State and National Parks

State Parks

Amicalola Falls State Park

Amicalola is a Cherokee Indian word meaning “tumbling waters,” an appropriate name for these 729-foot falls - the tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi River in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains. At Amicalola Falls State Park you’ll find an eight-mile trail leading to Springer Mountain, the southern end of the 2,150-mile Appalachian Trail. There are numerous other trails available for shorter journeys.

For more information please call 
Amicalola Falls State Park at 
706.265.4704

Black Rock State Park

Black Rock Mountain State Park, named for its sheer cliffs of dark-colored biotite gneiss, encompasses some of the most outstanding country in Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Located astride the Eastern Continental Divide at an altitude of 3,640 feet, Black Rock Mountain is the highest state park in Georgia. Numerous scenic overlooks provide spectacular 80-mile vistas of the Southern Appalachians, and several hiking trails lead visitors past wildflowers, streams, small waterfalls and lush forests. The summit visitor center and picnic tables are popular with travelers in northeast Georgia.

For more information please call 
Black Rock State at 
706.746.2141

Fort Mountain State Park

Fort Mountain derives its name from an ancient 855-foot-long rock wall which stands on the highest point of the mountain. The mysterious wall is thought to have been built by Indians as fortification against other more hostile Indians or for ancient ceremonies. Situated in the Chattahoochee National Forest close to the Cohutta Wilderness area, this park offers a variety of outdoor activities. Hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders will find some of the most beautiful trails in northern Georgia. Most wind through hardwood forest and blueberry thickets, occasionally crossing streams and providing spectacular vistas. During the summer, children will enjoy the sand beach located on a clear mountain lake.

For more information please call 
Fort Mountain State Park at 
706.695.2621

Moccasin Creek State Park

Known as the park “where spring spends the summer,” Moccasin Creek is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains on the shores of lovely 2,800-acre Lake Burton. Despite its mountain location, the park is relatively flat, offering easy navigation for large RV’s, children’s bicycles and wheelchairs. A fully accessible fishing pier sits above a trout-filled creek open only to physically challenged visitors, senior citizens and children. Tour the adjacent trout rearing station, hike on several nearby mountain trails or simply relax in this peaceful setting. The park’s central location makes it a perfect jumping off spot for mountain exploration.

For more information please call 
Moccasin Creek State Park at 706.947.3194

Tallulah Gorge State Park

One of the most spectacular gorges in the eastern U.S., the chasm is two miles long and nearly 1,000 feet deep. The park’s breathtaking views and the town’s rich history make this area a favorite stopping point along U.S. Hwy. 441; the main route between Atlanta and the Great Smoky Mountains. The park’s interpretive center features an award-winning film that takes viewers on a dramatic journey through the gorge. Tallulah Gorge State Park takes an aggressive position toward visitor safety and protection of natural resources.

Due to the rugged terrain and fragile plant and animal life, visitors must obtain a free permit (limit 100 per day) from the visitor center before hiking into the gorge. This state park was created through a partnership between the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and Georgia Power Company.

For more information please call 
Tallulah Gorge State Park at 
706.878.3087

Unicoi State Park

Cradled in the north Georgia mountains just two miles from the Alpine village of Helen, Unicoi is one of Georgia’s most beloved state parks. Throughout the year, the park offers outstanding programs which focus on natural, cultural, historical and recreational resources. Groups can make advanced reservations for specialized programs. Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy hiking and biking on scenic mountain trails, especially those leading to Helen and Anna Ruby Falls. Craft lovers should not miss the gift shop specializing in hand-made quilts and local pottery. Numerous picnic tables are located throughout the park.

For more information please call 
Unicoi State Park at 
800.573.9659

Vogel State Park

One of Georgia’s oldest and most popular state parks, Vogel is located at the base of Blood Mountain in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Driving from the south, visitors pass through Neel Gap, a beautiful mountain pass near Brasstown Bald, the highest point in Georgia. Vogel is particularly popular during the fall when the Blue Ridge Mountains transform into a rolling blanket of red, yellow and gold leaves. Cottages, campsites and primitive backpacking sites provide a range of overnight accommodations.

For more information please call 
Vogel State Park at 
706.745.2628

National Forests

Chattahoochee National Forest

The lands that make up Georgia’s beautiful National Forests were once the lands nobody wanted. The early history of Georgia is a tale of abuse and overuse of the fragile ecosystems. Hydraulic mining for gold, cut and leave practices of early timber companies, wildfires, over-grazing and unregulated hunting and fishing led to a forest that was in need of extensive restoration efforts.
The Forest Service purchased 31,000 acres in four North Georgia counties in 1911 for $7 per acre. In the beginning, the Chattahoochee was part of the Nantahala and Cherokee National Forests in North Carolina and Tennessee. Many of the early purchases were old homesteads and abandoned farm lands.

On July 9, 1936, the Chattahoochee National Forest was proclaimed as a separate National Forest. At that time, Forest Service managers began to restore these lands by planting trees, fighting wildfires, controlling erosion and introducing wildlife and fish back into their natural habitat. As a result of a concentrated effort by the Forest Service and the Department of Natural Resources personnel, the deer and trout populations which had been virtually eliminated, were brought back to today’s healthy and productive level. Today’s estimate of the deer population is more than 30,000 animals and a turkey population of over 6,000 birds.

Likewise in 1970, the bear population on the Chattahoochee totaled 106 bears. After 20 years of continually managing the habitat for this animal, the Chattahoochee today boasts a healthy bear population of more than 650 animals.

Today, the Chattahoochee National Forest covers 749,549.71 acres in North Georgia and is managed out of six ranger district offices.

Great Smoky Mountain National Park

On September 2, 1940 at Newfound Gap on the top of the Smoky Mountains, President Franklin D. Roosevelt officially dedicated the opening of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The 521,000-acre parkland is considered a primary jewel in the crown of America’s national treasure. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is shared by two states, with Tennessee containing 45 percent of the national park and North Carolina the remaining 55 percent of the park. The Smoky Mountains are a broad mass of mountain lands on the northwestern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains Province and part of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Within the formidable Smoky Mountains are some of the tallest mountains in the eastern United States.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park are completely preserved and protected from sale or destruction by the federal government, protecting its cherished contents and natural resources for untold generations to come. The federal government protects National Forest though they may be used for their natural resource and some lands may be sold according to government approval. National Park status is the highest order for protection and preservation.

8,000,000 to 10,000,000 people a year visit the natural wonders within the national park. Rushing rivers, creeks and streams make for a fishing person’s paradise; deep coves and the high mountain country take hikers and back packers into the remote beauty of the national park. Hidden waterfalls and unique rock formation as well as breathtaking views make hiking in the park well worth the journey. Lost communities abandoned and isolated in the national park take you back to a simpler time to a forgotten world; views from the mountaintops will render visitors speechless.

The beauty of wildflowers and the sightings of wildlife natural to the Smoky Mountains are thrilling. Over 700 miles of trout streams crisscross the park with more than 800 miles of hiking trails including the Appalachian Trail, which traversed the entire length of the national park traveling along the highest mountain ridges and summits. Camping in the Smoky Mountains is a special treat due to its historical fame; contact the rangers at the Sugarland Visitors Center or the Oconaluftee Visitor’s Center for information about camping, fishing or backpacking in the national park.

Of the 521,000-acres of national parkland, approximately 100,000-acres are old growth forests. The Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains were devastated at the turn of the 20th century by large-scale logging. These 100,000 acres were saved by the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The founding of the national park and other national forests like the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee and the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forest saved all the remaining smaller tracks of old growth forest and placed them under the protection of the federal government. The Civilian Conservation Corp formed by the federal government took thousand of workers into the mountains and established camps. Their main objective was to reforest the barren slopes with hardwoods, built trails, bridges, roads and many stone structures located throughout the Smoky and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

To preserve the unspoiled beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park roadways have been limited. The two most used roadways are paved, the first is Newfound Gap Road which takes you from north to south over Newfound Gap linking the Tennessee River Valley with the mountainous interior of North Carolina. The second most poplar scenic drive is the Cades Cove Road. This paved road follows a route along a rushing waterway deep into the Tennessee Smoky Mountains arriving at a lost valley where a 19th century mountain community once thrived. Everyone should have the opportunity to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park; it has so much to offer and it belongs to this nation and its people, a memorable experience for folks of all ages.