Upper Spoilcane Creek Falls

6/15/2013 - on my way home from getting videos on the Upper Tallulah River, I took the long way home, over Unicoi Gap, and stopped and got a video of this falls too.

3/20/2011 - went back down FS 44 to get new pictures and to search for other waterfalls in the area - had a great day! See my blog entry on FS 44 and the 17 waterfalls I saw! Added a new picture of this falls that I took. Also got a new picture of Horse Trough Falls and added that.

GMAPS does not show the name of the creek for this falls, but it flows into Spoilcane Creek and based on the name it's pretty obvious it must be Upper Spoilcane Creek

7/3/2010 Did 3 falls, 2 near Unicoi Gap and the other at Vogel State Park. For the two falls near Unicoi Gap, you go north on GA 17/GA 75 from Helen, GA and the Forest Service road is to the left just before you get to the gap. The road is narrow in places, and leads to a very popular campground - so be prepared to back up to allow other cars to pass, if necessary - especially those pulling trailers as they will not be able to back up for you.

A short way after starting down the FS 44, there is Upper Spoilcane Creek Falls right beside the road. There's no parking area, you just have to find the nearest spot wide enough to park and then walk back to the falls. The photo was taken earlier in the year, but I forgot to write down which day, so am including it here. 

GPS: 34°47'42"N 83°44'59"W

http://www.jjanthony.com/waterfalls/falls/unicoigap.html

 

Directions and Information: from Helen, GA

• north on GA 17/GA 75
• left on FS 44 (before Unicoi Gap, if you get to gap you've gone too far)
• .6 mi. to falls on right

Upper Tallulah River (9 falls)

6/15/2013 - beautiful day today, warm sun, cool breeze!  Went up to the Upper Tallulah River to get videos of the waterfalls.  None of the falls on this part of the river are big, but they are pretty and since they are strung out about a mile of the river, they're easy to view.

5/7/2011 - my sister and I did the Upper Tallulah River again so I could get new photos and GPS points.  Somehow or other I missed a couple of falls, so I guess I'll have to go back again!  I'm not completely sure I now have the photos in the correct order. 

The 1st side falls is just opposite the best place along the road to view the first falls.  The 1st falls has a hole bored completely, or almost completely through it.  I hadn't noticed that before.  Check the top center of the big rock between the center and far right sections of the falls.

The 2nd side falls is visible across the river just west of the 4th bridge.  I found out about it from a website that says it's at the 3rd bridge, but it's actually the 4th.  It's supposed to be quite a big falls, and it's supposed to be possible to climb up to see it from the east end of the bridge and it does look like it might be possible - but it looks like you'd have to get down and crawl under some rhododendron and I just didn't have time to try it.

2/6/2011 - headed back up to the Clayton, GA area to try to find another falls.  Didn't find the one I was looking for, but since it was supposed to be somewhere up the Upper Tallulah River I took pictures of some small falls in the river.  Starting at the 1 mile point on FS 70, and for the next 2 miles, the river is just one spectacular sight after another.  There are shoals, falls, and rapids almost every inch of the way.  There are boulders in the river that range from big to enormous.  It's quite a sight!

The pictures are in the order I saw them as I drove upriver.

Directions and Information: from Clayton, Ga

• west on US 76
• right on Persimmon Rd
• Left on Tallulah River Rd/FS 70

Note: the most scenic part of the river starts at the first bridge and goes a little past the 4th bridge - a little over 2 miles.  The first bridge actually crosses the Coleman River, the rest cross the Tallulah River.

Helton Creek Falls (3 falls)

6/8/2013 - took advantage of the beautiful day to go up over Blood Mtn to film Helton Creek Falls.  I couldn't get the lower falls from the same place as in the still photo...it was under water! So I took the best angle I could from the trail down.

7/1/2011 - took half a day off today, and went up to Helton Creek Falls again.  There's been a LOT of storm damage up there, many big trees came down - maybe 5 or 6, or more.  They've all been cut up and moved aside, so the trail is clear - but you can't get onto the deck for the upper falls.  It was badly damaged by a falling tree and is currently closed.  Note: the deck has been repaired and is now open

I then drove the rest of the way down the Forest Service road and found there is a small waterfall at the ford across Helton Creek, not too far from Helton Creek Falls.  Didn't see any other falls after that.

8/8/2010 This is a double falls and is very near, and mostly visible from, the road. It's down what looks like a private community drive - but the road turns to gravel and is a Forest Service Road. There's a nice sized parking area. This is a popular falls and has a short trail to the base of the lower falls where you can get right in the water. The trail then continues up to a viewing platform for the upper falls

GPS: 34°45'11"N 83°53'41"W
GPS: 34°45'10"N 83°53'43"W
GPS: 34°45'10"N 83°53'15"W

 http://www.jjanthony.com/waterfalls/falls/heltonfalls.html

These pictures show some of the damage done at Helton Creek Falls in the tornadoes of 2011

Directions and Information: from Cleveland, GA

• north on US 129, past junction with US19
• continue past Neel's Gap
• right on Helton Creek Rd
• continue through residential area, road will become gravel
• parking area is on the right

Note: the road through the residential area is narrow, so be wary.  The drive will seem longer than it is, but the parking area is very obvious.  If you come to a "wet foot" creek crossing, you've gone too far!  Falls can be seen from the road, but there is a short trail downhill, across a small branch, and then uphill to the upper falls.