Explore The Great Outdoors At Tallulah Gorge State Park In Georgia On This Extraordinary Day Trip
By Lisa Sammons|Published December 05, 2022
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Lisa Sammons
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Lisa loves animals and has dogs, rats, cats, guinea pigs, and snakes. She is passionate about animal rescue and live music - traveling across the country to see a favorite band is a pretty regular occurrence! Being out hiking in the woods enjoying the scenery with her beloved dogs is another favorite hobby, and also checking out the Pokemon Go scene in whatever city she happens to be in at any given time (coffee and dog leash in hand). You can reach Lisa at lsammons@onlyinyourstate.com
The Peach State is magnificent, with an array of incredible natural attractions. Some of these are so awe-inspiring that it’s no exaggeration at all to consider their natural wonders. Any list of natural wonders in Georgia is sure to include Tallulah Gorge. This two-mile long, 1,000-foot deep canyon is one of the deepest and most impressive gorges in the entire eastern United States. It’s the crown jewel of the state park that shares its name, and I was recently lucky enough to take a trip there. This place’s sheer majesty and scale are impossible to capture in photos. It’s a spot that belongs on every traveler and nature lover’s bucket list.
My name is Lisa, and I write for Connecticut, Georgia, and Kansas here at OnlyInYourState. I was born and raised in Georgia and am lucky enough to still call the Peach State home today. I love getting out and exploring all that this great state has to offer. There is honestly so much to do and see in Georgia that it feels like it could take a lifetime! Welcome to OnlyInYourState’s Everyday Explorers, a series of travel articles from local experts exploring their own backyards – and beyond.
Tallulah Gorge State Park spans 2,689 acres. I only had a few hours on my trip in early fall, so my plan was to hike around for a bit, explore the area, and see the gorge. You could easily spend several days exploring the park, as there is a lot to see in the area.
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I was visiting on a bright, sunny day that was unseasonably warm. Even though there were many park visitors, there was plenty of parking available. Parking was just $5 and wasn't far from several trailheads, so it was quite convenient.
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It didn't take long at all to reach my first overlook. After about 15 minutes of fairly moderate hiking, I caught my first glimpse of the gorge. It's so massive, it's hard to describe!
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There were several other overlooks along the trail, all relatively easy to access. There were a lot of others out hiking, but there was enough space that we could spread out, and it didn't feel too crowded.
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Each of the viewing areas provided slightly different angles from which to view Tallulah Gorge.
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I kept on following the clearly-marked path and eventually came to signs warning me of more than 1,000 stairs just ahead. I am in decent shape and felt confident I could handle them, so I made my way down to the bridge that spans the gorge.
The steps down to reach the bridge were a lot easier than I expected. The bridge itself is pretty narrow. It's a suspension bridge, so it moves quite a bit with the weight of people on it and also with the wind.
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It felt really high up. I'm not particularly afraid of heights, but the shakiness was unexpected and unsettling. I would definitely go across it again - the views were great - but it was a little unnerving not knowing what to expect!
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Here's another view from the middle of the bridge.
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There were more stairs to travel down to the gorge floor, but I was short on time, so headed back up the stairs to get to the trail again. I've gotta say, going back up was a real workout. I was absolutely exhausted by the time I got back up to the trail, and decided to go ahead and head back to the car since I was short on time anyway.
There are a few small benches to rest on as you go up the stairs, but because they're fairly narrow, and others are trying to stop and rest also, it can be a little hard to take your time. I definitely don't recommend attempting them if you aren't in good shape!
I looked up at the view from the gorge floor when I got home - it's quite lovely! It's worth noting that you do have to obtain a (free) permit from the park office if you want to hike along the gorge floor.
I think next time I visit, I’ll probably walk along the upper rim a bit longer before deciding to attempt those stairs again so that I’m not too tired to continue exploring the trails! Have you ever visited Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia? Or do you have another favorite park in Georgia you think we should feature? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments!
To discover more incredible boots-on-the-ground adventures across America from our team of local travel experts, check out all of the articles in OnlyInYourState’s Everyday Explorers series. What destinations would you like to see featured next on OnlyInYourState’s Everyday Explorers? Tell us where we should go on our nominations page.
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