11 Georgia waterfalls, with the fee, the walk and the rules wherever the park or Forest Service page gives them. Georgia State Parks Daily ParkPass is $10 per vehicle, valid only on the day of purchase and usable at more than one state park that day.
State park waterfalls need the daily ParkPass; Forest Service falls have their own fees and rules. Every fact below was read on the cited official page and checked ; anything we could not read is listed under What We Could Not Confirm instead of guessed.
| What to know | Source |
|---|---|
| Georgia State Parks Daily ParkPass is $10 per vehicle, valid only on the day of purchase and usable at more than one state park that day. | gastateparks.org |
| Tallulah Gorge: the gorge floor trail is very strenuous with about 1,000 stairs; gorge floor permits are free, issued the day of your visit, limited to 100 per day. | gastateparks.org |
| Helton Creek Falls Trail is an easy 0.2 mile hike and costs nothing; Anna Ruby Falls costs $6 per person 16 and older. | fs.usda.gov |
| Cloudland Canyon Waterfalls Trail is 2 miles round trip, strenuous, with 600 metal stair steps. | gastateparks.org |
Georgia Waterfalls at a Glance
| Name | Town | What it is | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tallulah Falls (Tallulah Gorge State Park) (Official site) | Tallulah Falls | Rim trails to overlooks, a staircase to a suspension bridge near Hurricane Falls, and a gorge floor trail; the page says the gorge has five waterfalls. | Cost: Parking fee (Daily ParkPass $10 per vehicle). Gorge floor permit: free, issued same day at the Interpretive Center, limited to 100 per day. Hours: Park 8 a.m. to dark; office 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Season: 2026 water releases: hiking and climbing into the gorge are not allowed on release dates. Aesthetic releases (8 a.m.-8 p.m.): Oct. 21, 23, 31; Nov. 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22. Whitewater weekends (10 a.m.-4 p.m.): Nov. 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22. Access: Gorge floor trail: very strenuous, about 1,000 stairs, not recommended for children 8 and under. Paved path on an old railroad bed suits strollers and bicycles. 20 miles of trails. Dogs: Dogs prohibited on the gorge floor; pets not allowed on the Sliding Rock trail or the Hurricane Falls staircase to the suspension bridge; leashed pets welcome on rim trails. Parking: Parking fee required; not included with a reservation. Kids: Gorge floor trail not recommended for children 8 and under. |
| Cherokee Falls and Hemlock Falls (Cloudland Canyon State Park) (Official site) | Rising Fawn | The Waterfalls Trail descends into the canyon to two falls. | Cost: Parking fee required; Daily ParkPass $10 per vehicle. Hours: Park 7 a.m.-10 p.m.; office 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Access: Waterfalls Trail: 2 miles round trip, strenuous, 600 metal stair steps (the Top 5 Trails page lists it as 1.8 miles round trip). Dogs: Page says the 600 metal stair steps can be difficult for dogs and recommends carrying the pet or choosing a different trail. Parking: Parking fee required. |
| High Falls (High Falls State Park) (Official site) | Jackson | Falls on the Towaliga River with a Falls View Trail below the falls and an ADA-accessible Historic Trail with an overlook. | Cost: ParkPass required for all vehicles ($10 daily per vehicle). Hours: Park 7 a.m.-10 p.m.; office 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Season: Lake will be lowered Nov. 1, 2026 to Jan. 31, 2027 (park page). Access: Falls View Trail: 1.5 miles, strenuous, falls drop about 135 feet. Historic Trail: 0.5 miles, easy, crushed gravel, ADA accessible. Walking only. |
| Amicalola Falls (Official site) | Dawsonville | Waterfall listed at 730 feet with a 2.1-mile Amicalola Falls Loop Trail on the Top 5 Georgia State Park trails page. | Access: Amicalola Falls Loop Trail: 2.1 miles (difficulty not listed on that page). |
| Anna Ruby Falls (Official site) | Helen | Twin falls reached from a visitor center; managed by the Forest Service (Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest). | Cost: $6 per person 16 and older; children 15 and under free. Hours: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, 7 days a week; no admission after 4:00 pm. Closed Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day. Season: Open year-round Access: Wheelchair accessible from parking lot to visitor center. Trail length and difficulty not stated on this page. Alert: Caution Waterfall Dangers. |
| Helton Creek Falls | Blairsville area | Short trail to a lower falls and an observation deck at the upper falls. | Cost: Free Season: Open all year Access: Easy 0.2 mile hike with many abrupt changes in grade. Parking: Small pullout parking area 2.2 miles up Helton Creek Road, trailhead on right. |
| Dukes Creek Falls | Helen | Moderate hiking trail to the falls on the Russell-Brasstown Scenic Highway. | Cost: $4 per vehicle/day; America the Beautiful passes accepted. Hours: Sunrise to sunset Season: Open year-round Access: Moderate hiking trail; length not listed on this page. Parking: No overnight parking |
| DeSoto Falls | near Blairsville and Dahlonega | Recreation area with a campground and falls reached by trails. | Cost: Day use $5 per vehicle/day, bought at the area through the Recreation.gov app Scan & Pay. Season: Campground open year-round Access: Trail length and difficulty not published on this page. Dogs: Dogs must be leashed at all times. |
| Panther Creek Falls | Turnerville | 3.5-mile one-way trail to the falls; open to intermediate and advanced hikers only. | Cost: $4 per vehicle/day standard amenity fee. Access: 3.5 miles one way. Parking area and bathrooms closed from Hurricane Helene damage; trail still open; sections of tread washed away; hiker warning issued. Dogs: Not mentioned Parking: Closed (see access) |
| Raven Cliff Falls (Ravens Cliff Trailhead) | Helen | Trailhead for Raven Cliff Falls. | Cost: $5.00 per vehicle per day Season: Open year-round Access: Trail length and difficulty not listed on this page. Parking: Gravel lot for about 30 vehicles |
| Trahlyta Falls (Vogel State Park) (Official site) | Blairsville | Waterfall reached by the lake loop trail. | Hours: Park 7 a.m.-10 p.m.; office 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Season: Closed: lake drained for dam repairs; the Lake Trahlyta Loop Trail and the waterfall are closed. |
Parking and Pass Rules
- Daily ParkPass: $10 per vehicle. Annual ParkPass: $70, valid 12 months. Overnight guests pay the daily fee once per stay. (gastateparks.org)
- The ParkPass is not valid at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Kennesaw Mountain, Stone Mountain, Corps of Engineers lakes, Jekyll Island, Lake Lanier, Wildlife Management Areas or Public Fishing Areas. (gastateparks.org)
- Dogs at state parks: leash no longer than six feet; pets not allowed in park buildings, swimming areas, beaches or some trails at Panola Mountain and Tallulah Gorge. (gastateparks.org)
- Forest Service waterfall pages carry the alert ‘Caution Waterfall Dangers’. (fs.usda.gov)
Map of Georgia Waterfalls
Not pinned (no confirmed location yet): Cherokee Falls and Hemlock Falls (Cloudland Canyon State Park) (Official site), Trahlyta Falls (Vogel State Park) (Official site).
Keep Planning
- Stroller-friendly waterfalls in North Georgia
- Best hikes in Georgia
- Best swimming holes in Georgia
- Georgia state parks for kids
FAQ
How much is parking at Georgia state park waterfalls?
Daily ParkPass is $10 per vehicle, valid on the day of purchase. (gastateparks.org)
Are dogs allowed on the Cloudland Canyon waterfall trail?
The park says the 600 metal stair steps can be difficult for dogs and recommends carrying a pet or choosing a different trail. (gastateparks.org)
What We Could Not Confirm
- Amicalola Falls: gastateparks.org/AmicalolaFalls and amicalolafallslodge.com gave no hike length, fee or dog rule; only Top 5 Trails page (2.1-mile loop, 730 feet) used.
- Fort Mountain, Black Rock Mountain: pages mention no named falls so excluded.
- Toccoa Falls (college page) could not be fetched (certificate error). Panther Creek, Dukes Creek, DeSoto, Anna Ruby, Raven Cliff dog rules and several trail lengths not on fetched pages.
- gastateparks.org/Waterfalls has only a map image, no list. gastateparks.org/georgia-state-parks-waterfalls did not load.
- Town and region for state-park items come from general geography, not from the fetched page; county left blank unless the page named it.
- Raven Cliff trail length: not on fetched page; search snippets conflicted so omitted.
- Towns shown for state park entries are the nearest town and were not all read from the cited page.
How we checked this guide: Dates, hours, admission and parking prices, and access details were verified against the official sources listed below on . Operators change schedules and raise prices without notice, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you drive. The figures in this guide also feed our Georgia Attraction Transparency Index and Family Day-Out Cost Index.
Sources
- Daily ParkPass
- Park Rules
- Tallulah Gorge
- Cloudland Canyon trails
- High Falls trails
- Top 5 Trails
- Vogel
- anna-ruby-falls-recreation-area
- helton-creek-falls
- dukes-creek-falls-recreation-area
- desoto-falls-recreation-area
- panther-creek-recreation-area
- ravens-cliff-trailhead
Hank Whitlock is the pen name of the It's Georgia editor. Every guide is built around the questions a busy family actually asks before a trip: how long is the drive, what does parking cost, can the stroller make it, are dogs allowed. Details are checked against official park, city, and venue sources, and each guide shows the date it was last updated.
More from Things to Do
Cite this page: It's Georgia, “Georgia Waterfalls: Hikes, Fees and Rules”, itsgeorgia.com/things-to-do/outdoors-hiking/georgia-waterfalls/ (updated ). Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page.