Get your adventure fix at stunning Tallulah Gorge State Park
Are you a weekend warrior? Do you love packing the car, grabbing a few friends, and heading off on a day trip that is equal parts adrenaline pumping and downright fascinating? I have the perfect place for you to the visit. Tallulah Gorge in North Georgia is one of the area’s most popular attractions. It is adrenaline approved because, hey, the Wallenda tightropers have crossed the gorge twice!
Tallulah Gorge is about 2 hours from the Greenville-Spartanburg area and features stunning waterfalls, hiking trails, camping and RV sites, wildlife viewing opportunities, a suspension bridge, and of course—the gorgeous gorge! At 2 miles long and 1000 feet deep, there are plenty of spots to view the rushing waters below.
I took the Hurricane Falls Loop Trail (2.25 miles) which took you over the suspension bridge and around the rim of the gorge. If you aren’t a fan of stairs, or have problems with heights and vertigo, then this hike isn’t for you. There are hundreds of stairs leading you down to the bridge and then to the gorge floor. You can access the gorge floor if you get a permit. They are given out on a first -come first-serve basis…so get there early if you want that experience during non-dam release times.
Don’t let the amount of stairs prevent you from taking children along for the adventure. While there are some dangerous areas where parents would have to be at heightened alert, there were plenty of children safely enjoying Tallulah Gorge State Park. The Intepretive Center (where your hiking adventure will start) has a cute bookstore with gifts and trinkets, and plenty of history on this once railroad hub. There are plenty of photographs and a super cool diorama which depicts the area during the peak of its glory. There are also animal exhibits featuring live and non-live specimens to educate folks on the type of creatures they may run into. With over 15 miles of hiking trails…anything is possible.
The kids (big and small) will enjoy the cool public art that has been added to some of the blank concrete areas.
Let’s go back to one of my favorite and scariest experiences at Tallulah Gorge State Park: the suspension bridge.
After a dizzying amount of steps, you make it to the bridge hanging 80 feet over the rushing gorge. You can fill it swinging as folks walk over it, but there is no more Instagrammable shot! That is about a daring as I am planning to get in this lifetime. Its worth the views of the waterfalls and the gorge!
Tallulah Gorge State Park is a must visit this fall! Imagine those waterfalls surrounded by fall color! Enjoy your adventure and always….be safe!
