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December 2023 by Sarma Vedula
Beautiful place. Difficult to find parking in the weekend. Free entry into the park. Car parking ticket is $5.When I visited, dam gates were open and class 4 warning issued due to the heavy water current.Hence we are allowed to go up to the end point of the suspension bridge. Not allowed to go beyond the suspension bridge. Little disappointed but it's good control in terms of security of the visitors.Able to view Fall Colours.Overall good experience.Playground: Can't say exactly a playground. But kids can play around in the entrance of the park.Restrooms: Available in the entrance. Not in the trail route.Dog-friendliness: Dogs are allowed in the trail routePicnic area: Picnic tables available in the entrance. Some are shaded. Many are open tables.
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November 2023 by Zemin Hu (old skool boy)
The entrance fee to the park is $5 cash? as parking fee, no credit card is accepted. Tourists usually walk from the north rim of the interpretive center to the bottom of the valley, cross the suspension bridge, and then climb up from the south rim to take a loop, so-called Rim to Rim. The difficulty is that you have to go up and down 620 steps. I've seen people have difficult halfway, so there is a warning sign at the starting point marked it as strenuous . It’s actually not that hard as it sounds, for those who exercise regularly won’t have a problem.Something unexpected happened today. Since I have been to this place many times, so I went down to the suspension bridge at the bottom of the valley directly. However, someone blocked the walk up stairs to the south rim. When I asked, I found out that now is the 10-day white water rafting season. The stairs at the southern rim are opened only to white water rafters, allowing them to carry their kayaks down the stairs to the starting point of the rapids. I was told that more than 290 people were rafting yesterday, so tourists could only go back the same way. After going back up, I still insisted on walking to the south rim to see these rafters. It looks like these enthusiasts is so happy that it feels like a rafters festival, some one even did it twice or three times today. According to some of them, the rapids level here is 3 to 4, and may reach level 5. Outlook 9 is best spot to look, I could clearly see how they entered the rapids, it is fun just watching them.
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November 2023 by Zemin H.
The entrance fee to the park is $5 cash as parking fee, no credit card is accepted. Tourists usually walk from the north rim of the interpretive center to the bottom of the valley, cross the suspension bridge, and then climb up from the south rim to take a loop, so-called Rim to Rim. The difficulty is that you have to go up and down 620 steps. I've seen people have difficult halfway, so there is a warning sign at the starting point marked it as strenuous . It's actually not that hard as it sounds, for those who exercise regularly won't have a problem.Something unexpected happened today. Since I have been to this place many times, so I went down to the suspension bridge at the bottom of the valley directly. However, someone blocked the walk up stairs to the south rim. When I asked, I found out that now is the 10-day white water rafting season. The stairs at the southern rim are opened only to white water rafters, allowing them to carry their kayaks down the stairs to the starting point of the rapids. I was told that more than 290 people were rafting yesterday, so tourists could only go back the same way. After going back up, I still insisted on walking to the south rim to see these rafters. It looks like these enthusiasts is so happy that it feels like a rafters festival, some one even did it twice or three times today. According to some of them, the rapids level here is 3 to 4, and may reach level 5. Outlook 9 is best spot to look, I could clearly see how they entered the rapids, it is fun just watching them.
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November 2023 by Fatih Y
Tips:1-) Park to the interpretive center and take a map.2-) You start from 1A on the map. Turn left and go to 1 if you can go to the inspiration point but it's a little bit hard. The highest point of the park is that maybe you can see the eagles.3-)Turn back and go to 2 and 3 after that go down to the hurricane bridge. It's amazing. Go through the bridge4-) After the bridge, turn left and down to the Hurricane waterfall. See the waterfall and turn back. Don't go through back to the bridge! Climb to the other side. To the south rim trail.5-) After steps turn left and go to 8-9-10. Point 9 is the best view. You should go there.6-) Turn back to 9-8-7-6 and go through the highway bridge and then 5-4-3-2-1A Finished.?Notes:1-)For the best view there shouldn't be sunlight directly. The best times are cloudy days, beginning of the daylights or last period of the daylights.2-) Take enough water, the North and the South rim are pretty easy but down and up to the bridge and the Hurricane waterfall is very hard.3-)Before or after the tour go to the lakeside picnic area on the map and have a picnic on the tables.4-)You can take a coffee and sit to rest in the 1882 Coffee shop which is close to the park. Very cozy place.5-)Check water release days on the website. Hurricane waterfall will be closed these days but The bridge, the North and South rims will be open. If there is a water release you can see crazy kayaking and boating people.Restrooms: Clean Restrooms in the picnic area.Picnic area: Lake side picnic area. Have picnic tables
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November 2023 by Kinga Ochenduszko
Amazing hike! Took the gorge floor trail and it is no joke, 4h of climbing rocks, crossing river, including a hips deep dive. Would recommend, but be prepared to get wet! It’s the one that you need permit for, and they only give 100 a day and probably not on rainy days. We came at 9:15 and we were golden. Fall foliage only makes it more beautiful.
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November 2023 by Dollie Larson
This campsite was amazing! The trails were exhilirating. Only complaint was we were excited to see all these waterfall, but apparently you have to schedule this trip around their " water release dates " to view the waterfalls. We hikes all the strenuous trails to see waterfalls but we didn't see any. Only dry rocks where the waterfalls should have been. Other than that it was a wonderful place to camp for 3 days.Playground: The playground was lovely with a big picnic area with a fireplace.Restrooms: Clean restrooms with hot shower.Dog-friendliness: Very dog friendly.
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November 2023 by Kathleen E Gray
Wow! Beautiful views! The weather was perfect for our trail walk. Well maintained paths. Wouldn’t call this a hike, it’s more like a walking trail so it’s great for beginners. Lots of seating through if you need to stop and rest. Plenty of overlooks!No pets allowed to suspension bridge.Didn’t care for the highway walk, appeared very dangerous with the busy highway.I am terrified of heights so I didn’t venture to the suspension bridge, my husband did.I got some amazing photos! True glory of Gods Country!Dog-friendliness: Pet Friendly but not allowed to suspension bridgePicnic area: Lots of picnic areas
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November 2023 by Velinda Ivie
Very crowded, but the scenery was spectacular. We waited in a line of cars for 20 minutes to enter, so giving 4 stars out of 5. I don't know why the wait, except a guide was stopping people. ? The museum was nice and had snacks and drinks. They don't sell real meals and there is a lack of picnic tables. We had to make sandwiches and eat on the tail bed of our truck. The place was way more crowded than we thought it would be, so we felt rushed. But the views were spectacular. We went to overlook 1-4. We didn't do the stairs or suspension bridge, but we could see it from overlook 1.Restrooms: Clean. No bathroom at overlooks, only at the museum.Dog-friendliness: There were people out there with dogs. I don't understand why people would bring dogs in strollers on the trail though. Seems like the dogs would have benefited from walking. Strange Also one family had 2 yapping dogs who barked at everyone. Kind of annoying after the 2nd time I saw them and the dog startled my child by yipping, and snapping at my daughter once.Picnic area: Not enough picnic tables at the museum area. ? We had to assemble and make sandwiches on our tail-bed of our truck.
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November 2023 by Vilisha
It was a beautiful day to visit the Tallulah Gorge State Park! There were so many beautiful sights of nature. We crossed the suspension bridge which was kind of scary ? and descended the 1,062 steps down to the gorge floor ?Going back up was strenuous but doable if you’re in average shape. There were quite a few benches along the way so that you could rest! This is definitely a must do ?Restrooms: Very clean
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November 2023 by Joe Canova
Westayed up in Clayton, GA, for a few days and checked out the falls. Beautiful scenery and everything was kept up very nice. The walk down the falls includes over 550 stair steps, so if you can walk them down and back up, its best you not try. Bring some water as well and know there are no trash cans on the way up and down. The view of the falls is somewhat hard to see as the platform doesn't go all the way out, so you don't have the best view of falls. If you apply for a permit, you can walk down in the Gorge below the falls and then have the best view! Also, if I remember correctly, pets aren't allowed down the stairs and such.Restrooms: I believe the restrooms are only available at the Inpsiration Center.
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November 2023 by Bill Golden
Gorgeous outdoor mountain venue! We visited in October, a beautiful time of year in northern Georgia. We hiked down and up some 600+ steps to cross the suspension footbridge. The views are awesome! There’s a history center on site as well! $5 to park
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October 2023 by Miranda C.
Excellent park with a beach for swimming, hiking, kayaking, white water rafting, an interpretive center, and camping! The views are breathtaking!!We locals love The Shortline Trail for daily walks. It's a paved, flat walking trail through the woods alongside the Tallulah River! Kids can skate or bike along the trail while parents walk. I have seen all kinds of wildlife while walking: birds, fish, squirrels, turtles and once a Wild turkey flew right above my head! There is parking right beside the trail on both ends. I believe it's a 2 mile hike if you start and go to the end and then back. But there are ways to cut off earlier if you can't make it. Oh and you'll see a beautiful river, waterfalls, whitewater, calm wading areas plus you'll cross a suspension bridge! The park has activities all the time for visitors and locals. Don't miss the chance to see the waterfall under the bridge on "water release days!"
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October 2023 by Melissa Cavallini
The main positive is the hike and the overlooks along the north and south rim trails. The interpretive center is also nice.Campground is mediocre at best - I expected a lot more for a state park that is supposed to be one of the best in the state. Sites are close together and small. Bottom of the grill is rusted out. Campsites are right next to the park road so you hear and see traffic nonstop all day long from one side, and hear semi traffic at all hours from the other side from a major highway. Bathrooms could be cleaner. Hiking was nice and trails were well maintained but Gorge floor Hike was closed one day due to dam release, which then didn’t happen, and the next day was closed due to rain overnight. Definitely not a favorite. If you want to come see the gorge, the campground js sufficient for a night or two, but if you are looking for a getaway in a peaceful natural environment, this is not it.
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October 2023 by Anuj Minda
Excellent stop on the way to smoky mountains. Must stop for a quick rim hike to cover the highlights of the park.The south rim and north rim hike - both must be done. The trail will take couple of hours.The information centre is quite informative. The parking is 5$, entry is free.Restrooms: They close at 5.
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October 2023 by Charl “Charles” H.
Spectacular views, all throughout the park. Bring good shoes, preferably broken in and not new. You’re not going to want to walk back up the steps in uncomfortable shoes. The walk down is easy, the walk back up is a bit more work, so be ready. Don’t forget your water, and phone or camera.Restrooms: Restrooms available at the top of the park in the visitor/gift center.
