Cloudland Canyon Backcountry

Event Update/Reminders 3/8/2021:

-happy to see some familiar faces and some new faces!

-please make sure you are committed to attending as there is a waitlist of persons wishing to be on the trip, if needed, remover yourself asap

-on the backpacking portion of the event you will need to bring enough water to last from Saturday afternoon until you return to the car Sunday

-you will need to bring these meals [note there is no food sold at the park]:

     Saturday lunch and dinner

     Sunday breakfast and lunch

     Snacks

-be careful on the high cliffs of the canyon, don't attempt to climb down at any point, stay on the trail

-For those who don't meet up at 8 at Busbee, we will meet at the Park Interpretive Center around 10:30 to start the event

-I will bring my guitar, hope you like to sing and play percussion instruments, consider getting yourself some egg shakers to bring along!

-there may be water crossings of Bear Creek in which we will potentially get our feet wet

Event Description:

Cloudland Canyon is one of Georgia's most beautiful areas.  Most visitors stay in the regular campgrounds or just visit for the day.  However, the park has a decent backcountry area where you can escape the crowds and get an alternative if not superior view of the canyon.  I list this trip as exploratory because I have not camped in this particular area since 1994.  This is interesting too because I have not lead an AOC event since the start of the pandemic.  So, it's about time on all accounts! 

Although there is no official carpool for this event, we can none-the-less meet early at the Busbee Park 'n Ride near Fifth Thirds Stadium in Kennesaw and make the two-hour drive as a caravan if you wish.  Otherwise, it is fine to just meet near the Interpretive Center at the park.  As you know, you are encouraged to follow CDC Covid guidelines at all times on events and there will be no official carpool for this event.  If you wish, you may arrange privately with other members if you'd like to carpool.

There appear to be four water crossings of Bear Creek.  

There is no water source at site #13.  We will have to pack in water.  There is a place about halfway through the walk-in where we can stop and fill up so you don't have to carry all of your water all the way from the car.

When we arrive at the park we will visit the "tourist" area first and see the interpretative center and the view of the canyon from the east rim.  We can also have lunch at a picnic table in this area.  We will then move our cars to the backcountry parking lot and hike up the Bear Creek Trail about 3.5 miles to campsite #13.  We can set up camp and prepare for sunset over the canyon!  It's a .5 mile walk over to the edge to sit for sunset.  

Some things to consider doing on a pandemic event:

-if you ride in someone's car, all persons should wear a mask and use fresh air ventilation continuously in the car

- at any time during the event, remember to social distance

-keep social distancing around the campfire too

-don't share food or water

The park's camping reservation fee is $8 per person [which I already paid when I made the reservation] and you can just pay me at the event.  There is also a $5 parking fee per vehicle.

Cloudland Canyon Hiking Map

Gaia map and profile for the one way walk to #13

Google Map Directions to the park from Atlanta

When we arrive we will rendezvous at the  Interpretive Center

122 Cloudland Canyon Park Road
Rising Fawn, GA 30738
Dade County

GPS Coordinates
N 34.8402630 | W -85.4828810

-$8 is for the camping reservation per person per night to be paid to Grant at the event

-there is also a $5 per vehicle entrance fee which can be shared by passengers