Excerpt by Karen T.
I’m still working on my “waterfalls project” and have been to quite a few
more since Labor Day weekend. As usual, these all came from J.J.Anthony’s
website: http://www.jjanthony.com/waterfalls/
High Shoals Falls on Walden Creek
This small falls is very pretty, and a nice hike…if you don’t mind hiking
on forest service roads. The directions on Mr. Anthony’s site are quite
accurate, and the road – considering that it is blocked to traffic – was in
pretty good shape. In fact, if it hadn’t actually been blocked, I probably
could have driven almost to the falls…except there was one big blow-down
that completely blocked the road. This hike sticks in my mind as a bit
“odd.” All the way in, I saw no footprints, no tire marks and I heard
nothing but the usual forest sounds. But when I actually got to the falls
there were two big family size tents, and an open-air kitchen area. Sound
really travels in the mountains…but I heard no voices, or engine sounds.
Nothing at all. I’ve NO idea where all those people went! I’m guessing
they had ATV’s or something and had driven out the other way from the way I
hiked in. The road does keep going, but I don’t know where it comes out at
the other end.
Falls on Ward Creek (near Justus Gap)
You can drive right up to this falls on FS 42 (the same forest service road
that goes to the parking area for Springer Mtn.) and this time of the year
it’s JUST visible. But you can walk down a very short drop from the road to
get a complete view of it. It’s not very big, but is very pretty.
Cane Creek Falls
This falls is on the grounds of Camp Glisson, a Methodist campground.
There’s no charge, but you do need to sign in at the Visitor’s Center. The
camp will not be open to visitors, though, if they are having a camp
session. This one was funny. It’s quite easy to get to the falls, you just
drive through the gate and there is a sign that points to the parking for
the falls. Never having been there before, I made the turn, saw the parking
area…but NO falls! So I kept driving and ended up in the middle of a
bunch of cabins. Obviously not the right direction! So to keep from
getting totally lost, I turned around and retraced my steps and lo and
behold – when I got back to the parking, THERE was the falls! It is BEHIND
you as you come down the curve to the parking!
Glen Falls
This falls is BARELY in Georgia. In fact, you have to go through
Chattanooga to Lookout Mtn to get to them. Mr. Anthony has a picture of a
sign on his website that shows “Glen Falls Trail .4 mi” but I never saw that
sign. The trail is quite nice, short and at one point almost looks as if it
just stops, but you keep going and so does the trail. This falls is quite
high up the mountain and is therefore VERY rain dependent…which means,
don’t do like *I* did and try to see it when it’s been dry for a while. The
“falls” were BONE DRY! I took a picture anyway, because the rock formation
is interesting…it’s just a huge jumble of huge rocks flowing down the
mountain.
Lula Falls
These falls are on land held by the Lula Lake Land Trust – as indicated by
Mr. Anthony, so you can’t just drive up and expect to see the falls. You
need to check the website to find out when they will be open. The road in
was in VERY bad shape the day I was there. Very deep ruts that I had to be
careful to straddle, as they were too deep for my small car to drive in…I
would have ended up “high centered” if I’d tried. Fortunately, it’s only
bad for a couple hundred feet, once you are down in the valley, it’s much
better. The parking area, the day I was there anyway, was a good mile+ from
the lake and the falls. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to take a bike if you
have one and don’t feel like a long walk. The road is gravel, but only has
some small ups and downs, and I saw several people on bikes. The falls were
very small (I went the same day I went to Glen Falls) but the rock formation
are just fantastic, even in low water.
Stonewall Creek Falls
This falls is a couple/three miles above the town of Tallulah Falls and is
pretty easy to get to. The entrance to the gravel road is marked by signs
pointing to a bike trail, they don’t mention the falls. The road was not
too bad, except just before you start down into the creek valley it was
pretty rough, so we chose to park at the top and not drive down. And, of
course, once we walked down in there, we saw LOTS of cars that DID manage
the drive. There is a parking area before that point where you can park and
walk down the road into the valley.
Falls on Branch of Jones Creek
This was another funny day. The directions on Mr. Anthony’s site are
detailed and complicated, and at one point he says “Turn right on Siloam and
continue another 6 miles to the Etowah River. Turn left after crossing the
bridge and proceed another 1.5 miles to Forest Service Road 28-1. ” but this
is not accurate. Actually, Siloam Rd. is listed on my map program as Siloam
Church Road, and at some point it changes to Hightower Church Road. AND you
don’t “turn left after crossing the bridge” – the road ENDS at a T-junction
and you turn left TO cross the bridge. But it’s easier to drive past Siloam
(Church) Rd. and, if driving from Dahlonega (as Mr. Anthony instructs) turn
right on the 2nd Nimblewill Church Road and follow this to FS 28-1 and then
on to FS 77. Then follow Mr. Anthony’s directions from there.
The last 1.8 mile road is rough and the day we did it was barely passable in
my little station wagon. It would be easier in an SUV or jeep-type vehicle.
What made it a funny day is that Mr. Anthony advises parking between the two
concrete fords and then going up the right side of the creek. Well, we did
that and at one place ended up LITERALLY hanging onto the trees to keep from
dropping into the creek. It was only a couple/three feet down – but we
didn’t want to get our feet wet! We found the falls and on the way out, my
sister followed a nice, easy old logging road that went RIGHT back to the
ford! So it’s much easier to cross both fords, find a place to park and
follow the old road. This will bring you out above the first falls, but
there is a bridge and you can then hike a bit downstream to where it’s easy
to get down the hill to the base of the falls. The second falls are harder
to find and I didn’t actually get a picture, will have to go back one day!
To be continued…..