GA State Parks

State Parks are great places to visit if you love the outdoors and are looking for a fun, no to low cost thing to do away from the city. The Blue Ridge Mountains in north Georgia are beautiful, especially in the fall, and are only about an hour and a half drive north of Atlanta.  I planned on getting somewhere to camp for a weekend before it got cold, but it never ended up working out but we did make it up for a couple day trips for hiking and such.

Tallulah Gorge 
The first hike we went on was in Tallulah Gorge, which is a two mile long 1,000 feet deep canyon in Tallulah Falls, GA. The rubber mulch trails to the various overlooks are only moderately difficult, but the 800 something metal stairs you take down to the Gorge floor hurt quite a bit coming back up.

at the bottom 

from the top 

Anna Ruby Falls 

Anna Ruby Falls is right outside of Helen in Unicoi state park. The hike to the waterfalls is pretty simple and only about a half mile and on a rubber mulch trail.  

Amicalola Falls 

Amicalola Falls State Park is near Dawsonville GA and features the tallest cascade in the South East at 729 Feet.  We parked at the top of the falls and hiked down the trail/metal stairs. There is a five mile hike to a backcountry lodge, the Len Foote Hike Inn, which we unfortunately did not get to do.  We also found a lost Boxer named Mary Jane that I tried to take home with us, but it did not happen. 

Panola Mountain 

Panola Mountain is a small park south of Atlanta in Stockbridge GA.  The mountain is granite and similar to Stone Mountain.  There are a few small walking and bike trails and picnic and playground areas.  There's not much to it but it's really pretty.