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
4 comments:
These look like places in PA, too. I'm curious as to why you have the, is it watermarks, on the pictures?
Cheers, Lady Di
I have the "watermarks" because I had a picture "stolen" from me at one time and claimed by the other person as theirs. This way, if they are taken, they always have my ID on them
We did this trail in early June, and the wildflowers were outstanding. The trail faded out in a thicket of rhododendrons, but there was a nice sized cascade, though I recall doing scrambling to get to it.
Hemlock - thanks! Sounds like I need to go back and do that steeper part after all! And I had already decided to go back when the rhododendrons are blooming, it's bound to be spectacular!
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