Cloudland Canyon(GA)

“Does anyone know if Cloudland Canyon has backpacking and if so, how is it? My Fathers Day gift is an extra hiking trip. I'm pretty well booked up til Fall with plans. I'll try for a trip close to home so that I can leave out on a Friday afterwork and hike all day Sat and Sun. Cloudland came to mind. Any advice?”

“When I was there a few years ago, the only BPing was on the short trail on the North(?) side of the Canyon... the side with hardly any views. It's back away from the rim except for one or two spots. I think there were two designated 'backcountry' sites.

The trail on the South Rim was much more interesting --- and populated. We hiked both rims and down to the bottom of the falls in less than a day. It's quite scenic, just not very large.

It would make for a pretty leisurely weekend... except for that hop down to the bottom of the falls and back up, <G>.


Cloudland Canyon State Park
Rt. 2, Box 150
Rising Fawn, GA 30738
706/657-4050

Georgia Department of Natural Resources
205 Butler St., Suite 1352
Atlanta, GA 30334
404/656-3530

Info/brochures:
404/656-3530
Reservations:
(800) 864-PARK”

“Thanks a bunch. Sounds like I may just wind up doing a short Smokies trip instead.”

“Check out the Cohutta Wilderness --it's in the Cherokee Nat'l Forest in North Georgia and a little bit into Tennessee.

You can easily disappear in there for a couple days. :)

The Nat'l Geographic Trails Illustrated Map contains that area, as does the Tim Homan's book.

National Geographic Map

Hiking Trails of the Cohutta & Big Frog Wildernesses”

“The BPing trail at Cloudland Canyon is only about 4 or 5 miles long. I think I've hiked it before. I know I've done some shorter stuff out there but can't remember if I've hiked everything. After years of Hiking & BPing, some trails start running together.”

“Yeah, they do.

One that definitely sticks in my mind is that last stretch going up next to Panther Creek Falls in Cohutta. The first time I did it, I misread the topo and thought it only went up 400 ft. in the last half mile instead of 800, LOL

That one could've used a few more switchbacks.”

“I haven't done Panther Creek Falls yet.
I've done Jacks River Trail to Jacks River Falls. Is that in the same area?

I have done everything in Big Frog Wilderness.”