Tallulah Gorge State Park
Tallulah Gorge has some of the oldest geological features
in North America. Over thousands of years, the Tallulah River has eroded hard quartzite rock into a 1,000 foot deep
chasm more than two miles long. The river drops almost 600 feet in elevation before it joins the Chattooga River, forming
the Tugaloo River. Five major waterfalls are located in the bottom of the gorge: L'Eau d'Or, pronounced LaDore
(46'), Tempesta (76'), Hurricane (96'), Oceana (50'), and Bridal Veil (17').
Tallulah Gorge was designated a state park in 1992 and is
jointly operated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Georgia Power Company through a unique public-private
partnership. Located in the historic town of Tallulah Falls, this 3,000-acre state park features many types of activities:
Jane Hurt Interpretive Center
- a 16,000-square-foot educational facility with cultural, historical and natural exhibits, an award-winning film,
classroom space, gift shop, restrooms and staff offices. The center is named for a Georgia conservationist, counselor
and educator who devoted 30 years of her life to the preservation and wise use of natural resources.
Terrora Campground
- 50 RV/tent sites may be reserved or are otherwise available on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 706-754-7979
for reservations. Comfort station with hot showers available.
Georgia Heritage Association Center
for the Arts - gallery includes works from some of the finest artists and craftspeople in the region. Located
on Hwy 441 beside the dam. Resident artists often demonstrate during operating hours: 10am - 5:00pm Mon-Sat, 1pm - 5pm Sun.
Day-Use Area - picnic
tables, 63 acre lake with beach (swim at your own risk; open Memorial Day - September), 20 miles of hiking and biking trails,
and two tennis courts. Free permit required for gorge floor hiking and rock climbing/rappelling.
Hiking
and Biking Trails - Six trails are open to the public: North and South Rim Trails; Sliding Rock and Hurricane
Falls Trails with gorge floor access (2.5 miles round trip, very strenuous, permits required); multi-use Stoneplace Trail
for hiking, mountain biking and backcountry camping (5miles one-way, moderate to difficult, permit required); Shortline Trail
(3-mile paved trail following Old Tallulah Falls Railroad Bed for hiking and bicycling); and Terrora Trail (1 mile loop, moderate).
Detailed information and free, required permits are available at the Interpretive Center.
Trail
Overview
| Trail |
Activity |
Distance |
Difficulty |
| North Rim |
 |
3/4 mile |
Easy to moderate |
| South Rim |
|
3/4 mile |
Easy to moderate |
| Shortline |
  |
3 miles |
Easy/Paved |
| Terrora |
|
1 mile |
Easy |
| Hurricane Falls |
 |
1/4 mile |
Very Strenuous |
| Sliding Rock |
|
1/4 mile |
Very Strenuous |
| Stoneplace |
 |
15+ miles |
Easy to Strenuous |
North Rim Trail Overlooks
- Access trail behind Interpretive Center. Approximately 3/4 mile one-way, moderate, some inclines and stairs. (Numbers correspond
to Tallulah Gorge State Park Map #2, to left).
1. Best southern view into the gorge. Oceana Falls is below,
with Bridal Veil Falls at far end of the gorge. Tightrope walker Karl Wallenda walked from this overlook to his tower on the
south sim in 1970. Another aerialist, Professor Leon, made a similar walk from the north to the south rim in 1886. Gorge depth
750 feet.
2. View of L'Eau d'Or Falls (French for "water
of gold"), top of Tempesta Falls, and Hawthorne Cascade and Pool. Gorge depth 350 feet.
3. View of L'Eau d'Or (LaDore) Falls, Hawthorne Pool, and the remains of a water compressor plant used in building
Tallulah Falls Dam.
4. Good view of Tallulah Falls Dam (completed in 1913) and upper portions of gorge. Gorge depth 250 feet.
5. View of upper gorge and southern view to Hawthorne Pool and Overlooks 2 and 3. Gorge depth 250 feet.
South Rim Trail Overlooks - Located on the opposite side of the gorge
from the Interpretive Center, this 100+ year old trail was destroyed by a tornado in 1994 and rebuilt in 1998. Approximately
3/4 mile one-way, moderate, some inclines. Trail is reached only by foot from the North Rim Trail or Day-Use Area.
6. View of Hawthorne Pool, North Rim Trail Overlooks 3 and
4, top of Tempesta Falls and down gorge towards Hurricane Falls. Gorge depth 350 feet.
7. View of Hawthorne Pool, Tempesta Falls and Pool. Gorge depth 400 feet.
8. View of Hurricane Falls and Pool, "Devil's Pulpit" outcrop below. Interpretive Center is across the gorge.
Gorge depth 500 feet.
9. View of Hurricane Falls, Oceana Falls, Caledonia Cascade (600 feet), North Rim Overlook 1. Gorge depth 650 feet.
10. View of Caledonia
Cascade, Wallenda north tower area. Bluff to far right is approximately 1,000 feet high.
Water
Releases For Whitewater Boating
Whitewater boating releases are scheduled for first two weekends in April
and first three weekends in November, 8am-4pm. Permits are required for the 120 kayaking spaces available each weekend and
can be obtained through Tallulah Gorge State Park. Water volumes are 500 cfs on Saturdays and 700cfs on Sundays. Kayakers access river below
Hurricane Falls and can be best viewed from North Rim Trail overlook 1. Aesthetic water releases of 200cfs are
scheduled for several days during spring and fall. Call the park for exact dates.
Activities & Amenities
|
Hiking Trails |
 |
Interpretive Center |
|
RV/tent/pioneer camping |
|
Wheelchair accessible |
|
Climbing |
|
Biking |
 |
Kayak/Canoeing |
 |
Dam |
 |
Fishing |
 |
Dumpstation |
 |
Laundry |
 |
Restrooms |
 |
Picnicking |
 |
Playground |
 |
Showers |
 |
Swimming |
 |
Tennis Courts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nearby
Attractions
Alpine Village of Helen
Black Rock Mountain State Park
Chattooga River
Traveler's Rest State Historic Site
Unicoi State Park and Lodge
Chattahoochee National Forest
Moccasin Creek State Park
Burton
Fish Hatchery
Park Times and Information
Park Hours:
Day Use Area: 8am - Dark
Campgrounds:
8am - 10pm
Address:
P.O. Box 248
Tallulah Falls, GA 30573
Camping Reservations: (706) 754-7979 or 1-800-864-7275
General
Info: (706) 754-7970
Park Fees
A $4 daily fee or $25 annual parking fee is required. ParkPass is
available at Interpretive Center.
Camping Rates: Tents $10.00, Trailer/RV $12.00
Georgia State Park Pass is
not accepted at Historic Sites. A small admission fee is required to view the museum and mound area.
Modified from Parkmaps.com
