Tallulah Gorge Floor Trail
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Trail Details
Name:
Tallulah Gorge Floor TrailLocation:
Tallulah Gorge, GADistance:
2.5 milesDuration:
Minimum of two hoursDifficulty:
Moderate to DifficultRecommendation:
Yes
T allulah Gorge State Park is located in Rabun County just outside of the Chattahoochee National Forest. The park would make for a great day trip for anyone in the Atlanta area.
Arriving at the park prior to opening is a must in the warmer months. I would recommend arriving approximately 30 minutes prior to the opening due to the fact that only 100 permits to enter the park are given out per day.
Typically the permits for the day are gone minutes after the park opens for the day. After attending your safety briefing, you'll be off on the trail!
The trail is only 2.5 miles in all, but this is not your traditional trail. It begins with a series of very steep steps (600 in total) down to the gorge floor. Once arriving on the floor you are greeted by a beautiful waterfall on your left.
There are a series of rocks going across the river that you are forced to skip across. Be careful not to fall as the water can be running a little quick!
From there the trail continues to follow along the riverbank. You'll soon arrive at a ledge where you may see people jumping off. Be sure to jump at your own risk though as this is not a designated swimming area. Either way, this is a nice place to take a break and enjoy the view around you.
After staying there for a little you will continue on down to the sliding rock. A sliding rock is a smooth rock that has very quick water flowing down it creating a natural water slide. When you get to the bottom of the rock you swim to the nearest place to get back to the top.
This is where the experience gets a little sketchy. You have to be very careful. The rock is very slick from all the people getting in and out of the water. If small children are brought here, they should be carefully watched by an adult as it is very difficult to loose your footing on the slippery rocks.
When you are ready to leave you scramble up the edge of the gorge. The trail rapidly inclines until you reach the top of the gorge. Once there, the trail back is very simple. Its about a mile along very flat trail taking you a long the gorge rim and then back to the parking lot.
I recommend spending a few hours at the sliding rock. It's not everyday you get to slide down a natural water slide! Just remember, make sure you are there before the opening or else you run the risk of not getting your permit.
