Waterfalls Near Blue Ridge, GA: 4 Hikes Worth the Drive

The national forest around Blue Ridge is full of creeks spilling off the ridges, and a few of the best waterfalls in North Georgia are an easy drive from town. Here are four, from a 15-minute stroll to a full-day hike.

#Waterfalls at a glance

*Drive times are our estimates from downtown Blue Ridge and depend on traffic and gravel roads.

#1. Fall Branch Falls

The easy win. A half-mile walk on the Benton MacKaye Trail leads to a 30-foot plunge. From town, take Aska Road south about 8 miles, turn right on Stanley Creek Road, and go 3.1 miles to the parking area, per the Blue Ridge Chamber. It's close enough to fit into a lazy morning. Stanley Creek Road is also the way to the Stanley Gap trailhead of the Aska Trail System.

#2. Long Creek Falls

A roughly one-mile walk from the Three Forks area on Forest Service Road 58, where the Appalachian Trail and the Benton MacKaye Trail share the path, to a two-tiered waterfall about 50 feet tall. Part of the drive is on gravel, so take it slow. Our Springer Mountain & Long Creek Falls guide has the Forest Service directions from Blue Ridge, current road warnings, and where the sources disagree on the falls' height.

#3. Amicalola Falls

At 729 feet, Amicalola Falls is the big one, billed by the operator as the third-highest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi. It's about an hour from Blue Ridge via US-76 and GA-52, and there's an accessible trail if you'd rather skip the stairs. Our Amicalola Falls day trip guide has the parking fee, trail lengths from the park map, and zip line prices.

#4. Jacks River Falls

For real hikers. Jacks River Falls is deep in the Cohutta Wilderness, 4.5 miles each way from the Beech Bottom trailhead on Forest Road 62 (a fee lot). The Chamber recommends hiking experience, and the drive in is on gravel. Plan a full day, and pack more water than you think you need.

#Bonus: the Toccoa River Swinging Bridge

Not a waterfall, but worth the trip: a 260-foot suspension bridge over the Toccoa River on the Benton MacKaye Trail, roughly 35–50 minutes from Blue Ridge. See our Toccoa River Swinging Bridge guide for directions and both routes in.

Willing to drive farther? Twin-falls Anna Ruby Falls, near Helen, is a short paved walk; our day trip guide covers the drive, fees, and holiday closures.

#Tips for waterfall hikes near Blue Ridge

• Forest Service roads are gravel. Most cars handle them fine in dry weather; drive slowly.
• Go after rain for the biggest flow, and wear shoes with grip. The rocks near falls are slick.
• Start early on fall weekends. Trailhead lots fill up in October.
• Leave no trace. Pack out everything you bring in.

#Come back to the sauna

After a day on the trail, there's nothing better than heat. The Black Ember has a private cedar barrel sauna on the deck, a hot tub, and a fire pit, about 10 minutes from downtown and about 25 minutes from Fall Branch Falls.