Tallulah Gorge Hike, Slide and Swim

***Please make sure to bring a good pair of water shoes with a good grip or they will not let you go down to the gorge.***

We'll arrive at the Jane Hurt Yarn Interpretive Center at Tallulah Gorge. In order to get permits to hike the bottom of the gorge we need to leave this early because permits go fast.   

The plan is to arrive around 7:45-8:00am, get permits and hike either the North and/or the South Rim Trails.  We'll decide as a group once we're there.  Since it will be so early, the floor of the gorge may be wet from the morning dew, so we'll hike for an hour or two to let it dry.  After our hike, we'll descend down the Hurricane Falls Staircase, which has about 550 steps. Cross the suspension bridge and, at the bottom, get past the gate that says "Permit Required". We'll have to go to the other side of the river. A dry crossing is possible, but be prepared to have to step in the water. Then we'll scramble along the rocky margin of the river until we reach the Bridal Veil falls. The terrain is very uneven. There is one place that is slightly slippery, so you should bring shoes that can get wet and have a good grip.  At the falls, we'll stop for a swim, slide, have lunch, relax, take pictures and enjoy the views. The slide is really fun, I recommend you try it, if you've never done it before.

Getting out of the deep pool may feel tricky. The most obvious place is not the easiest. If you are not a good swimmer, check where you are going to get out of the water before you get in. There is also a shallow pool, so knowing how to swim is not required for this trip. Just stay out of the deep waters and away from the slide.

We'll leave the Bridal Veil Falls through the Sliding Rock Trail. The trail is a 45°-angled, 0.25-mile-long trail. It will be a rise of  800 ft in a quarter mile. If you've never hiked a 45° trail, I hope you enjoy a work out. You can take breaks and hike at your pace. After we are out of the gorge, we'll take the South Rim Trail, cross the bridge next to the dam and back on the North Rim Trail to the Interpretive Center.

If it rains the night before or if rain is forecast, the hike may be delayed, postponed or cancelled. The park doesn't issue permits if the rocks are wet. Rain makes the hike on the gorge very difficult, if not impossible.

Link to Google Maps (opens a new window): Jane Hurt Yarn Rd, Tallulah Falls, GA

If you are meeting at the event, we'll try to be there around 8:00 AM. We can't guarantee an exact time. I'm not sure if my cell phone has signal at the park. Wait for us next to the desk where we get the permits.

- All roads to the park are paved.
- There are no planned stops between the carpool and the park.
- Flush toilets are available at the interpretive center, but not after the hike starts.

There is no cost for this event, but the park charges a $5.00 parking fee per car if you don't have the Georgia State Park Permit.