We ended the year with a short visit to the area north of Atlanta. We were joined by my mom and my college friend on a visit to one of the state’s favorite spots- Tullulah Gorge State Park. This park is listed in a few different US travel books that we have and so as soon as we decided on Georgia we also decided on Tullulah Gorge for a day of hiking. If nothing else, the name Tullulah is just about as Southern as it gets.
When we arrived we were amazed at the size of the visitor center of the park. The building was home to multiple exhibits spanning through three stories and a collection of animals sitting on rocks in the middle. The park ranger directed us down the ramp of the exhibits and go out the door which would lead us to the overlook and the beginning of the trail. Even in December, the gorge is lovely.
The thing to know about Tullulah Gorge is that there is a loop that takes you from the top of one side of the gorge, down into the center, and then back up the other side. And to go down and back up requires you to take the stairs- 1,099 steps to be exact. Going down the first sets of stairs was easy enough, but there was the nagging reminder that going back up would be harder.
We reached the bottom of the stairs and came to the suspension bridge over the gorge. The bridge was quite long and with so many people on it at once, you could definitely feel the light swaying. The gorge was so beautiful, but we were all feeling a little dizzy as we looked down from the bridge.
After the bridge the path split with an optional additional group of stairs going right down to the water’s edge. Of course, we opted to take the stairs so we could see the river and one of the many waterfalls in the gorge. For those who want to go past the landing and get in the water, permits are required and can be purchased at the visitor center.
Once we had enjoyed the river and the waterfall, then came going back up the stairs to the bridge and then continuing on up to the other side of the gorge. This was a much slower pace than we had going down. We could see other waterfalls through the trees. The path is lined by rhododendron plants that must be so pretty during blooming season.
1,099 steps later, we reached the other side of the gorge. The path continues along the ridgeline and back around to the visitor center making the total distance of the loop just over 3 miles. It is easy to see why this is such a favorite park in Georgia. No matter what season, the gorge makes for a great hiking place with beautiful views.
If you are looking for some other state parks in Georgia then you may be interested in these:
Thanks for coming along to this visit to Tullulah Gorge State Park. May you always take the stairs wherever they go.
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