Autumn is such a great time to be outdoors around here, with the warm days and cool nights that those who live up north would call summer, that it is just too nice out to stay inside. Weather like this needs to be enjoyed. Many people think autumn is the best time for outdoor activities in the south, with the great weather, the long, slow change of seasons as the trees slowly change color and drop from the trees. The brilliant colors of a northern autumn are impressive, but it is over too quickly. While not as colorful, autumn lasts for months down here, with some trees still changing color at Thanksgiving. The only drawback is that while the weather is at its best for outdoor activities, the hours of daylight available for it become fewer every day. What a bummer.
If you saw the last issue, you know that we are really excited about Jack Anthony’s new book, Waterfalls of North Georgia. It is a beautiful book with over 150 photographs of more than one hundred waterfalls that can be found an hour or so north of Atlanta. There are some real gems in this book that we had never heard of, and the photographs are terrific. An added bonus is that with each waterfall there are directions to help you see it for yourself. Anthony has visited each of these places recently, and his directions are the best we have seen. While most guidebooks give you the name of the trail and a narrative description of what you will find along the way, this book starts with a picture of the reward at the end of the hike, and tells you how to find it. This book is not a guidebook; it is a coffee table book that will be a conversation piece in your home, but it contains information that is invaluable. If you live in Georgia and have a love of the outdoors, this is a book you must own, and it will make a great gift for someone you know this holiday season. We will tell you how to get a copy later.
We decided to feature Rabun County in this issue for two reasons. We wanted to offer a lot of options in a localized area so that whether you come for a day or a long weekend, you will be able to see and do as much as you want in the time available. In addition, since we are focusing on waterfalls, it made sense to look at the part of the state with the most water. Because of its location in the northeast corner of the state, Rabun County receives almost 2' more rain annually than metro Atlanta and more than the rest of the mountain counties. It offers the best opportunity for good water flow. If you are bringing your dog, and we assume that you are, motel accommodations are limited. Recently two Days Inn motels opened in the area, one in Clayton and the other about 18 miles north in Franklin NC. Both accept pets, but always ask about pet policy when you make reservations to avoid surprises. Days Inn - Clayton, GA 706-782-4258 Days Inn - Franklin, NC 828-524-6491.
If you plan to stay for two nights or more, your options increase. There are many cabins available for rent, and quite a few are pet friendly. A good first choice would be to contact Julia Mather at www.georgiamountainrental.com. She has a number of rental properties in Rabun County and is a big dog lover. In addition, she has lived there for years, knows the area like the back of her hand, and can steer you toward little known gems that we have never heard about. She is also a long-time supporter of Critter Chatter, and we always recommend our friends first. For more choices in rental cabins, go to critterchatter.com and check the travel section for a list of websites offering pet friendly lodging.
Now for some waterfalls. From Hwy 23/441 in Clayton, Warwoman Road bears off to the east. In about three miles you come to Warwoman Dell on the right. Park here and take the Bartrum Trail about .25 miles to Becky Branch Falls, a 20' waterfall that spills down the side of a hill, splashing over one rock ledge after another on the way down. The Bartrum Trail is one of Georgia’s best hiking trails and extends for miles through the forest. Since Becky Branch Falls is so close to the parking area, the trail offers an opportunity to put a few miles on your feet while enjoying the solitude of the deep woods.
Not far away is a nice hike that leads to two waterfalls as well as a number of really nice cascades along the trail. From the parking area, continue on Warwoman Road for seven miles to forest service road 7 (FS7) on the left. (There is a sign for Hale Ridge Cemetery). This is a dirt road, but cars can travel it. Go 6.5 miles on FS7 to the junction with FS86. The trail to Holcomb Creek Falls starts here. It is .3 mile downhill to the observation bridge for the 75' falls, which drops in stages over ledges at the top, then splits and cascades down both sides of a rock outcropping to the creek below. Continuing down the trail for .25 miles you reach Ammons Creek Falls, which falls 40' down over a rock face that splits the flow in two. These are two really nice waterfalls. Just before Ammons Creek Falls a spur trail cuts off from the main trail, on the left as you approach Ammons Falls and on the right as you leave it. This trail follows Holcomb Creek back to FS 86, passing a number of attractive cascades along the way. When you reach FS86 go left for .6 mile on the road to the parking area, completing a 2-mile loop.
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In the western part of the county are some other nice waterfalls that you will enjoy. From Clayton, take US76 west 11 miles to GA 197, turn left (south) and go 3.5 miles to Moccasin Creek State Park. You can park there and walk down the trail to Hemlock Falls which begins across the road from the park, or you can drive the first part of the trail, which is a dirt road, until it is blocked and then walk the rest of the way. From there it is about a mile to the falls. The trail passes a number of scenic cascades as it follows Moccasin Creek upstream to the falls. Hemlock Falls is about 15' high and wide, pouring into a clear wide pool that is a good place to cool off on a hot day.
From Moccasin Creek go south on GA 197 to Burton Dam Road on the left; this road will intersect with Seed Dam Road. The roads in this area follow a string of three lakes, Lake Burton, Lake Seed and Lake Rabun. Turn right on Seed Dam Road and go 6 miles to the first right, Low Gap Road, and cross the one-lane bridge to a three way intersection. Turn left onto Bear Gap Road and go 1.5 miles to a small parking area on the left side of the road. The trail to Minnehaha Falls begins with steps leading up from the road and leads less than .25 miles to what many consider the best waterfall in Rabun County. Water spills 25' down the side of a hill in step fashion, pouring over one rock ledge after another on the way down, but with greater volume than other waterfalls of its kind.
There are a lot more waterfalls in Rabun County than we could mention in a short article, so we tried to pick the ones that we felt would offer the best chance of a good waterfall experience on any given day. Within a few miles of Minnehaha Falls are 6-8 other waterfalls, some highly rated, but they need more rainfall to really look good. Panther Falls and Angel Falls are considered two of the best to see when the waterflow is high, but we visited during a low-rain period and were disappointed.
If you go back and cross the one-lane bridge to what is now Lake Rabun Road, (the road takes on the name of the lake it is passing) and turn right you will come to US441 south of Clayton. Go left to return to where we started.
There is a lot to do in Rabun County besides viewing waterfalls. There are miles of hiking trails that will take you past some great scenery, from mountaintops to valleys, along rivers and streams and around lakes, to the Chattooga River where you may see rafters, canoers or kayakers try to navigate this wild and untamed river. You can try it yourself on a guided rafting trip with one of the local river running outfitters. Whatever you like to do, you can do it here, from golf, fishing and horseback riding to antiquing, craft shopping or dining.
There is much more that we could include, but space limits us. If you live here and enjoy this kind of activity, visit Jack Anthony’s website— www.jjanthony.com/waterfalls—and see what is out there. If you like to hike the mountain trails and don’t already own a copy, pick up The Hiking Trails of North Georgia by Tim Homan. It is a great source of information and should be available at local bookstores and outdoor stores. And of course you can get anything on amazon. com.
About the Photographer
The photographs in this article are the work of Jack Anthony, a photographer who lives in north Georgia. He has spent years photographing the waterfalls in the area, and has just published a book of photographs of the best waterfalls in the state. This beautiful book contains 150 photos of more than 100 waterfalls, all looking their best. From the Chattooga River on the eastern side of the state to Cloudland Canyon in the west, Jack Anthony has found and photographed the best waterfalls in the area. This is a beautiful coffee table book, and one that anyone who lives in the state and has a love of nature and the outdoors will want to own. The 132 page hardcover book sells for $34.95 and is available at Barnes and Noble stores in the metro area. It can be purchased online at
www.hometownbookstore.com. A signed copy of the book can be ordered by mail by contacting Jack at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. There is a $5.00 mailing fee. For a look at the photographs in the book, go to Jack Anthony’s website –
http://www.jjanthony.com/waterfalls/.
