BEGIN.
Over
the years I’ve had several people tell me that I just had to visit Amiacola Falls in Georgia.
Amiacola Falls is among the largest waterfalls
in the Eastern U.S. Amiacola
Falls State Park is also the unofficial starting point of the Appalachian
Trail. (The A.T. actually begins on
Springer Mountain a few miles north of the park. However, most thru-hikers start their journey
at the park by following the A.T. Approach Trail 8.5 miles to Springer
Mountain). Despite these attractions,
I’d never visited the area.
Last
week’s work assignment took me to Dalton, GA.
The job didn’t start until Tuesday, so I decided to head down a day
early. I planned to hike at Amiacola Falls State Park on Monday. Afterwards I’d visit a friend who lives
outside of Atlanta. From there it would
be a fairly easy drive to Dalton on Tuesday morning.
I
got an early start on Monday morning and drove to Gainesville, GA. From there, I followed back roads through the
hills of north Georgia to Amiacola Falls State
Park. I paid a $5 entrance fee and drove
to the end of the main road at the Reflection Pool. The Reflection Pool is a small pond that
offers a reflection of the surrounding trees.
Judging from the map, I thought the falls might be visible from
there. However, the waterfall was still
hidden from view by dense foliage.
I
started my hike under overcast skies.
After a few minutes a passed a whole busload of elementary school kids
on a field trip. Luckily they were
heading the other way. I didn’t see many
other hikers after that, but the park was still pretty busy for a rainy Monday.
A
few minutes later I reached the base of the lowest falls. Amiacola Falls is
actually a series of waterfalls and steep cascades. The first overlook offered a view of the
lowest cascades, but a higher, steeper drop beyond was somewhat obscured by
trees. From there I climbed away from
the creek, mostly on stairs. A few
minutes later I reached a footbridge at the base of the main drop. This is the best view of the falls, and I
stopped there for photos. I managed a few before it started to rain. Eventually I gave up on the photos and
resumed the climb, again on stairs.
Before long the bottom fell out and I was instantly drenched. I put on a rain jacket and packed the camera
away before resuming the hike. 400+
stairs followed. Very steep cascades and
sheer drops weren’t far away, but views were screened by trees. I didn’t see a reasonable, safe route to get
a better view.
I
reached the top of the falls a few minutes later. There I stopped at a shelter to shed my rain
jacket, as the rain had let up.
Afterwards I resumed my hike on the A.T. Approach Trail. Before long I reached a major junction. There, the trail to the Len Foote Hike Inn
diverged from the A.T. Approach Trail.
At that point I had a decision to make.
I wanted to hike all the way to Springer Mountain and the official start
of the A.T. However, I didn’t have
enough time for the full 17 mile round trip.
The Len Foote Hike Inn is only 11 miles round trip. However, apparently a permit is required to
hike that trail, even for dayhikers. I contemplated my options before deciding to
hike the A.T. Approach Trail for another hour before turning back.
The
A.T. Approach Trail offered a nice hike in the woods. There were lots of ups and downs, but no
major climbs. I saw some blooming
Mountain Laurel and Flame Azalea, but not much else in the way of
wildflowers. However, the dripping green
vegetation made up for the lack of blooms.
I stopped for a quick lunch in between showers, but eventually the rain
grew tiresome and I turned back.
As
I hiked, I thought about what this trail must be like for thru-hikers on their
first day. Even more so, I considered
the mentality of southbound thru-hikers who’d reached this point. Would they be thrilled to see tourists and
that giant parking lot beyond the falls?
I
returned by the same route. The rain
finally ended and the sun emerged just before I reached the top of the
falls. I stopped at the main overlook on
my way out for more photos. The sun was
out, but that was somewhat offset by blue sky above the falls. From there I hiked out to the west rim
access, which is the easiest (i.e. no steps) approach to the best view of the
falls. From there I followed the Spring
Trail, the Mountain Laurel Loop Trail, and the Creek Trail back to my car.
From
there I drove to Jimmy’s place in Newnan, GA, which is a bit southwest of
Atlanta. The drive was rather exciting,
as I passed a black bear grazing on a hillside just before reaching the town of
Jasper. The rest of the drive was pretty
smooth, even though I passed through Atlanta at rush hour. Luckily I seemed to be moving in the opposite
direction of the worst of the traffic.
Jimmy
and I spent the evening catching up.
Later his buddy Rob dropped in as he was on his way back to Asheville
after a weekend in New Orleans. We all
went to bed fairly early though, exhausted from long days and with work looming
the next day.
I
enjoyed my visit to Amiacola Falls, as it is
certainly an impressive waterfall. On
the other hand, like most state parks it’s a bit too civilized for my
tastes. Most of the views of the falls
include metal staircases and bridges, which don’t exactly blend in with the
natural environment. Still, I was glad I
took the opportunity to check the area out.
Maybe next time I’ll make up to Springer Mountain, and the beginning on
the Appalachian Trail.
Back to Georgia
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Please remember to Leave No Trace!