Cloudland Canyon - Bear Creek, Both Falls and Sittons Gulch

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Cloudland Canyon - Bear Creek, Both Falls and Sittons Gulch

The Basics:

Event Type:

Hike

Event Location:

Cloudland Canyon

Date(s) & Time:

Fri, May 22 2026 9:00 am >> Fri, May 22 2026 3:45 pm (Carpool Departure: 7:00 am *log in for location*)

Registration Opens:

Fri, May 1 2026 6:00 pm

Registration Cut Off:

Thu, May 21 2026 3:00 pm

Event Duration:

6 Hours 45 Minutes

Difficulty Rating:

D5: Difficult (Exploratory)

Distance:

14.8 Miles

Pace:

Moderate

Trip Leader(s):

Trish T
Kip

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You must be logged in to get the Trip Leader contact information.

Member Cost:

None

Participant Info:

Who's Invited:

Members Only, 21 And Older Only

Maximum Group Size:

Minimum Group Size:

Number Registered So Far:

2 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)

Are Dogs Permitted:

Note: This is an "EXPLORATORY" trip. This means that there are parts of this trip, or perhaps the whole trip, that is new to your Trip Leader(s). However, they are confident that this will not be an issue.
This note is here so that you can make an informed decision. When a Trip Leader isn't personally familiar with a trip, there is an increased chance of things not going as planned and you need to be prepared. The Trip Leader may have additional details in the itinerary.

Itinerary:

Even if you've been to Cloudland Canyon, you probably haven't hiked the Bear Creek Trail. Here's a chance to see a new part of the park and still visit the beautiful Cherokee and Hemlock Falls, as well as Sitton's Gulch. (We will not be hiking the West Rim this time.)

Let's meet at the Main Overlook Parking area. We'll take the Cherokee Falls and Hemlock Falls Trail down into the gorge. Then we will hike the Sitton's Gulch Trail. We'll head back up to the Overlook Trail near our cars for a picnic lunch.

We'll have lunch near the parking lot so have a cooler in your car for cold food and drink.

After refueling we'll continue on the Overlook Trail to the Connector Trail. We'll go clockwise on the Bear Creek loop and enjoy spectacular rim views and beautiful and (hopefully) serene water crossings.

Note: Bear Creek Trail is rated as "Hard" on AllTrails. There are steep and rocky parts of this trail and a water crossing that might be difficult. Trip leaders will confirm with the park if there has been heavy rain to be sure that this trail has not been closed.

After the loop we'll head back along the Overlook trail and look across the rim to where we were.

This hike is considered challenging due to steep climbs, slippery spots, rocks and water crossings. Oh, did I mention the stairs? There are lots and lots of stairs, about 600 hundred, that we will go down and back up before hitting the hard part of the hike.

This is an upper level D5 so not a good hike to start with it you haven't done a D5 before. You will be moved to the waitlist without D5 history. However, feel free to contact the trip leaders if you feel up to the challenge.

The trip leaders have done all the parts of this trail, but have not put them together to make it one continuous hike. So mileage and elevations are approximations. We expect 14.8 miles and 3150 ft of elevation gain.

Each car will need a Georgia State Parking Pass.

Required Items to Bring:

Plenty of water, lunch and a snack

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

Hiking shoes

Water shoes, extra socks

Hiking poles

Cooler for cold drinks and food

How to Get There:

Event Directions:

We will meet near the Overlook Trail in the parking area. There are bathrooms at this parking lot.

Carpool to Event Distance (round trip):

180Mile(s)

Carpool Departure Time:

7:00 am

Carpool Location:

Carpool Directions:

Carpool Cost:

Estimated cost per vehicle for this event is $72.00 using a reimbursement rate guideline of $0.400 per mile. The total amount should be divided by the number of people in the vehicle, including the driver. This is a guideline, not a rule, for drivers but the cost should not be higher unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Notes:

* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Cancellation/Partial Attendance: Please review the AOC cancellation policy.

Registration for this event opens at 5/1/2026 6:00:00 PM