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Recently, we made the trip up to Wild Water Ltd. in northwest South Carolina for some ziplining and white water rafting.  Since it was a 5.5-hour drive from our home in Dothan, Alabama, we decided to stop in Atlanta overnight. This gave us the opportunity to stop at Tallulah Gorge State Park in northeast Georgia and do the Tallulah Gorge waterfall hike! Tallulah Falls is incredible!

This Georgia State Park was literally right on the way, with the park entrance being directly off Highway 441 / US 23.  So, if you are planning to take that route up through Atlanta and onto the Blue Ridge or the Great Smoky Mountains in Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, or South Carolina, this is a great place for you to stop and explore. 

Likewise, the Tallulah Gorge waterfall hike is a great day trip from Atlanta as well at just under 1.5 hour drive time from the city.   Crossing the Tallulah Gorge waterfall and suspension bridge is something that your family is sure not to forget!

Tallulah Gorge State Park

If you are like me, you can not really consider Georgia to be a geological mecca at first glance, but this southern state is home to some pretty impressive formations!  You can easily see that in my Tallulah Gorge State Park photos! You may recall one of my previous posts about Providence Canyon State Park in southwest Georgia, and the opposite corner of the state won’t disappoint you either. 

Tallulah Gorge is one of the largest canyons on this side of the Mississippi River.  With a depth of almost 1,000 feet and a length of two miles, this canyon is definitely impressive. 

What’s more is that Tallulah Gorge State Park makes it accessible with various trails, including a suspension bridge that transports you right into the heart of the gorge itself.  Not into heights?  No worries. The rim trails take you along the perimeter and offer incredible views of the action down below.

Fun fact: In 1970, daredevil Karl Wallenda walked a tightrope 1,000 feet across a portion of the gorge.  30,000 people (including the governor) watched as he spent 18 minutes 750 feet above the ground.  I don’t think I could watch it!  Could you or would you?  Let me know in the comments!

About Tallulah Gorge State Park

Thirty years ago following the publicity of the much talked about highwire walk, a unique partnership formed between the Georgia Power Company and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and led to the creation of Tallulah Gorge State Park.

This 2739-acre state park is located in Tallulah Falls, a charming Victorian foothill community fitting for a Hallmark movie.  At the heart of the park is the 16,000 sq ft Jane Hurt Yarn Interpretive Center, featuring restrooms, a gift shop, and a myriad of exhibits – both historical and natural. 

We did not budget enough time to really explore the cultural exhibits, so if you have some extra wiggle room in your schedule make sure to spend some time in there after your hike!

Tallulah Gorge State Park Hiking

There are a variety of hiking options at Tallulah Gorge State Park, with distances ranging from under one mile to over 10 miles. 

The most popular trail is the 2-mile round trip Hurricane Falls Trail Loop, but it is definitely not the easiest as it features almost 1100 steps.  This is the one we did and includes the Tallulah Gorge suspension bridge, and I will share more about it later!

The other main trail that brings people to Tallulah Gorge State Park is the Sliding Rock Trail, which is a  very difficult .5-mile trail down to the gorge floor where you can literally slide on the rocks and swim near Bridal Veil Falls. 

However, this trail does require a gorge floor permit.  They are free, but only 100 are given out each day. Therefore, you need to arrive at the park early and be prepared to wait in line if you want a shot at getting one.  Obviously, weekdays offer a higher likelihood of snagging one.  If you are going to try to get a gorge floor pass, please know that proper footwear is required.  Flip flops and Crocs are not allowed.

There are also several moderate options and even an easy trail at Tallulah Gorge State Park. There really is something for everyone to enjoy.  You can click here to access a trail map, which is the best way to really see the effort that each trail requires, along with other important information.

Tallulah Gorge Waterfalls

While this state park is located in the town of Tallulah Falls, there are actually five waterfalls located within the state park and none of them are actually called Tallulah.

• Hurricane Falls
• Bridal Veil Falls( also known as Sliding Rock)
• L’Eau d’Or Falls
• Tempesta Falls
• Oceana Falls

The Tallulah Gorge Suspension Bridge

The 200-foot-long suspension bridge at Tallulah Gorge State Park spans the width of the gorge over 80 feet above the rocky surface.  This was what drew me to plan a visit to the park!

The Tallulah Gorge bridge is located about a quarter-mile into the Hurricane Falls Trail and requires about 300 steps down and then 300 steps back up.  You can also catch wonderful views of the bridge from the overlook along the South Rim Trail, as you see below in a photo I took.

Our Tallulah Gorge Waterfall Hike

Alright, so now let me tell you all about our 2-mile hike at Tallulah Falls State Park! 

We arrived on a Saturday at around 10 am and didn’t have an issue finding parking.  The place was hopping, though!  If you plan to do this hike on a weekend, expect a lot of other people to be joining you.  It didn’t bother us at all, but if you are looking for a great photo on the bridge, you may have to wait for quite some time to get a shot without a bunch of people in the background.

On the Tallulah Gorge State Park map below, we came in on Jane Hurt Yarn Road and parked in the lot next to the Interpretive Center.  We went inside to use the restrooms and grab a map.  We did ask if any gorge passes were available, and he said those were long gone.  Further reinforcing that you must get there early to get your hands on one of those!

To start our hike we started out heading west on the North Rim Trail, shown in blue, from overlook 1A.  At the (3) on the map, we turned left to get onto Hurricane Falls Trail, shown in red.   A few minutes after that, you are rewarded with an amazing view of L’Eau d’Or Falls! Take a minute and enjoy it! 

We then continued to follow the trail and proceeded down the staircase to the bridge (approx 300 steps).  At the bottom of those steps, we turned right and walked across the Tallulah Gorge suspension bridge, enjoying a view of Tempesta Falls to our right.

You can always turn around there and head back up. Howver, if you want to complete the loop,  you have two choices once you cross the bridge. 

You can continue down yet another 275-ish metal stairs to a platform at the base of Hurricane Falls, which means you have to then head right back up those stairs. 

Or you can skip that section and head up the 300 stairs to connect with the South Rim Trail, shown in yellow.   The jury is still out on whether it was worth it.  I say yes now, but if you asked me then, with two kids in tow, I may say otherwise.  Just prepare yourself, bring lots of water, and make frequent stops if you choose to head all the way down.  It was pretty, but man, it was hard!

If you want to see it for yourself, I have a Chattooga Trip story highlight on Instagram, and our time at Tallulah Gorge starts about 12 slides in.  You can literally watch us count the steps and probably feel our pain! Haha, seriously, though, watch that before you go and see if it’s something that you are up for and if those extra 500-600 steps would be worth it for you!

Once you are on the South Rim Trail, it’s smooth (and mostly flat) sailing!  We really enjoyed the overlooks and the views of the gorge from above.  It was seriously cool to see people on the suspension bridge and know that you were just down there yourself!

Continuing on the South Rim Trail, you will encounter Highway 441 and actually walk over the dam (on the sidewalk) before connecting back with the North Rim Trail in blue.  Hike a few minutes more and enjoy an overlook back toward the dam before finishing back up at the Interpretive Center at Tallulah Gorge State Park.

All in all, it took us about an hour and a half to hike the 2 miles.  That 1-hour mile pace can be attributed to all of the stairs and frequent stops to check out the view!

How Many Steps are there at Tallulah Falls State Park?

The official answer is 1099 steps.   They all come in the first half-mile of the Hurricane Ridge Trail.  It’s basically 300 steps down to the bridge, 275 to the floor, 275 back up to bridge level, and then 300 more to the top, where you connect to the ridge trail. I know that has me off about 100 steps, but we didn’t count every single one.

Tallulah Gorge State Park Camping

I would love the opportunity to camp here sometime!  And I think that by camping, you can get into the park early and maybe have the best shot at snagging one of the gorge passes!  There are approximately 50 campsites at Tallulah Gorge State Park, both primitive (3 backpacking sites) and standard with electric hookups.  Campsites can be reserved here.

Visiting Tallulah Gorge State Park in NE Georgia

I see it as a good thing, but state parks (and national parks) are busier than ever, and Tallulah Gorge park is no exception.   

Parking lots and day-use areas have been filling up early, and when that happens, the park staff may temporarily limit access. So, if you want to enjoy the Tallulah Gorge State Park trails, make sure to get there early.

I recommend getting there early in the morning or in the mid-afternoon for this reason.  Just give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the park, especially if visiting in the winter months when the sun sets earlier in the day.

Hours and Admission

Tallulah Gorge State Park is open daily from 8 am to dusk.

Parking is $5 per vehicle.  If you frequent Georgia State Parks, consider purchasing an annual ParksPass for $50.

Directions to Tallulah Gorge State Park

The map below shows you the location of Tallulah Gorge State Park. Feel free to zoom in or out to get a better feel for the area and accommodations near Tallulah Gorge State Park! For directions to this popular Georgia state park, enter the following address into your GPS.

338 Jane Hurt Yarn Rd, Tallulah Falls, GA 30573

Booking.com

Things to Know Before Your Tallulah Gorge Waterfall Trip

• Pets are not allowed on the Hurricane Falls trail staircases and also not permitted on both the gorge floor.  However, leashed pets are welcome on rim trails.
• Permits are required to access the gorge floor and are distributed on a first come, first serve each morning free of charge.  You need to arrive and get in line at the Interpretive as early as possible if you want to get one.
• Flip flops and Crocs are not permitted on the gorge floor.
• On particular days, the water is released from the dam both out of necessity and for aesthetics.  These days are noted in advance, and while they will enhance the whitewater flow (usually in April and November) from the falls, the gorge floor and particular trails may be closed on those days.  Dates are listed here in advance.

PIN: Tallulah Gorge State Park