1/2/2011 Went back to Kingwood Golf Course to get better pictures of Laural Falls. It was such a nice day, I went slowly and was able to pay more attention to the creek. There are at least 3 other waterfalls, and possible 2 more as well. As you walk up the logging road you can distinctly hear one falls after another get louder and then softer as the next one begins to get louder. I was able to get pictures of a small, natural falls below an old dam and of a big waterfall that is before Laural Falls.
Between that big waterfall and Laural Falls there is at least one other that can be seen, but not very clearly and from the sound there may be another between that one and the big falls. Below the big falls there is one upstream of the still water behind the old dam. But I just couldn't get good pictures of the two that I was able to see - but I'm going to count them anyway!
It's a real shame someone doesn't make a creekside trail as it would be a nice hike up the creek from one falls to another!
GPMAPS doesn't show a name for either of these creeks, but the one with Laral Falls flows into another unnamed creek that flows into Chechero Creek
11/7/2010 Laural Falls is on the grounds of Kingwood Golf Course in Clayton, GA. While I was there some kind people told me about a falls that can be seen from, of all places, the trash compactor site just up hwy 76 from the golf course!
This is up an old logging road behind the golf course. Actually, not too far up this logging road there is another falls visible down the hill...but I couldn't get a good angle for a photo, and it was a bit too steep for me to try to get close. Have to try this one again, and anyway my photos on this day did not turn out very well...so I need to redo them all.
GPS: 34°51'37"N 83°21'51"W
GPS: 34°51'41"N 83°21'52"W
GPS: 34°51'43"N 83°21'50"W
GPS: 34°51'45"N 83°21'48"W
GPS: 34°51'46"N 83°21'43"W
GPS: 34°51'48"N 83°21'41"W (on unnamed side creek)
Directions and Information: from Clayton, GA
- go east on US 76
- watch on the left for Kingwood Golf Course
- drive up to the guest lodge and let them know you are there
Note: the desk attendant can give you a map to the falls. You have to walk up a paved road and where it splits into a V you take the upper/left hand road. The paving ends at the last house and becomes an unpaved logging road. Immediately past the last house, look down into the valley and you will see an old dam with a small, natural falls below it. A better view of this falls is down the right-hand paved road at the bottom of the hill.
Continue up the old road and through a gate. Just past this gate the road curves away from the creek and there is a wooded, but somewhat open area. When I was there, there were several long green pipes laying at the top of this area and a faint trail/old road ran beside them. If you follow this down until it ends, then bushwhack down to the creek you come out at the top of the still water behind the dam. Upstream of this is another falls, but I couldn't get a good angle for a photo
Part way up this road there is a fork - take the right-hand road, and that is the one that goes to the falls. There is a sign here pointing to the falls and if you look down into the valley you will see a big, white-water falls - but not very clearly. This is not Laural Falls! Upstream of this falls you will hear maybe another one, and then above that again, there is another one that is smaller and even harder to see, but you can clearly hear it and if you look carefully you'll see it.
Continue until you cross the wooden bridge at the confluence of the creek and a small branch. Laural Falls is to the left, upstream on the creek.
Continue up the old road and through a gate. Just past this gate the road curves away from the creek and there is a wooded, but somewhat open area. When I was there, there were several long green pipes laying at the top of this area and a faint trail/old road ran beside them. If you follow this down until it ends, then bushwhack down to the creek you come out at the top of the still water behind the dam. Upstream of this is another falls, but I couldn't get a good angle for a photo
Part way up this road there is a fork - take the right-hand road, and that is the one that goes to the falls. There is a sign here pointing to the falls and if you look down into the valley you will see a big, white-water falls - but not very clearly. This is not Laural Falls! Upstream of this falls you will hear maybe another one, and then above that again, there is another one that is smaller and even harder to see, but you can clearly hear it and if you look carefully you'll see it.
Continue until you cross the wooden bridge at the confluence of the creek and a small branch. Laural Falls is to the left, upstream on the creek.