Amicalola Falls State Park

Amicalola Falls State Park near Dawsonville in the north Georgia mountains, approximately 80 miles north of Atlanta, protects the watershed of the Amicalola River and its defining waterfall. At 729 feet, Amicalola Falls is the tallest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River, dropping in a series of stepped cascades through a narrow granite gorge. The name derives from the Cherokee language and means tumbling water.

The park serves two overlapping visitor groups. For day visitors, a network of trails is centered on the falls. An easy 0.4-mile base loop provides direct views of the lower cascade and is accessible to most visitors. The 604-step staircase trail ascends the falls face to a top observation deck with views over the upper cascade and the surrounding mountain valley — a demanding climb requiring good footwear. A more moderate 1.5-mile west ridge trail traces the forest above the falls without the vertical exertion of the stairs.

For long-distance hikers, the park is significant as the approach trailhead for the Appalachian Trail. The Len Foote Hike Inn trail connects the park visitor center to Springer Mountain, the AT's southern terminus, over 8.5 miles of backcountry terrain. Thru-hikers beginning the 2,193-mile journey to Mount Katahdin in Maine traditionally register at the park visitor center before departing.

The park lodge, perched on a ridge above the falls, offers year-round accommodation and a restaurant — the only dining option within the park. A $5 per vehicle parking fee applies at both the base and summit parking areas. Waterfalls are most dramatic in late winter and spring when snowmelt and rainfall supplement the flow. October foliage transforms the surrounding north Georgia hardwood forest and draws visitors seeking both the falls and the mountain color.