Visiting Anna Ruby Falls on Our Northern Georgia Adventure

At the end of the summer the family and I traveled to a lodge in Unicoi State Park, just outside of Helen, GA.  While looking up things to do in the area, I was elated to discover that there was a waterfall, Anna Ruby  Falls, just a short drive away inside of Unicoi State Park that we could explore.I am absolutely in love with waterfalls. They are so majestic and powerful and I’m in complete awe every time I see one. I’m slowly becoming somewhat of a waterfall hunter. (more blogs to come about that) Seeing these falls was at the very top of my list so we got up bright and early and made the short drive deeper into the Chattahoochee National Forest to visit Anna Ruby Falls.

As we made our ascent higher up into the mountains the scenery seemed to change right before our eyes. It’s a beautiful scenic ride up to the parking area. The admission fee is $3 for those over 16. Under 16 are free. There’s an information area and gift shop with maps of the trails. We made our hike up the trail to the falls. It’s about 0.8 miles of paved walkway with some pretty steep inclines. This definitely is not the trip for cute sandals. You need a shoe with some kind of grip or you’ll be in for a slippery climb.

The whole walk is just beautiful. There are lots of places to stop along your walk for pictures as the water rushes downstream over the rocks. I did have to break out my asthma inhaler just once.   Slightly embarrassed but hey, a girl’s gotta breathe.

And finally there it stood.  A twin falls where two separate creeks converge together to fall 153 feet and we all just stood there….dumbfounded.  It was magnificent.  There was a wooden platform and benches to sit and take it all in. I could have sat there for hours listening to the rushing water. If you’re in need of a moment of serenity there’s no better place.

 

 

Later I learned from the park ranger that there are actually several other waterfalls in the same county and in a neighboring county.  We didn’t have time to explore but if I’m in the area again I will definitely add those to my itinerary.

Lessons Learned:
1.  Mountains = waterfall (somewhere)   Be sure to research for nearby waterfalls when traveling to areas with higher elevations.
2.  Don’t rush…take your time…enjoy the view.
3.  This is a national park so this beautiful place can’t be enjoyed by anyone while the U.S. government is still shut down.   Luckily we were able to enjoy it and I hope this is resolved soon so that adventurers like me and you can get up, get out, and see the beauty of our country.

Looking to plan a similar outdoorsy excursion?  Here are some helpful websites:

• Chattahoochee National Forest 
• Georgia Waterfalls

See the photo gallery for more pictures.