Wood Booger Top 5: Georgia State Parks

Saturday, I had the pleasure to return to Amicalola Falls State Park for the Appalachian Trail Kick-Off (ATKO), so being back at the park got me thinking about a Top 5. I have been to a number of state parks in Georgia, eight to be exact. So, here is the Wood Booger Top 5 of my favorite Georgia State Parks (as of now).

Honorable Mention 1:  Dahlonega Gold Museum – While not a State Park per say it is considered part of the park system. It is located in downtown Dahlonega, GA at the old Lumpkin County Courthouse. It has plenty of exhibits related to North Georgia extensive history with gold mining, including being the key to the expulsion of the Cherokee from the Eastern U.S. If you’re in Dahlonega it is a great place to visit.

Honorable Mention 2:  Unicoi State Park – I will say that this

beautiful park just missed out on making the Top 5. Located north of Helen, GA it is a 1,050-arce park near Tray Mountain. The park has a 100-room lodge and some unique cabins like the barrel ones. However, the center piece of the park is the 53-acre lake which beautiful any time of year is especially so in the fall. Oh, and to access Anna Ruby Falls one must pass through the park either by car or hiking the five-mile Smith Creek Trail. I will say if Anna Ruby Falls was in the park instead of on U.S. Forest Service land it would have made the Top 5.

Number 5:  Fort Mountain State Park – This jewel of the Cohutta Mountains between Chatsworth and Ellijay is one of Georgia’s oldest parks (opened in 1938). However, what it is most famous for is the ancient 928-foot long wall that gave the park its name.  I went over it in more detail here, but the wall is a mystery with a number of theories of who built it and when. It is an amazing sight and well worth a trip to the park, but there are other highlights. These others include the old CCC Tower and the 17-acre mountain lake. When created the park was 1,930 acres but was expanded in the late 90’s to 3,712 acres.

Number 4: Vogel State Park – This is the one of Georgia’s oldest parks (1931) and still one of its best. Nestled under iconic Blood Mountain it is the quintessential mountain park. While one of Georgia highest parks, at 2,500 feet, it is not the biggest park coming in at 233 acres. What it lacks in size it makes up for in beauty. At its center is the gorgeous 20-acre Lake Trahlyta and below its spillway is the beautiful 110-foot Lake Trahlyta Falls. There are plenty hiking options including the Coosa Backcountry Trail and that Bear Hair Trail which features a spur to Vogel Knob with a great view of Lake Trahlyta.

Number 3: Tallulah Gorge State Park – Located in Tallulah, GA the centerpiece of the park is the 1000-foot gorge that the Tallulah River flows through. It is also the home of seven waterfalls including the second tallest in Georgia, the Caledonia Cascade at 600 feet and one of the best the 96-foot Hurricane Falls. It also has one of the four staircases in the state park’s Canyon Climbers Club with 650 steps. One other thing it is famous for is Karl Wallenda tightrope walk across the gorge in 1970, which his great-grandson, Nik Wallenda wants to complete the same feat on the 45-anniversity this July.

Number 2: Black Rock Mountain State Park – Georgia Highest

State Park (at 3,640 feet) is one of its best. Located above the apt named Mountain City it is a 1,743-acre park which includes the picturesque 17-acre Black Rock Lake. Established in 1952 the park boasts four peaks over 3,000 feet and has six overlooks. Some like the Blue Ridge and Black Mountain Overlooks can be reached by car (Black Mountain is located at the visitor center) two of the best have to be hiked too. The first is Lookoff Mountain Overlook which can be reached on the James Edmonds Backcountry Trail and the second and best the Tennessee Rock Overlook is reached on the trail of the same name. There is even a nice little waterfall, Ada-Hi Falls at the park. Just outside of the park is the Foxfire Museum, which celebrates mountain culture. By the way, the park is closed from December to March, but good news it opens back up Monday (March 16).

Number 1: Amicalola Falls State Park – Was there any doubt that Amicalola would be number one. I have visited the park now on six occasions and it is easy to figure out what makes this park great…the falls. Standing at 729 feet the falls is one of the largest in the southeast and one of Georgia Seven Natural Wonders. As waterfalls in Georgia go it has no rivals. While the falls are more than enough to claim the top spot there are plenty of other things to enjoy at the park. There is the 57-room Amicalola Falls Lodge; there are the famous Owl and Snake Shows and the Appalachian Trail (AT). The park owes it existence to the AT. The trail once passed through here when the southern terminus was at Mount Oglethorpe. When the southern terminus was moved to Springer Mountain, in 1958 the park was developed so AT hikers could access the trail from a major highway via the Approach Trail. The park now serves as an “unofficial” starting point for AT Thru-hikers. The AT Approach Trail starts at the “Arch” which is now like a starting line goes either up the 604 steps at the falls or up the East Ridge Trail. Every March the park host the ATKO, which are a celebration of the trail and the start of thru-hiking season. Oh, I almost forgot it is also the starting point for the trail to the Hike Inn. All of this in a park that is a compact 829 acres, that is why it is numero uno.