Amicalola Falls State Park

Amicalola Falls State Park is a public park in north Georgia centered on Amicalola Falls, a multi-tier waterfall with a total drop of 729 feet, the tallest in the state. The park combines natural scenery with visitor facilities including a lodge, visitor center and marked trails.

Trails and stairways provide access to multiple viewing platforms at and above the falls, and the park is a popular destination for day hikers, photographers and school groups. The park also functions as a base for backpackers and long-distance hikers preparing to access the Appalachian Trail.

The park includes a developed visitor complex with accommodations and interpretive exhibits built to support tourism and outdoor education. It has been managed as a state park to conserve the falls and surrounding forest while providing public access.

Amicalola Falls State Park is located in Dawson County in north Georgia, near towns such as Dawsonville and Dahlonega and within the southern Blue Ridge foothills. The landscape is forested and hilly, characteristic of the southern Appalachian region.

• Waterfall height: The main cascade is Georgia's tallest waterfall, with a total vertical drop measured at 729 feet.
• Appalachian Approach: The park serves as a common starting point for hikers using the 8.5-mile Appalachian Approach Trail to reach Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.

What to See #

• Amicalola Falls: The main feature is the waterfall itself, a multi-tier cascade with the total vertical drop measured at 729 feet and multiple viewing platforms and stairways for observation.
• Park lodge and visitor center: A park visitor complex that includes a lodge, a visitor center with interpretive exhibits, trailheads and facilities for overnight stays and group events.
• Approach Trail: The Appalachian Approach Trailhead that connects the park to the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain via an 8.5-mile footpath used by thru-hikers and day hikers.