Flowery Branch, Georgia

The town of Flowery Branch, Georgia, is situated about an hour north of Atlanta, and is primarily known for being the home to the training camp of the Atlanta Falcons.  Their camp is located on Atlanta Highway, and occasionally their team practices are open to the public.  Players will sometimes sign autographs or items for fans.

Flowery Branch is also a nice medium between city life and country life; there is a Publix, a Kroger, and some fast food places nearby.   However, there are places to do horseback riding, and Cherokee Bluffs has a playground, picnic area, and some nice hiking trails.  

If you’re heading there for hiking or to see Matt Ryan toss a football, stop by Taqueria el Antojito on Atlanta Highway for some delicious beef or chicken tacos, and try the elote as well.  If you’re interested in classic American food, check out Crossroads Bar & Grille for hamburgers and sandwiches (the Reuben is delicious!).  

Flowery Branch is off I-985 (exit 113 off I-85 North), exit 12.

Tallulah Gorge and Falls

A series of four main cataracts at varying heights, Tallulah Falls has been a tourist favorite since the 1820s.  It has been dubbed the “Niagara of the South”.  The state park has some great hiking trails and you can get a permit to go to the floor of the gorge and do some kayaking.

Tallulah Gorge forms a natural boundary between two northeast Georgia counties, Habersham and Rabun.  Construction of a dam that eventually formed a lake was completed in 1913, but not without some controversy: environmentalist and wife of Confederate general James Longstreet, Helen Dortch Longstreet, wanted to make the area a state park.  She ultimately lost, but her campaign was one of the first conservation movements in the state of Georgia.  In 1999, the trail system around the park was formally re-named in her honor.

(Tallulah Dam, releasing water, fall 2018)

There are two primary trails around the gorge, one of which is associated with an interpretive center: the North Rim Trail and the South Rim Trail.  The North Rim Trail can be accessed from the parking lot at the interpretive center, and from the center itself.  There are a few stops along this trail, including one where an old, rusted tower appears. The tower was used by Kurt Wallenda in 1970 to cross the gorge.  

The trails are fairly easy, with the North Rim Trail having a few wrought iron steps as you get closer to the cataracts.  Pets are allowed on the trails, but must be leashed at all times.  

(Tempesta Falls, fed by Hawthorne Pool, which is in turn formed by Ladore Falls; near stops #2 an #3 on the North Rim Trail)

Tallulah Falls makes for a good day hike.  Be sure to stay hydrated; water filling stations are available.  Like Anna Ruby Falls, Tallulah Gorge State Park isn’t far from the town of Helen, so you can plan on stocking up on food and/or water there before your hike, or eating a delicious meal there afterwards.

https://gastateparks.org/TallulahGorge

Anna Ruby Falls

One of the easiest hikes in northeast Georgia lies near the town of Helen, which is about one to two hours north of Atlanta.  It’s called Anna Ruby Falls.  It’s a fairly simple hike, up one way to see the double waterfalls and down the other way.  The trail is completely paved.  Below are some pictures of the falls from a 2016 hike:

Anna Ruby Falls
Anna Ruby Falls
Part of the Anna Ruby Falls trail
On the trail to Anna Ruby Falls

The hike took me about an hour to complete, and it was crowded that day.  I’d recommend doing this hike first thing in the morning and then heading into nearby Helen for a day of shopping and sightseeing.

Helen, Georgia, is a small town designed to look like a Bavarian village.

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Alpine Helen

Helen is a fun little town to spend the day in.  You can grab a quick bite at The Nacoochee Village Tavern and Pizzeria or have an elegant meal at Caladonia Dining Room (in the Valhalla Resort Hotel).  There are fun little shops to browse, including the Tim’s Wooden Toys, Wildewood, or Lindenhaus Imports.   End your day with coffee and homemade fudge or pralines from Kopper Kettle Fudge, on Helen’s Main Street.