A familiy guide to hiking Amicolola Falls

Amicolola Falls is the tallest cascading waterfall in the southeast and has some spectacular hiking all around it. The area is also exceptionally family friendly. A family guide to hiking the Amicolola Falls is quite simple as there are trails for any level hiker. There is a staircase that takes you all the way up, a wooded trail or a combination of them to switch up the view.

For people who want a simple day hike or to see the waterfall there are two main options, the Appalachian Approach Trail and East Ridge Trail. Each one of these trails has their own advantages and vantage points. Which one you take to the bottom or top of the falls will depend on how much walking you want to do and the age of your children.  We hiked it with a 5 and 7 year old.

If you have smaller children and are not using a carrier system you may want to consider using the Appalachian Approach Trail. This is a paved trail that will take you to the steps that then lead to the Lower Observation Platform, which is at the bottom of the waterfall.  From here there’s a nice observation deck with seats where you can look up at the falls.

From here you can take the 179 steps up and make it to the West Ridge Staircase. This is the walkway that goes across the bottom of the waterfall, where the vertical drop of water ends. It’s the view that most people take for their photo. If you want to carry on to the top of the waterfalls cross that walkway and go to the right, the staircase continues for another 480 steps.

Families that want to hike, in a more traditional sense, to the top of  the falls should take the East Ridge Trail. To access this trail all you need to do is go out the back door of the Visitor Center and follow the signs.  The wooded trail is clearly marked and should take a person who is in average shape about 40 minutes.

25 minutes into the hike it empties onto a steep service road. Follow that road up for 15 minutes and you’ll be at Falls Overlook which is the top of Amicolola Falls. Parts of this route were steep enough to make the 5 year old request a stop.  Having said that, it was just a couple minute’s rest and after two or three of those he rebounded and came zooming back to the little nature guy he is.

On this somewhat steep hike be sure to look to your left as you’ll get some of the best views of your entire visit. From there you’ll see miles and miles of the North Georgia Mountains; the gentle rolling hills with the occasional sharp peak that make up the area. There are lots of places to catch this view, but be careful because it’s a steep drop down.

At Falls Overlook there’s a place to picnic, some grills to use (when the fire danger isn’t high), toilets, lots of scenic vistas and the road leading to Amicolola Falls Lodge Conference Center & Restaurant. On the parking lot side of Falls Overlook is the West Ridge Staircase that runs on the left side of Amicoloca Falls.

Families with children should factor in one hour to climb the East Ridge Trail to get to Falls Overlook. If you go that way then the descent will take you approximately 30 minutes. The Appalachian Approach Trail (the paved one) will take families about 40 minutes to climb with 30 minutes needed to get down.

If you’ve got older kids who really want to hike you might want to consider the longer trails that will empty out at the West Ridge Staircase. These trails start across from the Visitor Center and would have hikers start on the Creek Trail, then take Mt. Laurel Loop to Spring Trail where it would end with West Ridge Falls Access. This is a fun series of trails that doesn’t cover much elevation, but is just less than five miles from start to finish.

Alternately, you can drive to the top of Amicolola Falls. Many families drive to Falls Overlook to picnic, look over the falls and view the hundreds of wooded acres.   Regardless of how your family wants to explore Amicolola Fall there will be a parking fee of $5. If you plan on visiting any of the Georgia State Parks on a steady basis you might want to purchase an annual pass for $50. This could be a wise investment, especially as your family discovers how cool the mountains are in the summer.