ahead.

High Shoals Falls (1.2 miles in length, moderate)

These falls have a succession of five waterfalls and have an estimated total vertical drop of 300’. They are located in a 170 acre scenic area. The High Shoals Trail follows along High Shoals Creek to observation decks beside two of the five streams cascading in the High Shoals Scenic Area. Please stay on the trails and observations decks.

Directions: From the Chamber, take Hwy 76East through town, turn right onto GA75south toward Helen, past the turn for Brasstown Bald, look on your left for the High Shoals sign, you are turning onto FS Road 283. Go 1.5 miles on this road to the High Shoals Scenic Area for parking.

Horse Trough Falls (.4 mile in length, easy)

The beautiful Horse Trough Falls has an excellent trail for novice hikers.

Directions: From the Chamber, Hwy 76 East through town, turn right onto GA75south toward Helen to Unicoi Gap Turn right onto F.S. Road 44 (Wilkes Creek Road). Go 0.2 mile, ford the stream and follow colored blazes on trees.

Raven Cliff Falls (2.5 miles in length, advanced)

These falls are one of the most unusual in the North Georgia area because the water flows through a split in the face of a solid rock outcropping to the ground 100’ below. Behind the split, the water drops approximately 60’ and then rushes through the rock face and drops 20’ into a deep pool. The water then cascades 20 more feet to Dodd Creek. Three other waterfalls can be found on Dodd Creek.. The area offers excellent op-portunities for day-hiking, however, there are no facili-ties of any type provided. Visitors are encouraged to exercise extreme caution in this undeveloped area.

Directions: From the Chamber, Hwy 76 E through town, turn right on GA75 S toward Helen. Almost to Helen, turn right onto GA356 (75 Alternate) and go 2.3 miles to the Richard Russell Scenic Byway. Turn right, go 2.8 miles to the trailhead and parking area.

Dukes Creek Falls (.8 mile in length, moderate)

Dukes Creek Trail winds its way into Dukes Creek Gorge where it dead ends across from the 300’ Dukes Creek Falls. The area offers scenic beauty and excellent gold panning opportunities.

Directions: From the Chamber, Hwy 76 East through town, turn right onto GA75south toward Helen. Almost to Helen, turn right onto GA356 (75 Alternate) and go 2.3 miles to the Richard Russell Scenic Byway. Turn right onto it and go two miles to the Dukes Creek Falls Recreation Area on your left.

Anna Ruby Falls (.4 miles in length, easy)

Two creeks, Curtis and York climax their run down the steep slopes of Tray Mountain in twin waterfalls. Curtis Creek falling 153’ and York Creek dropping 50’. The two waterfalls jointly are called Anna Ruby Falls, named after the only daughter of James H. “Captain” Nicols, retired Colonel of the Civil War who settled in the Nacoochee Valley in 1870.

Directions: From the Chamber office, east on Hwy76, through town, turn right onto GA75 south toward Helen. You will cross over the Appalachian Trail. Almost to Helen, turn left on GA356 for 1.5 miles, then go left at the entrance road to the falls.

BLAIRSVILLE AREA WATERFALLS

Trahlyta Falls (.5 miles in length, easy)

This great fall is located past the dam inside Vogel State Park. A mainly flat 1/2 mile trail gets you to the bottom to the viewing platform.

Directions: From the Chamber take Hwy76W to-ward Blairsville, in Blairsville, take Hwy129 South for 11 miles. The falls will be on the right just before the Vogel State Park entrance. Parking for the falls is at the lake on the right side by the picnic area.

Helton Creek Falls (.3 mile in length, moderate)

Helton Creek Falls Trail follows Helton Creek to two waterfalls. The trail accesses the lower falls at both the bottom and top of the falls and ends at the bot-tom of the upper falls. The totalvertical drop is more than 100’ and the rocks are de-ceptively slippery around these falls-exercise caution.

Directions: From the Chamber take Hwy76W to-ward Blairsville, in Blairsville, take Hwy129 South for 11 miles. Turn left on the first gravel road past the entrance to Vogel State Park. Go 2.2 miles to a small pullout parking area and the trailhead will be on the right.

HIAWASSEE AREA HIKING

Lake Chatuge (1.2 miles, easy)

A loop trail along the lakeshore.

Directions: From the Chamber , go east on Hwy 76 to the traffic light at Hwy 288, turn right. Go 1 mile and turn left into the Lake Chatuge Recreation Area. Parking at the boat ramp area, trailhead is to the right of the boat ramp.

Miller Trek – (6.5 miles main loop, some shorter, moderate)

Difficult to moderate trails with rolling hills. Located at Brasstown Valley Resort.

Directions: From Chamber, left onto 76 W, drive approximately 2 miles to 2nd entrance into Brasstown Valley Resort’s service entrance. Parking area will be on the right, marked with signs.

BLAIRSVILLE AREA HIKING

Sosebee Cove Trail (0.5 mile, easy)

This loop trail circles through one of the finest stands of second-growth hardwood in the country and is also noted for the variety of wildflowers flourishing on the forest floor.

Slaughter Creek Trail (2.7 miles, moderate)

This trail provides access to the Appalachian Trail from Lake Winfield Scott.

Directions: From the Chamber office, take Hwy76 West toward Blairsville, In Blairsville take Hwy129 South for 9.5 miles. Before entrance to Vogel State Park. Turn right (west) on GA180 and drive 7 miles to Lake Winfield Scott. The trail begins at the main bulletin board near the head of the lake and shares the same path with the Jarrard Gap Trail for a short distance. Parking is available near the campground host’s cabin.

Jarrard Gap (1 mile, moderate)

This trail provides access to the Appalachian Trail from Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area. The trail follows an old logging road through cove hardwoods to Jarrard Gap.

Directions: From the Chamber office, take Hwy76 West toward Blairsville, in Blairsville take Hwy129 South for 9.5 miles before the entrance to Vogel State Park. Turn right (west) on GA180 and go 7 miles to Lake Winfield Scott. The trail begins at the main bulletin board near the head of the lake. Parking is available near the campground host’s cabin.

Byron Herbert Reece Access Trail (0.7 mile, moderate)

This is an access trail to the Appalachian Trail from the Byron Herbert Reece Memorial. More parking is available here than at the Walasi-yi Center at Neels Gap. This blue-blazed trail enters the Appalachian Trail just south of Flat Rock Gap. The trail is fairly steep for about 0.3 miles.

Directions: From the Chamber, take Hwy76West to Blairsville, from Blairsville take Hwy129South for 12 miles. Turn right into the Byron Herbert Reece Memorial Parking area.

HAYESVILLE, NC HIKING AREA

Lake Chatuge Dam (easy)

Directions: From Chamber, turn left onto Hwy 76 West a t next light turn right onto Hwy 69/17 North toward Hayesville, NC. Go approximately 5 miles turn right at next light (Hwy 64E) then right at next light (Meyers Chapel Rd). Dam entrance will be on your left at .7 miles. You can park there and walk through to the Clay County Rec Park.

Jack Rabbit Mountain Recreation Area (easy)

Trails vary from 0.7 miles to 3.1 miles in length, maps with trail information available at the Towns County Chamber.

Directions: From the Chamber office, take Hwy 76 east into Hiawassee. Turn left on GA75 North at (McDonalds ) Go approximately 3.5 miles, to the North Carolina – Geor-gia state line, where it turns into NC175. Proceed 1.5 miles and turn left onto SR1155 into Jackrabbit State Park.