50 Amazing Amicalola Falls Facts: Georgia's Highest Waterfall!

The name, Amicalola Falls, when translated to English, means 'tumbling waters'.

The falls have crystal clear water and beautiful surroundings. But they did not catch the eye of the general population up until the late 1800s.

Amicalola Falls is located in northern Georgia, one of the southeastern states of the United States. The state is hilly and mountainous and has been inhabited by native settlements since before the arrival of European settlers.

The Amicalola Falls State Park was purchased by the state in 1911. After a century of government ownership, the park was partly privatized, and the management of the park is now overseen by Coral Hospitality which is a resort and hotel management organization based in Florida.

Facts About Amicalola Falls

The falls were discovered in 1832; the park is situated in the Great Lakes region and has been an important historical site, both to the natives and also to the European settlers.

Amicalola Falls is situated in north Georgia; it is a beautiful, natural hiking and sightseeing attraction, visited by millions of highly enthusiastic hikers.

Since it is located just west of Dahlonega, Amicalola Falls is easily accessible to people in Helen and inhabitants of the surrounding area.

Amicalola Falls is 729 ft (222.19 m) high and is the tallest falling waterfall in the southeast the United States and also the tallest waterfall in Georgia.

The name 'Amicalola' comes from the Cherokee language and literally translates to 'tumbling waters'.

The falls were not very popular up until the 1800s, but due to the Sixth Georgian Land Lottery, a land redistribution policy, it was discovered by William Williamson.

In 1911, the state of Georgia purchased the waterfall and surrounding area.

In 1958, a portion of the Appalachian Trail, Georgia, was relocated from Mount Oglethorpe at the decision of the Appalachian Trail Club; the new location was the Springer Mountain and Amicalola Falls State Park was then established.

The park also owns the Len Foote Hike Inn, a wild, country eco-friendly inn one mile from the Appalachian's major highway, and 4.4 mi (7.08 km) from Springer Mountain.

Amicalola Falls State Park Lodge is an 829 ac (360.98 ha) state park located between Dahlonega and Ellijay in Dawsonville, Georgia.

These waterfalls are one of the state's seven natural wonders, and hikers and explorers visit them every year.

Amicalola Falls State Park has many hiking trails, a guest house, restaurant, cottages, a sanctuary for lengthy Appalachian Trail trekkers, a campground, and connect directly to the environmental Len Foote Hike Inn.

Jellison Floyd created the Georgia State Park in 1926 and designated the region as a natural conservatory to protect the untouched beauty of the Amicalola Falls State Park.

More than four times the elevation of Niagara Falls, the Amicalola Falls park is among the best state parks in Georgia.

The waters of Little Amicalola Creek, a tributary of the Etowah River, form the falls.

Hiking In Amicalola Falls

The park features four groups of hiking trails as a part of its enclave and has a beautiful lodge aptly named the Amicalola Falls State Park Lodge. The lodge has incredible views overlooking the Georgian mountains and the Mississippi River.

One of the trails leads to the top of the waterfall, which has breathtaking views of the gorgeous Oglethorpe mountain as well as the lush greenery of the area surrounding it.

Park rangers are on the park's staff and are responsible for monitoring and protecting the park's beauty as well as the local wildlife.

The park has a lodge that serves as a starting point for hikers on the Appalachian Trail, where they can stock up on supplies for the long but rewarding journey ahead.

The Len Foote Hike Inn, located a mile out from Appalachian Route Trail and 4.4 mi (7 km) from Springer Mountain, is owned by the park.

In 2012, Coral Hospitality, a hotel and resort management company based out of Florida, took over the ownership of Amicalola Falls State Park, leading to its privatization.

The state park has 829 ac (335.48 ha) of picturesque hiking trails and beauty for visitors who want to appreciate the real majesty of the north Georgian mountains.

The East Ridge Trail is a moderate to strenuous mile-long hike to the top of the falls, but you are rewarded with a majestic scene when you get to the top.

There is also a Mountain Laurel Loop Trail that runs along the ridge just above the falls and offers spectacular views to the hikers.

The West Ridge Falls Access Trail offers one of the best views of the falls.

Trout fishing is a very common and fun activity to do when visiting Amicalola Falls State Park.

Amicalola falls state park is about an hour-long journey from Helen, Georgia.

There are exactly 604 stairs that lead to the top of the falls.

The falls also have a park for kids to have fun or to have a fun picnic day.

There is also an Amicalola Falls Deer Park which is too good a sight to miss.

The Amicalola State Park offers a great variety of flora and fauna that can be seen in all its natural glory across its four trails.

Things To Do At Amicalola Falls

The Amicalola Falls State Park Lodge is one of the total seven natural wonders of the state and encompasses an 829 ac (335.48 ha) territory.

The natural park has been home to several native animal species across its territory. It is a 729 ft (222.19 m) body of water and has claimed the title of the highest waterfall in the state.

The ark has a lodge which serves as a starting point for those who visit to hike.

Amicalola Falls State Park has four different trails, only one of which leads to the top of the falls.

If you're interested in native Georgian wildlife, these falls in just the right place for you. A one-day trip to the falls will bring you the joy of experiencing nature and wildlife all at once.

These falls harbor an entertainment center that has informative and engaging displays.

You can chat with the park rangers and get an idea about which trail will suit you the most; they are extremely friendly and helpful.

The park offers native wildlife like squirrels, birds, rabbits, foxes, frogs, deer, lizards, and others, which roam about the vast territory of the protected park.

Amicalola Falls is also known for its ample supply of freshwater trout. Because of this very reason, fishing is one most the most attractive activities in the place.

The Georgia State Park Circuit offers geocaching. If you're someone who's into a treasure hunt, geocaching is a hard-to-miss activity for you.

The geocaching website gives you the data on hidden treasures left behind by many tourists in different places. All that it takes is for you to gear up and go treasure hunting.

There are also a few easier trails that feature many engaging educational activities along the quarter-mile loop; one such trail is the Lodge Loop; it is great for young and less experienced hikers.

Amicalola Falls' History

William Williamson was a European adventurer and is frequently credited with the discovery and mapping of Amicalola Falls and the surrounding region. He was seeking land to claim as per the Sixth Georgian Land Lottery; the Georgian Land Lotteries were a 19th-century system of land redistribution.

The European-Americans knew very little about the falls before the 19th century.

In 1832 a treaty was signed, the Treaty of New Echota with the United States, which led to what was called the Trail of Tears.

This Trail of Tears also involved many casualties.

William Williamson was exploring the area seeking land to claim in the Sixth Georgia Land Lottery when he discovered the falls and mentioned them in historical accounts for the very first time.

After the Sixth Georgian Land Lottery, an unknown man claimed the region where the falls are located and the surrounding area.

Since the terrain was a little too rugged, he decided not to live on it, and the area remained uninhabited for the next few decades.

Bartley Crane was a man who arrived near the base of the waterfalls in 1852 and controlled several hundreds of acres in the vicinity, including the falls.

Crane operated a corn and flour mill all along the Amicalola Creek near what would later become the Visitor Center.

As additional settlers migrated into the region, a campground along the base of the falls was created in 1860, and it was even utilized for religious revivals.

The campground was purportedly frequented by both Confederate and Union armies during the Civil War.

The mill on the creek survived the war, and John Hunter Crane, Bartley's son, founded a general store that functioned through the Great Depression.

Then, in 1911, the state decided to purchase the falls.

In 1958 Georgia Appalachian Trail Club came up with the idea to move the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.

In the same year, Amicalola Falls State Park was developed by the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club, which created and completed the established trails in the park's region and made them accessible to prospect explorers and hikers.

An 8.5 mi (13.7 km) trail was lined from the base of Amicalola Falls to the top of Springer Mountain to make the trail to the Appalachian Trail accessible from a major highway.