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Hike to Horsetrough Falls

Blairsville, Georgia

5.0/5
based on 2 reviews

Details

Distance

0.4 miles

Elevation Gain

10 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Nathan Szwarc

This lightly trafficked and short hike leads to a 60 foot high cascading waterfall that is framed perfectly by the trees around it! 

To get to the trail head you will follow Wilks road five miles to Upper Chattahoochee River Campground. The five miles down the gravel road should be doable for a majority of cars as the gravel road is in good condition. Pretty much if you feel comfortable driving your car on a regular gravel road you should be fine to make it down and back. Once you have gone the approximate five miles and have reached the bottom of the road you will see the entrance to Upper Chattahoochee River Campground on your right. Turn into the campground and follow the signs for Horsetrough falls all the way the to the back of the campground and park in the signed "day use area" parking. If you are visiting the falls between November 1- March 17 the gate to the campground will likely be locked. If this is the case park just off to the right of the locked gate and you will be walking .4 miles to the trail head. Overall if the gate is locked the mileage for this hike is approximately 1.2 miles with little to no effect on the elevation gain.

The trail begins at the back center of the parking lot by the bulletin board. You will immediately cross a small wooden bridge over a stream and follow a forested trail .2 miles up to an observation deck of the falls. There are no turn offs or trail branches so it is a straight .2 miles with very little elevation gain. Once you have reached the deck take in the view of the falls and enjoy your heavily forested surroundings. After you have enjoyed the falls and are ready to head back, follow the trail out .2 miles once again with no turnoffs back to the start of the trail. As always make sure to leave the trail better then you found it and pack-out any trash!

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Features

Photography
Hiking
Easy Parking
Family Friendly
Forest
Scenic
Waterfall

Hike to Horsetrough Falls Reviews

This area is incredibly beautiful. The road has been closed for a while now, check the national forest website to see if it has been reopened before going.

This is one of the most underrated waterfalls in Georgia. The hike is super short and easy, there are nearby campgrounds, and there are hardly ever any crowds. However, being at the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River, if there has not been any rain in recent days, the falls might just be a mild trickle of water. I can definitely see how that might seem a bit underwhelming. With that said, if you just do a little recent weather research into account before you go, you should be set to see something special.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

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