Cresswind man-made falls

2/27/2011 - this one is just for fun.  I went out today to try to find 2 natural waterfalls, but no luck with that.  On the way home I passed this set of falls and I think they're just are pretty as a "real" watefall.  Whoever built these is a real artist!

Directions and Information: in Gainesville, GA

• on Brown's Bridge Rd (GA 369), just west of the junction with GA 53
• waterfalls are at the entrance and visible from the road

http://www.cresswind.com/communities/lake_lanier

Wolfden Loop falls (5 falls)

2/26/2011 - went back to the Wolfden Loop trail to get pictures of the falls there.  Found there are 5 falls, but one is unnamed and the one called "Dry Falls" is literally that.  Might actually be quite pretty if you see it during a rain storm, but there's no creek - so I removed it.

The trail is not too difficult as far as elevation and hills are concerned.  The falls are all in the 2nd mile, with Cascade Falls at the end of that 2nd mile.  There's a big hill to go over between the 3rd and 4th falls, but it's not a bad climb.  I found the trail very tiring though, because it's very rocky and you can't just "cruise" along - you have to watch carefully where you place almost every step. Plus, there are quite a few creek crossings.  I didn't count them...but maybe 10 or 12? and only 2 of them are on bridges.  I could cross the rest and only get the soles of my boots wet, but again had to go carefully.

I don't have the GPS points for these yes, but GMAPS indicates they are on Wolfden Branch, though Cascade Falls might be on Cascade Branch

1/8/11 - I've just remembered a trail that I have hiked in the past that has waterfalls.  On checking some trail descriptions there are at least 5, so I am adding them here.  These falls are on the Wolfden Loop that comprises part of the Pine Mountain trail and other trails to make a nearly 7 mile loop.  Will have to add this one to my list of "redo" hikes as I don't have any pictures from the hike a few years ago.

Here's a trail description that mentions the falls: http://www.georgiatrails.com/gt/Wolfden_Loop
The falls listed are:
Dry Falls
Csonka Falls
Big Rock Falls
Slippery Rock Falls
Unnamed falls
Cascade Falls

Csonka Falls is at the far end of a long shelf of rock.  It's not very high, and has a nice pool below the falls.

Big Rock Falls - the trail goes right down beside this falls, on the same rock shelf

Slippery Rocks Falls - the first time I did this hike, there was a sign here, but there was no sign today.  "Slippery Rocks" was right - the first time, I fell flat on my can and skinned an elbow!  Did better this time.

 



Wolfden Loop unnamed falls - this is a small falls, just before the Cascade Falls.  What looks like a rock shelf at the top of the falls is actually a downed tree.

 

Cascade Falls - this falls is just a short way past the 21 mile marker

 

Directions and Information: from Warm Springs, GA

• south on Alt 85
• right into parking area at WJSP TV Tower
• if you cross GA 190, you've gone too far

Note: trail starts past sign-in kiosk - which is about 25 yards from the parking, to hike it counter-clockwise.  The entire loop is comprised of the western beginning of the Pine Mountain Trail and the Beaver Dam Trail to get back to the parking at the radio tower - and is just under 7 miles total, but the falls are on the first 2 miles of the Pine Mountain Trail.

There are other loops along the 23 mile Pine Mountain Trail and more information can be found at: http://www.pinemountaintrail.org/?page=9

Coleman River Trail falls (8 falls)

2/13/2011 - Coleman River Trail falls

This trail is accessed from FS 70 (Tallulah River Rd.) along the upper Tallulah River.  It's a short trail, supposed to be 1 mile...but I didn't go that far in.  I came to a point, just after a bridge in very bad repair, where I'm sure there is a big falls...but the trail became MUCH steeper at this point and I didn't want to try it when I was alone.  What sounds like a falls at this point might be quite big (it has a deeper note to it's sound) but the rocks and the rhododendrons conspire to hide it almost completely, so I didn't count it.

This is a very pretty river and could easily be combined with a hike up the Tallulah River itself.  It only took me 30 minutes to hike out from the point where I stopped, as it's all down hill.  I don't know how long it took to hike in, because for 3 of the falls I had to bushwhack down the hill to the river to get better pictures, so that ate up some time.  That plus stopping so often to get pictures of the others!

Several websites I checked complained about the bad shape of the bridges on this trail, but the Forest Service has been doing some work.  I crossed one completely new bridge, and one older one that has a brand new railing.  The last bridge I crossed was in bad shape, no railing and missing several boards...but I'm thinking they just haven't gotten that far in yet.  I also saw signs where some blow downs had been cleared out of the way.

I don't know how much further in it goes from where I turned around, but the above mentioned websites say it just stops in a patch of rhododendron.

Directions & Information: from Clayton, GA

• west on US 76
• right on Persimmon Rd
• left on Tallulah River (FS 70)
• park at entrance to first campground (Sandy Ford)
• walk upriver to first bridge (crosses the Coleman River)
• trail is to right before bridge

Note: parking along FS 70 is at designated spaces only, so even though it looks like there is room to park at the trail head, the closest parking is at the entrance to Sandy Ford camping area.  There is also parking about 100 yards past the bridge over the Coleman River

Hidden Falls-Rabun (4 falls)

Hidden Falls - Rabun county

2/11/2011 - as often as I have been in the area of Clayton, GA I've been seeing a road named Hidden Falls Road.  Curiosity finally got the better of me, and I drove down it to see if there really is a falls in there.  This is a mountain development and the roads in there are more like narrow driveways.  Must be tough if cars meet going in opposite directions! 

I found a road, Big Shoals Rd (I think), that went steeply down the hill, and there was a sign at the top that said there were 4 waterfall lots for sale - so down I went!  The deeper into the valley I went, the worse the road got.  Right before lot #11, it was really bad.  I could hear falls though, so I drove as far down the driveway for lot #11 as I could.  It isn't a developed lot (yet), and the driveway just stopped abruptly, but right beside it was a small branch and 2 levels of sliding waterfalls.  The driveway was, at one time, graded and graveled all the way to the main creek, but was badly eroded and I had to pick my way down very carefully on foot.
UPDATE: I've been checking the maps on Google Earth and the "main creek" is Stekoa Creek

When I got to the bigger creek, I could see the top of a falls, but no safe way to get down below it.  The valley is very deep, and the sides are steep.  So I just got the best pictures I could, and then carefully made my way back to the car.  The driveway and road are so narrow that I had to do a "10 point star" to get my car turned around to drive out.  And then I had to power my way up about 30 feet of the road, as it was very broken up and my tires had trouble getting traction.

As I was driving out, I saw another long, sliding falls that is not visible on the way in.  This falls is probably on the same branch as the other 2, but I couldn't be sure of that.  Anyway, I got 4 falls altogether!

Directions and Information - as far as I can tell, there is no public access to these falls.  I found them by using the driveway of a private lot that was not yet developed.  But the main road into the development can be accessed from the north side of US 441 as you approach Clayton, GA

Sawmill Creek falls (4 falls)

2/12/2011 - Sawmill Creek - big falls, small falls, and a couple of others

Went back up to Covecrest.  I found out from their site that there was another, big, falls that I totally missed because I didn't go far enough down their trail!  It's a shame they can't put in some kind of trail, or boardwalk, or something that stays close to the creek, as this creek is very much like the one at Kingwood Golf - it's just one long set of falls and shoals all the way down the hill.  Some of the falls are hard to see, and a couple can only be heard.  I got pictures of the big falls, a new one of the small falls, and another good sized one above the big falls.  And I even got a photo of a rainbow at the base of the big falls.

The one above the big falls doesn't photograph very well, due to all the rhododendron, but it's more apparent when you are actually there, as the moving water catches your eye.  Between this one and the big falls, there is another small one, but I couldn't get a good photo of that one either.   I would say that from what I could see and hear, there might be as many as 7 or 8 falls along this creek.

I did speak to someone at the office and found out the creek name is Sawmill Creek, and that as far as they know none of the falls is named.  They only refer to "the small falls" and "the big falls"

2/5/2011 - headed up towards Clayton, GA to find some new waterfalls.  Didn't get to as many as I'd planned, but there's always tomorrow!  I did get Sawmill Creek Falls and a big falls complex on Stekoa Creek.

Sawmill Creek Falls - these falls are on the grounds of the Covecrest Christian Renewal Center/Lifeteen Camp http://www.lifeteencamps.com/covecrest.asp.  I did check at the office to be sure it was OK for me to be there, but there was no one there at the time.  The small falls are very pretty, and there are others downstream of these - but those are hard to see.  The small falls spills over a long shelf of rock, that sits at an angle to the flow of the water - so the water slides along the top of the shelf and then spills over in several places. 

There are also at least 2 smaller falls further downstream.  One of them I could hear, but couldn't see and one I was able to see, but there was so much rhododendron and trees that I didn't get a very good picture.  Possibly there are even more further down as the main trail takes a downhill track not too far from the falls, but I didn't have time to explore that far, plus with all the rain we've had it was very slippery and I didn't want to take a chance on falling when I was alone.  This is on my "redo" list!

 

Directions and Information: from Clayton, GA or Tallulah Falls, Ga

• From US 441, west on Tiger Connector (some maps may say 441 Connector)
• in Tiger, cross old US 441 and road changes to Bridge Creek Rd
• left into Covecrest Christian Renewal Center
• at lodge/office - left on Falls Rd
• where Falls Rd makes a sharp right turn and ends
• park at sign for Buckeye Trail

Note: you will hear the falls from the parking spot.  A short way down the trail there are several indistinct side trails, the best is the second one below the falls - but be careful, it comes out right at a wooden cross on a more distinct trail, and I nearly put my eye out on the crossbar!  There is a bench here.  The main trail appears to also come out at the falls, but I don't know how far along the trail from the uphill portion to the falls it is, and I didn't have time to try to find out.  The property was not posted that I could see.