Scouting the Gorge

It is amazing how just a couple of days of perfect weather can wash away weeks of rain soaked frustration. Wrapping up an extremely soggy August, we are now in a cycle of dry and unseasonably cool weather. Guess what? Time for another road trip. So, we wound up Hemi-Lou and our canines made for the Blue Ridge Mountains of North East Georgia. Destination: Tallulah Gorge State Park.

The drive was surprisingly easy. Interstate 985 transitions into Georgia Hwy 365 and takes you almost to the doorstep of the state park. I always like to see non-stressful approaches to places of wonder. I am more likely to return with the travel trailer when the terrain is accommodating. From our current base in Cumming, GA, the distance was 77 miles or 1 hour, 28 minutes of travel.

Tallulah Gorge State Park is the home of a series of 4 cascading falls that make up Tallulah Falls. The gorge has been given the nickname of the “Niagara Falls” of the south. It is also listed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia.


More pics here.

Attempting to describe such a place definitely demonstrates the limitation of adjectives in the English language. I can use words such as majestic, breathtaking, splendorous and awe-inspiring, but they really do not convey what we experienced with our eyes. 

Unlike the major tourist draws like the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, this site only gets a few thousand visitors a year. Permits are required to hike the floor of the gorge. We were able to hike around the north and south rim of the gorge, but pets are not allowed on the floor of the gorge, nor are they allowed to venture down to the suspension bridge.

So, we count this trip as a scouting trip. The short term goal will be to target a long weekend in September to take our time hiking and shooting photos, engorging ourselves in the gorge, if you will. 

Kat is starting to get requests for some of her prints from prior locations, and I am sure that demand is going to increase after she finalizes the edition on the images she captured on this trip. In the future, I will add some links to purchase some of her artwork in various formats.

We can't wait to go back and do some real exploring.

Until next time - 

Happy Trails,

Kit