Patterson Creek Falls (4 falls)

See also: the entries for Patterson Creek falls (Valley Springs Lodges) and Patterson Gap Rd falls and Kilby Mill Falls...these are all along Patterson Gap Road and when the road is in good shape (not always a given) it's a pleasant drive through the mountains

Patterson Creek Falls is just off the same road that leads to Valley Springs Lodges (see below) and there is a marked trail, but it's not in great shape. I went down as far as I felt safe doing, but came to an area I was leery of doing by myself so I stopped at that point and went back. There are many small falls and cascades on this creek, not all of them good for photos though. I got as many as I could, but was quite disappointed to see that for the last one the picture didn't turn out nearly as nice as the other ones. Don't know why. I'll have to go back and try again.

GPS: 34°58'46"N 83°26'45"W (start of trail)

Directions and Information: from Dillard, GA

• go west on Betty's Creek Rd
• turn left on Patterson Gap Road
• will go up steepish hill, just over the crest look for small eroded area on the left
• park here and follow trail down hill and to the left

Note: when I was here the trail was marked by wooden diamonds painted green & nailed to trees

High Shoals Falls (Walden Creek)

High Shoals Falls on Walden Creek is small but pretty. Following Mr. Anthony's directions, it's a little over a mile hike from the nearest road, on a Forest Service road that is blocked at the end where you start the hike. If the road hadn't been blocked I could have driven almost up to the falls...except there was a big blow down blocking the road maybe 1/4 mile in. Otherwise it was a nice, easy enough hike.

This one was a little weird though. The whole time I was hiking I heard no voices, no motors, nothing but normal forest sounds. Yet, when I got to the falls there were 2 big family size tents there..with outdoor kitchen set up, coolers sitting around, etc. I stayed a little while to rest and take pictures. And the whole time I was hiking back out, again I heard nothing but forest sounds. I have NO idea where all those people went!

One thing though, the road you hike in on continues past the turn for the falls and I'm thinking it's possible to drive in from the other end...if I can just figure out where that is, and that the campers had driven out somewhere and that's why I didn't hear anything.

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

Directions and Information: from Dahlonega, GA

• north on GA 60/US19
• left on Camp Wahsega Rd
• right on Black Mountain Rd
• left on Jack Walker Rd
• left on Carlton Gooch Rd
• at .2 mi - look for closed Forest Service road & park here

Note: trail to falls is 1.2 miles down this closed road, on the left. My memory is that you go down a longish hill, cross the creek and then turn left to go to the falls. The trail was a bit washed out and rough to start with, but not difficult. Opens up to a more or less flat area big enough for a couple of family size tents. There is a wooden swing in front of the falls.

Black Falls (2 falls)

11/12/23 - took some Traildames to see the falls on the grounds of the Ranger Camp. I found from "Waterfall Hikes of North Georgia" by Jim Parham that there is another falls below Black Falls, on the Etowah River. The directions are the same, but you have to follow the river downstream, along an old road, and when you get near the bottom of the hill - look back upstream and you'll see a long cascade through the trees. It was difficult to get a good picture, but the cascade starts near the top of the photo, where it's very bright and runs more or less straight down the photo.

This falls is on the grounds of the Camp Frank D Merrill Ranger training camp and is behind a locked gate. This area is also a rappelling training area and I suppose that's why it's kept locked - to keep idiots from falling off the cliff. Certainly the road to the other falls (West fork of Montgomery Creek) on this same property has always been open when I've been by there, but there's no cliff there.

At the bottom of the photo you can see a narrow footbridge with a rope strung across the creek as a hand-hold. I didn't try to cross, as my balance on narrow bridges is not good, but on Mr Anthony's site the photos are from the other side of the creek.

 

These falls are on the Etowah River

 

GPS: 34.62315°N 84.10575°W

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

Directions and Information: from Dahlonega, Ga

• north on US 19 bypass
• right on Camp Wahsega Rd
• at Camp Merrill - stop at kiosk at camp gate for directions
• falls are at SSG R Portello Rd
• go past road & gate to small parking area
• go back to locked gate - you can get around it on the left side
• falls are at the bottom of the road and to the right

Note: because the gate to this falls is kept locked, stop at the Camp Merrill gate for directions. You have to park at the top of the road and walk down.

PLEASE STAY OFF THE RAPPELING CLIFF & other equipment!

Potato Creek Falls

12/23/2012 - took a long drive down to west of Thomaston to find this falls that I saw mentioned on a kayaking paddlers page.  Not really a big falls.  Just a small one at the top of the complex, but this is on the Fall Line - same as High Falls.  High Falls is awe enspiring because it's a steeper fall and a greater volume of water, but I found this one awe inspiring in it's own way.  It's hard to tell from the photos, but the three after the small waterfall that is at the tops, are just a thin sheen of water over an immense expanse of rock.  The pictures don't really do it justice!

The GPS point was taken from above the deck that is visible in the lower right corner of the first photo.

GPS: 32.87739°N 84.37582°W

Directions and information: from Thomaston, GA
west on GA Hwy 36
about 3.25 mi. fr. Thomaston
stop on west side of first big bridge,

Note: you can't actually see the falls from the bridge, just the brink where the water goes over.  The best view is down a private driveway, just past where the drive turns away from the creek.  I suggest parking up by the bridge, and walk down the drive to see the falls.  I did see a deck down close to the creek, but couldn't see steps or a pathway to it, so I didn't try.  I didn't see any "Posted" signs, but please be respectful and remember that this IS private land. 

Cloudland Canyon falls (13 falls)

9/29/2012 - spent the weekend at Cloudland Canyon.  Wanted to do the hike from the bottom of the canyon back up towards the top.  The parking area was easy to find, the Visitor Center has very good instructions on how to get there.  As I hiked up the trail I realized I was walking along a DRY watercourse and I thought "Oh NO!  Don't tell me I've come here and there's no water in the creek!" - but I had to keep reminding myself that I could clearly hear water going over the big falls at the top of the canyon, when I walked along the rim trail!

And sure enough, I got past the dry course and found the creek coming out of the canyon.  There weren't any big falls for as far as I got, but there were several smaller ones.  There are some HUGE rocks in the creek, reminded me of parts of the Upper Tallulah River, which also has some huge rocks in the water.

The trail "rollercoasters" it's way up the canyon.  It starts with a long, easy, flat hike...then there's a fairly long uphill, then a shorter downhill, then another like set and then another.  I didn't get as far up as I'd hoped I would.  When I faced a 4th rollercoaster hill I had to give up and go back to the van.

12/5/2010 I've been wanting to do these for a long time, but since I had been to 2 falls in the same area this year (Glen Falls and Keown Falls) that were dry, I waited until we had a good rain...then I called the park office to be SURE the water was flowing!  Then my sister and I drove up to see them.

This is a tough hike if you're not in good shape.  It's not all that long, but it's something like 600 steps down - and, of course, 600 back up.  I'm not in the best shape myself, but taking it slow and easy, we did the whole trail to the falls and back in 2 hours - not too bad.  There are lots of benches where you can rest if you need to.  Falls #1 & #2 are on side trails as you go down.  The others are along the creek above & below the bridge that crosses the creek.  The one I've labeled #4 is actually under the bridge, so the best place to see it is from the platform lower down after you cross the bridge.

This park has 2 showpiece falls (pictures #1 & #2) but there are several others that are much smaller, but still pretty, and maybe even more than we saw that day - but we just didn't have time to do the other trail at the bottom of the valley that went further down the creek.  Some other day maybe.  Mr. Anthony only has the 2 showpiece falls on his site.

The last photo is not of a falls that can be seen in the valley.  It's visible from an overlook near the parking area and cascades down the wall of the gorge.

These falls are all on Sutton Gulch Creek

NOTE: the park had a contest to name to 2 biggest falls and they are now:
Cherokee Falls for #1
Hemlock Falls for #2 (kind of a shame they chose this one, that makes 4 falls in GA named Hemlock Falls!)

 

http://www.jjanthony.com/waterfalls/falls/cloudlandfalls1.html

http://www.jjanthony.com/waterfalls/falls/cloudlandfalls2.html

 

Cloudland Canyon - lower creek:

(because of the location of some of these falls, and the weather conditions (in and out of clouds) it was hard to get good, clear pictures of some of these falls)

GPS:34.84932°N 85.47819°W
GPS: 34.84843°N 85.47807°W
 

 

GPS: 34.84607°N 85.47787°W

GPS: 34.84485°N 85.47888°W

 

GPS: 34.84459°N 85.47886°W

GPS: 34.84401°N 85.47872°W

 

GPS: 34.84221°N 85.47847°W

  



Directions and information: can be found at the Cloudland Canyon website: http://www.gastateparks.org/CloudlandCanyon